Family's Home Damaged by Insurer

It is Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 4:40 am.

It is Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 9:40 am.

John Balzan and his family are waiting for work to start on their home after Suncorp made a plumbing issue worse.

A family of seven is living in a small caravan and shed after Suncorp made damage to their home worse.

A leaking toilet turned into a mold problem because the repair work was delayed for months.

The Balzan family's five children have not slept in their bedrooms since October and do not know when the repairs will start.

The father, John Balzan, said they have been living like this for ten months and are still unsure when the claim will be finished.

John and Lani Balzan say the delays have caused a lot of stress for their family.

The contents of their home were contaminated.

In September, the Balzans' home in rural Queensland had a leak from a toilet, which spread sewage to many rooms.

The Balzans told their insurer, Suncorp, right away, and Suncorp said the repairs would be done by the end of October.

But Suncorp's contractors delayed the repair work, and mold grew quickly throughout the home and its contents.

When the contractors finally addressed the contents in November, they contaminated clean rooms by putting dirty items in them.

The Balzan family has been sleeping in a shed and caravan since October, waiting for Suncorp to start the repair work.

Mr. Balzan said they do not know what to do and are trying to get answers from Suncorp.

A Suncorp spokesperson said they know this has been a very difficult situation for the Balzan family.

Suncorp said they are working with the family to finish the repairs as soon as possible.

The insurer admits they made a mistake but has not given a timeline for the repairs.

In February, Suncorp apologized to the Balzan family and said they were responsible for the extra damage to the home and its contents.

John Balzan said it is hard to find a place to live in rural Queensland that can fit his family of seven.

Suncorp said in a letter to John Balzan that they should have managed the repair work better from the start.

Suncorp also said they should have stored clean contents outside to prevent contamination.

The Balzan family cannot go back to their home until Suncorp fixes the damage.

Lani Balzan said $480,000 worth of her artwork was damaged because of the delays.

Lani Balzan said her art is a part of who she is and her culture.

The family said contractors were told to throw away the artworks without respecting cultural practices.

The family kept the artworks and disposed of them properly in a cultural way.

Lani Balzan said $480,000 worth of her artwork was damaged because of the delays.

A Suncorp spokesperson said it is not their policy to remove contents without the customer's approval.

Suncorp confirmed in emails that their contractors were responsible for the extra damage to the contents.

The Balzans gave Suncorp a list of all the contents that were damaged, but the claim has not been settled yet.

The contents inside the home were destroyed.

Insurers are responsible for the actions of their contractors.

Prue Monument said insurers must take responsibility for damage to a customer's home, even if it was caused by someone they hired.

Prue Monument said insurers are responsible for the work of their contractors.

If insurers hire people to fix a customer's home, they are still responsible for making sure the work is done well and on time.

The Balzans have a complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, and Suncorp offered them $6,300 to close the complaint.

Mr. Balzan said the stress on the family has been devastating as they wait for an update on the repairs.

Suncorp said they offered the family a different place to live, but Mr. Balzan said it was hard to find a place that could fit them.

Lawyers say they see delays like this too often.

Erin Mulally said families often struggle with delays by insurance companies, which can cause harm to the customers.

Sometimes the delays can last up to two years.

Erin Mulally said they see experts who do poor repairs and delays in the claims process without a clear explanation.

In May, ABC News reported on an elderly woman who had a nine-year battle with Suncorp after a minor claim was made worse by contractors.

A recent survey found that people's trust in insurance companies is at an all-time low of 17%.

Ms. Monument said that as insurance premiums rise, it is more important than ever for insurance companies to be transparent with their customers.

Transparency is critical, but it is not just about being clear; it is also about being accessible.

The insurance code is being reviewed.

A review of the General Insurance Code of Practice has been going on since 2023, and the public can comment on the latest draft until recently.

Drew MacRae said key parts of the Insurance Code have been removed in the new draft.

The Financial Rights Legal Centre's principal of policy development, Drew MacRae, is concerned that the new draft has removed many consumer protections.

The current code has about 235 clauses, and about 65 of them have been removed or changed in the new draft.

The new draft code makes insurers' commitments legally enforceable, which Mr. MacRae welcomes.

But Mr. MacRae said this should not come at the cost of a weaker code.

They have weakened some commitments around investigation practices, which needs to be fixed.

Mr. MacRae led a joint submission with feedback on the draft, recommending more support for vulnerable customers and standardized expert reports.

An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said the changes to the code raise the bar for consumers.

The redrafted code will make insurers' commitments enforceable, giving consumers clear new avenues for redress.

It enhances support for people experiencing vulnerability and broadens family violence protections.

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