Be weather-ready this summer

Last year was an extremely challenging summer for all Australians. Everyone will remember 2019/20 for the bushfires. But few will know that storms and floods over the same period caused over $3 billion in damage and gave rise to more than 250,000 insurance claims¹.

This summer, the Bureau of Meteorology has officially declared a La Niña event that is likely to bring an increased risk of storms, cyclones and flooding to some parts of the country.

This season we want to help you understand the extreme weather predicted for this summer, what it means for you, and how to go about taking precautions to prepare for it. 

What weather will La Niña bring? 

La Niña is a natural phase of Australia’s weather cycle that warms the waters off Australia’s north coast, increasing cloud development and rainfall. This heightens the chance of hail, storms and associated flooding through the warmer months of the year across central, eastern and northern Australia. A La Niña event is also likely to increase the number of cyclones we experience and bring forward the start of the cyclone season in the north of the country. Fortunately, La Niña is also likely to result in a milder bushfire season, nationally.

Being ready is essential

Living in Australia we know how quickly sunny skies can turn to storm clouds. No matter where you are ‒ from regional, rural and remote Australia to our metropolitan areas ‒ it’s important to be ready for extreme weather. You can also prepare your premises for extreme weather using the following tips, or follow the specific advice of emergency services in your state and get your insurance ready for this summer^*.

We’re here to help

We’re ready to help you face the challenges of this summer. Our partners at Allianz are working closely with the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) to ensure that they have staff in all states. Allianz’s assessors are ready, and their team is prepared to respond to your questions and claims quickly. Allianz is also offering alternative accommodation for Home Insurance customers for up to 12 months if their home is made unliveable because of events such as a storm or a fire^{^,*,} and our Comprehensive Car Insurance covers any accidental vehicle damage as a result of flood, storm or hail – please note that waiting periods may apply^{^}.

Getting your cover weather-ready

Make sure you have the right cover for your circumstances

Here are some tips to help you review your insurance and get weather-ready:

• Ensure that your insurance is up to date and relevant to your current circumstances
• Review the sum for which you are insured, checking that it covers the replacement value of what you would like to insure^{^}
• Check that your premiums are paid to make sure there are no interruptions to your cover.

Be ready to lodge a claim            

There are a few simple things you can do before you claim to make this process easier during what can be a very stressful time:

• While it’s easy to forget, keeping photographic evidence of your belongings and any receipts for purchases made will be help with your claim
• Making a full inventory list isn’t necessary for your claim, but it will generally be helpful
• You can also prepare your premises for extreme weather using the following tips or by following the specific advice of emergency services in your state.

How to lodge a claim  

If your property or motor vehicles have been damaged by cyclones, flooding, storms or bushfires, Allianz will be ready to help you. You can contact Allianz using any of the following methods:

• To minimise delays, we advise customers lodge their claims online at allianzclaims.com.au. Once you place your claim, a Claims Team consultant will contact you as soon as possible.
• Alternatively you call Allianz on 1300 493 824
• If you require temporary accommodation as a result of damage to your premises, simply advise Allianz when lodging your claim.

Please note the information in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any decisions based on this article.

This article has been prepared by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL 234708 (“Allianz”). Information contained in this article is accurate as at 06 11 2020 and may be subject to change. In some cases information has been provided to us by third parties and while that information is believed to be accurate and reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed in any way. Any opinions expressed constitute our views at the time of issue and are subject to change. Neither Allianz, nor its employees or directors give any warranty of accuracy or accept responsibility for any loss or liability incurred by you in respect of any error, omission or misrepresentation in this article. 

Insurances are arranged by Newcastle Permanent Building Society Limited (NPBS, we, us or our) and are issued by the insurer Allianz. In arranging these insurances, NPBS acts under its own AFS Licence and as agent for Allianz under an agreement with Allianz. Policy terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. It is important that you read the relevant Product Disclosure Statements (PDS) available from any branch, calling 13 19 87 or our website, to consider whether the product is right for you. If you purchase insurance, we will receive a commission that is a percentage of the premium. Ask us for more details or see our Financial Services Guide for more details before we provide you with services. Any links to third party websites are for your information only and we do not endorse their content.

1. Insurance Industry data inclusive of Allianz Australia losses.

^Please note a 72 hour exclusion period may apply for loss of or damage caused by cyclone, flood, grassfires and bushfires after you first take out or increase the cover under the policy. Please refer to your PDS for full details, terms, and conditions.

*Eligibility criteria, limits and exclusions may apply. Please refer to your PDS for Terms and Conditions.