VMIA Insurance Claims
If you had a contract signed for your new home, you should have warranty insurance in place – especially if works have started or a permit has been issued. This means you will be able to lodge a VMIA (Victorian Managed Insurance Authority) claim.
Here are some insights that may help you through the VMIA claim process:
Allow Time
Allow plenty of time for the claim process. It can take six months of more before you receive payment. This is especially the case at the moment where there are lots of claims.
VMIA Contact Person
You’ll be allocated a VMIA contact person, and they will coordinate your claim from start to finish. It is important to keep communications open with this person as they are there to help you. It is also important to know that they have lots of other people they are trying to help at the same time.
VMIA Timelines
Given that VMIA have a massive workload coupled with an approval process that involves multiple people time lines are going to stretch out.
Source Your Own Quotes & Trades
Always get your own quotes wherever possible. Even if VMIA offer their builder to finish the build, always talk to other builders to get at least one other quote. In addition, VMIA won’t have enough trades to finish every house so they will be happy if you can take the initiative and engage your own.
VMIA Phone Contact
VMIA call from a private number and leave voicemails – so it slows down the process if you do not answer the phone. This means you need to keep your phone with you and answer the call – even though nowadays a private number can mean a scam caller.
There is also a VMIA portal to communicate. However it can take multiple messages to them before they respond – so just keep sending follow up messages if you do not hear from them within a reasonable timeframe.