This is definitely Strata insurance responsibility. I have just gone through this exact same thing myself. Claim was submitted last year September, still no payout, but they sent in an assessor during the fix up. I have a builder doing all the repairs. So far $70k spent, insurance offered $45k payment however on advice from a lawyer I’m disputing this and the insurer has relented and now offering me more money. When removing the kitchen cabinets, my builder damaged the stone tops and ruined the splash back. Insurer refused to pay for new tops and splash backs. They also do not pay for the replacement of your cabinet doors. They reckon you are supposed to re-install them. My builder couldn’t because the colours don’t match. The insurer claims they are not supposed to put you in an advantage position of having new cabinets, I told them that BS because I’m not supposed to be disadvantaged by the flooding event that occurred. This is when they relented and agreed to pay more. Luckily I had the advice from a lawyer who costs me $150. Another thing is that my occupants had to move out and the insurance is paying my loss of rental during the entire fix up period. Strata manager is an absolute idiot and doesn’t believe my claim and has called it “questionable “, so I deal directly with the assessor only and never copy in the SM in any correspondence which he hates. When this is all over I plan to take SM and OC to NCAT to further my claim against them for additional losses in delays that they have caused in the re-fitting of my property. Delays in approval to replace my flooring. My advice is to stick with it and don’t let anyone roll you over. This wasn’t your fault. My lawyer advised, next time if it ever happens again, lock the apartment up, go to Strata Manager’s office and drop off your keys and advise you have been flooded, ask them to fix it up and put it back in the same way it was before. tell them you are staying in a 5 star hotel around the corner which will be charged to the OC until such time you can move back in. Period! See what happens. This is the responsibility of the SM and insurer’s to get it fixed, not you.