Dual-Occupancy Commercial/Residential

A dual-occupancy property in Brisbane's Northside came to us after being declined by 11 insurers. The building was constructed in the 1920s with timber and weatherboard construction - a combination that already limits insurer appetite in Queensland.

The ground floor operated as a creative studio, with residential tenancy above. On top of the construction and mixed-use challenges, the property had a prior storm damage claim on its history.

Three compounding risk factors - older timber construction, mixed-use tenancy, and claims history - meant standard markets were completely closed off.

Queensland timber and weatherboard buildings are a known challenge in the insurance market, especially post-cyclone and storm seasons. We approached this with a clear strategy:

• Claims context: We obtained full details of the prior storm claim, including the remediation work completed, to show underwriters the risk had been addressed
• Construction detail: We documented the timber and weatherboard construction specifics, including any upgrades or reinforcements made since the original build
• Tenancy presentation: A creative studio is a low-risk commercial tenancy - no fire load, no food preparation, no hazardous materials. We made sure underwriters understood this wasn't a high-risk hospitality or manufacturing use

Timber and weatherboard construction in Queensland is one of the hardest combinations to place. The cyclone and storm exposure in the region means underwriters apply strict criteria to older timber buildings.

The prior storm claim added another layer. Even though the damage had been fully remediated, a claim on the record makes underwriters cautious about future storm exposure - particularly for a building material that's more vulnerable to weather events than brick or concrete.

With 11 declines already recorded, we were running low on available markets. Each new approach had to count.

We placed comprehensive cover at around $6,400 annual premium.

This is one of those placements where knowing which underwriter will consider a specific combination of risks makes all the difference. Eleven insurers said no, but the right specialist market said yes to this mixed-use property.