MORE than $507,000 in government rebates has been provided to owners of the 44,500 vehicles damaged in January’s freak hail storm.
The storm lasted only 15 minutes but caused “unparalleled” destruction across Canberra, at a time when many were recovering from the bushfire season, according to Business and Better Regulation Minister Tara Cheyne.
The Hail Assistance and Innovation Liaison (HAIL) team at Access Canberra was set up to support those affected, and its work is now complete, having processed more than 7606 rebates which helped to reduce fees associated with inspecting damaged vehicles and registering replacements, Minister Cheyne said.
“These rebates aimed to reduce the extra costs usually associated with purchasing a new car,” said Minister Cheyne.
An estimated 7,500 vehicles damaged in the storm weren’t insured.
Access Canberra’s Vehicle Safety Standards team inspected 1500 vehicles – either affected by or replaced due to hail damage – at the Hume Motor Vehicle Inspection Station, with demand for some services increasing by at least 128 percent compared to 2019.
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