Qld & NSW Severe Storms and Hail

Over 20 to 27 November 2025, with the worst of it on Sunday 23 and Monday 24 November, severe storms tracked from near Lismore in Northern NSW up through the Gold Coast and its hinterland, Logan, Brisbane, the Redlands and Moreton Bay (Bribie Island was badly hit), then on to the Sunshine Coast and further north.

The Insurance Council of Australia declared this an insurance catastrophe (CAT 255) on 25 November 2025, and on 28 November extended the declaration to every postcode in Queensland and New South Wales for 20–27 November.

The hail. The largest hailstones fell along a corridor from Logan Village through Burbank and Manly, where dense, spherical hail between 8 and 13 cm was observed (Suncorp severe-weather meteorology). Media and storm-chaser reports put some stones at up to 15 cm, though that figure is unofficial. 11 cm hail was reported at Ferny Hills and Manly.

The wind. Brisbane Airport recorded a 107 km/h gust and gusts around or above 100 km/h were widespread, toppling trees and powerlines. Around 150,000 customers lost power at the peak.

The damage. Roofs torn open by wind, hail-punctured and dented roofing, smashed windows, shattered solar panels and internal water damage. More than 44,600 claims had been lodged across Queensland and NSW as at 28 November 2025, a preliminary figure that continues to rise.

Suburbs with the heaviest insurer claim volumes included Beenleigh, Shailer Park, Manly West, Cornubia, Capalaba, Loganholme, Keperra, Wynnum, Birkdale and Alexandra Hills.

Can you still claim? Yes, in most cases. This is a documented, ICA-declared catastrophe covering every postcode in both states for those dates, which makes attributing roof damage to this storm straightforward for a qualified assessor. Hail damage is often missed from the ground. If your home was anywhere in the storm’s path, a free inspection is worth doing even if the roof looks fine from below.