Over 400 calls in one night: What to do if last night’s storm damaged your home
Key takeaways
- If your home was damaged, stay safe, call the NSW SES on 132 500 if you need help, take photos and lodge your claim as soon as you can.
- Storm damage is usually covered by home and contents insurance, but wear and tear, poor maintenance and some flood damage may not be.
- What's next: Check your sum insured, whether flood is included and what your excess is, before the next storm hits.
I won't lie, watching last night's storm brewing while driving home from the station was unnerving. The looming grey clouds had me feeling like I was in a Percy Jackson film.
According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, NSW SES received over 400 calls for help as the storm swept across Sydney.
The new Western Sydney International Airport reported wind gusts of 119 km/h and more than 70 mm of rain.
Fairfield, Parramatta and the North Shore were also some of the areas affected by last night's wild weather.
Storm season in NSW runs from September to April, so last night probably won't be the last one.
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What to do if your home was damaged last night
- Stay safe first. Keep well away from fallen power lines and call the NSW SES on 132 500 if you need help.
- Take photos and videos. Document the damage before you clean up or move anything. It's the best evidence you'll have for your claim.
- Stop it getting worse. If it's safe, make temporary repairs, like covering a broken window or tarping a leaking roof.
- Don't throw anything out yet. Keep damaged items, or at least photograph them, until you're told otherwise.
- Lodge your claim ASAP. Most insurers let you claim online or over the phone. The sooner you're in the queue, the better, especially after a big storm when claims pile up.
- Keep your receipts. Hold on to receipts for emergency repairs, cleaning or temporary accommodation, as you may be able to claim them later.
Storm damage is usually covered by home and contents insurance as a standard event.
That generally includes damage to the building itself, like a damaged roof, smashed windows or a tree coming down on the house, plus damage to your belongings if rain gets in through storm damage.
Most policies also help with the clean-up, like removing a fallen tree that's damaged your home.
You may also be covered for temporary accommodation if your place is unliveable while it's being repaired.
A good time to review your cover
Whether your home took a hit or you got lucky, take yesterday's storm as your sign to check your cover.
If it's not up to scratch, you can compare home insurance policies to find a competitive option that better suits your needs.
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