Legal

If your passport has been lost or damaged in a natural disaster, you may be eligible for free replacement.

Visit the Australian Passport Office website, or call the Australian Passport Office central call centre on 131 232.

Births, Deaths and Marriages registers and maintains Tasmanian birth, death, marriage, relationship and change of name records. It also issues certificates and provides information to approved applicants.

For more information, visit the Births, Deaths and Marriages website.

Replacement medicare cards can be ordered from your Medicare online account, through MyGov, through the general inquiries line 132 011, by post (with proof of identity) or by visiting your local Medicare office (with proof of identity).

For more information about the options, see the Department of Human Services website.

To replace your licence, you will need to visit a Service Tasmania store.

You will need to:

• Provide full Evidence of Identity (including a document that shows your signature)
• Fill in an application form
• Place a replacement licence fee.

It is not necessary to have all your documents on hand in order to initiate an insurance claim as many insurance companies keep records electronically. The Insurance Council of Australia has a disaster hotline (telephone: 1800 734 621) to help people who are unsure what insurer they are with and with general questions about the claims process. Most insurance companies have 24-hour call centres. For more information see the Insurance Council of Australia's disaster response website.