Each year storms and floods cause extensive damage in our communities and to our homes. Moreover, floods, storms and bushfires can happen at any time.

While natural disasters can strike anytime, preparation is the best way to keep your family, property, and possessions safe. This planning involves creating a home emergency plan to document what you'll do before, during and after a disaster and an emergency kit to help keep you and your family safe after the event. The emergency kit should include a first aid kit, food and water supplies and a portable phone charger.

Insuring against natural disasters

Also, while you don't have any control over natural disasters, you do have control over how much insurance you have in place to protect your capital tied up in your home. Yet statistics regularly show that around 30% of homeowners don't have home and contents insurance, while as many as 40% of households with insurance are underinsured – on other words, don’t have enough. So as part of your planning for a natural disaster, be sure you have sufficient insurance coverage.

To check on your level of cover, talk to your home and contents insurer. If you don't have any cover, Raine & Horne's financial services division, Our Broker, can help you with home and contents insurance. Call Our Broker today on 1800 913 677 to take an important step towards protecting you and your property against natural disasters.

Other steps to take against bushfires, floods and other calamities

There are several steps homeowners should take to prepare for a natural disaster, regardless of whether it's a bushfire, flood or a terrifying storm. Insurance company Allianz recommends clearing gutters and downpipes of dead leaves and debris, as well as securing outdoor items that could be blown about by the wind or carried away in the surging water.  

The insurer also advises homeowners to evaluate the level of risk of a natural disaster occurring in their patch by speaking to the local council or SES. Other tips include gathering essential documents and placing them in waterproof bags.

Also, keep vehicles under cover when possible and replace old, worn-out batteries in your portable torch and radio. Having a stash of candles might not hurt either – as long as you keep them, and your match sticks out of reach of young ones.

The most important message for all property owners is that you can never be too prepared for natural disasters.

To find about buying a first home in an Australian state or territory to where you currently live, contact a Raine & Horne agent today.