Damage to clothing claims
We may be able to pay for replacement clothing and some accessories if you have been injured by violence that happened in Queensland.
Types of clothes
We may be able to pay for replacement clothing if either:
- the clothes you were wearing at the time of the violence were damaged or lost during the violence
- police kept your clothes as evidence.
You can claim replacement of the clothes you were wearing and some accessories. We may be able to pay for replacement:
- shirts, tops, pants, dresses, jackets, and so on
- shoes and socks
- underwear
- hats, helmets and belts
- special spiritual clothing
- special work clothing (unless covered by your employer).
In most cases you will only need to provide approximate replacement costs. If you are claiming more than $1,000 for damaged clothing, you will need to provide formal quotes and/or receipts.
We may also be able to pay to replace prescription glasses or hearing aids that you were wearing at the time of the violence if they were damaged or lost. These expenses are covered under our medical expense claims.
How to claim
To claim financial assistance for the first time, you need to:
- report the violence
- complete the application form and attach
If you are claiming more than $1,000 worth of clothing, you need to attach receipts.
If you need to add a new expense to an application you have already submitted, use our expenses form.
Payment process
If your claim is approved, we will reimburse the cost of replacement clothing. We will usually do this by direct depositing the money into your nominated bank account.
Once you receive your ‘notice of decision’ and your claim is approved, electronic payments will be deposited into your nominated bank account within 10 business days.
Limitations
We cannot cover every expense you may incur because of violence. We are unable to replace:
- clothing you were not wearing at the time of the assault
- any accessories not listed above (e.g. jewellery, sunglasses, watches, fitness trackers, hair accessories or extensions)
- any equipment you were carrying or items in bags and pockets (e.g. bags, wallets, purses, money, replacement cards, mobile phones, or makeup)
- clothing damaged by vandalism (e.g. the offender took clothes out of your wardrobe and destroyed them)
- stolen clothing.
Timeframe
Due to the high number of claims already queued, it may be many months before we’re able to assess your application and reimburse replacement clothing.
Once you receive your notice of decision and your claim is approved, electronic payments will be deposited into your nominated bank account within 10 business days.