In recent years, Australia has faced some pretty challenging times with flash flooding, bushfires and cyclones. These natural disasters are not only devastating to the environment, but often, homes are lost or left severely damaged.
While you can't stop the force of nature, you can try your best to keep it at bay. Here's our guide on how to prepare and protect your home from some of Australia's natural disasters.
There are five categories of natural disasters common to Australia. Most of them can hit anywhere across the country, but your likelihood of experiencing any one of them depends on your particular geography.
Here are the natural disasters common to Australia and who are most commonly affected:
Can affect anyone in Australia, regardless of geography. Residents in wooded areas may the additional concern of falling trees.
Affects Queensland the most, but can also affect the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Affects people in low-lying areas near a body of water. Cyclones increase the chance of flooding in Queensland.
Affects anyone in wooded areas and surrounding communities.
Can technically affect anyone in Australia. Droughts are most concerning to dryer regions, farming communities and areas that rely on surface water.
Keeping yourself and your family safe from physical harm is priority number one, followed by securing your property and valuables in a way that minimises damage.
According to the finder.com.au survey, only 23% have an evacuation plan in place, only 24% have an emergency kit on hand and only 27% own a fire extinguisher.
Here are some general precautions that will help keep everyone safe under any circumstances:
| Response | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Storm damage | 26.32% | 21.38% |
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Read more…A storm is generally defined as "an atmospheric disturbance that can be accompanied by lightning, hail, snow or dust." There are many types of disturbances that fall under the category of "storm." These include, but are not limited to:
It is obvious how a storm like a cyclone can cause immense damage, but even your average thunderstorm can have devastating effects on your home and property. For example, heavy winds could send the nearest tree branch careening into the side of your house, breaking windows or worse. Other ways storms can cause damage include:
Storms affect every Australian state, so no matter where you are in Australia, it pays to protect yourself from the effects of storms. Some ways you can do this include:
A cyclone is a specific type of storm that affects mostly the northern tropical parts of Australia. Cyclones are characterised by their destructive winds that can reach speeds of up to 280 km/h. Queensland generally bears the brunt of cyclone damage, but the Northern Territory and parts of Western Australia can also succumb to their extreme force.
The damage caused by a cyclone is generally the same as what you would see with a rainstorm or thunderstorm, but on steroids. Flying debris carried by the high winds creates an x-factor, and is partially why personal injury and death becomes much more than just a passing concern.
Again, you would protect yourself in much the same way you would during a typical storm, but paying special attention to keeping yourself safe from injury. Some steps include:
A flood occurs when a large body of water, such as a lake or a river, overflows beyond its limits. This differs from inundation caused by rainwater runoff, although sometimes the two can happen in tandem and the source of the inundation can become murky. Naturally, flooding occurs after a storm or heavy rainfall, exacerbating the damage.
Floods affect every Australian state, although Queensland is especially susceptible due to the heavy downpour from cyclones.
According to the Office of the Queensland Chief Scientist, floods are the most expensive type of natural disaster, estimated to cost $377 million per year. They can cause extensive damage to homes, property and persons including, but not limited to:
Preparing for a flood has many similarities to preparing for a storm. However, floods increase the risk of needing to evacuate the home should the water rise high enough. Here are some tips to help you prepare for a flood:
Bushfires are an unfortunate reality of living in Australia. The country is hot and dry, and its native vegetation has adapted to rely on bushfire for reproduction. This nasty combination means Australians have to be prepared to flee their homes at a moment's notice.
Bushfires can cause extensive damage to property and to life. Homes can be completely or partially destroyed by fire, charring and smoke. Smoke inhalation and burning can lead to severe injury or death.
If your home is in the path of a bushfire, the most important thing to do is to leave as soon as possible, if not earlier. Other than that, many of the preventative measures are things you need to do well in advance of a threat to keep you and your home safe.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology defines drought as a period of three months or more in which rainfall lies below the 10th percentile of historical rainfall for the region in question. Every state in Australia, particularly areas that rely on farming, are susceptible to drought and its effects.
A drought's effects are not as acutely tangible as they are with other natural disasters, because the build-up takes longer and droughts don't cause as much property damage per se (unless you are a farmer or have a garden). However, there are many negative effects a drought could have on your quality of life:
Priority number three is home insurance, which will cover you when a sudden and unforeseeable event (like an act of nature) damages your property.
Not all plans cover all acts of nature, so you should read your PDS to understand what your policy covers and what it does not. Generally, you are eligible to claim if your home is damaged by an act of nature and if that act of nature is listed in your policy.
Acts of nature commonly covered include:
Home insurance will not cover you for acts of nature that are avoidable or that were preventable. These are situations you should have noticed when purchasing the house, or could have prevented had you noticed them during their early stages.
Acts of nature usually not covered include:
If you want to understand the consequences of underinsurance, look no further than Queensland. Despite experiencing 25% of all flood cases in Australia, Queensland is the most unprepared state – with 17% of the population unprepared for natural disaster according to finder.com.au.
The Sunshine State often experiences highly-destructive cyclones that confound insurance claims. According to finder.com.au, damage from cyclones between 2011-2016 resulted in more than $1.4 billion worth of uninsured losses.
Cyclones are wrapped up in highly-complex weather patterns and not all of the ensuing weather events (like storm surges and floods) are covered by all policies. Losses can be minimised if people protect themselves against underinsurance.
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