Insurance questions to ask when storms strike your home

It pays to know the answers to key questions about your insurance rights when storms or floods hit your house

Insurance company phone lines have been running hot well before winter thanks to wild weather striking several states.

Power blackouts, flash flooding and hail damage have cost a lot of money, and there are a few common questions that people are asking when they call their insurer.

Suncorp, the nation’s biggest insurance company with brands including AAMI, GIO and Apia, says New South Wales, Queensland and South Australian residents have been hit hard.

Here are five key questions asked by people affected by nasty weather events.

1. WHO PAYS FOR REMOVING DEBRIS?

The insurance company will remove debris where it directly impacts your home, such as a tree through a roof. It will also remove debris that prevents access to a home for repairs.

Other debris on a property is something the homeowner needs to organise.

2. WHAT DO I DO IF MY CARPETS ARE SATURATED?

“The first thing we recommend people to do, if it is safe to do, is remove those carpets,” says Suncorp spokeswoman Melissa Cronin.

“Wet carpets can get mouldy and cause a health hazard and cause further structural damage.” Cut off a small piece of carpet to help the insurer match it with a replacement or take photos.

As soon as it is safe to do so you can start clearing out your home, starting with wet carpets.

3. FOOD IN MY FRIDGE IS SPOILED BY A POWER FAILURE. IS THAT COVERED?

Check your policy because different insurers have different rules about cover and excesses for food spoilage.

Tens of thousands of homes were hit by power failures caused by recent storms. “Lots of people lost the contents of their fridges,” Cronin says.

She says with Suncorp’s brands, if food spoilage is the only claim there is no excess payable and the money can usually be transferred in 24 hours.

4. CAN I THROW OUT MY DAMAGED HOME CONTENTS?

As soon as it is safe to do so you can start clearing out your home. Take photos and make notes of damaged items and keep the manufacturers manual if you still have it.

“If you have electrical appliances that were submerged in water, please don’t use them, even if only a little water went through the property,” Cronin says.

5. I NEED EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION AND MONEY. WHAT DO I DO?

Major insurance brands will often provide temporary accommodation and emergency funds, but it varies between providers and policy types.

“As soon as you know you need to lodge a claim, do so, and we can come out and assess if you need temporary accommodation and we can set that up straight away,” Cronin says.

It’s a good idea to be prepared for winter now. Check what your policy pays for and what it doesn’t so you are not caught short if bad weather hurts your home.

Make sure you have enough cover. The Insurance Council of Australia’s understandinsurance.com.au website has some handy calculators to help you work out your assets, plus guides about making a claim.