Insuring a home in a cyclone-prone part of Australia can be harder and more expensive than further south. We help owners in North Queensland, the NT and northern WA compare their options and understand what their policy actually covers.
Tell us a little about your home and one of our brokers will be in touch to talk through your options.
North of the 26th parallel, roughly from Hervey Bay and Bundaberg up through Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, and across the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia, cyclone risk shapes almost every part of home insurance: which insurers will quote, what the premium is, what the excess looks like and how storm and flood are defined.
Prices online can vary a lot for homes that look similar, and the cheapest policy isn’t always the one that responds best after a cyclone. As your broker, we work for you rather than an insurer. We look at your home, compare the options available, and point out the differences in wording that matter.
Things that affect cover and premiums north of the 26th
Tell us a little about your home and one of our brokers will be in touch to talk through your options.
01
Is designed to help protect the structure of your home against events such as cyclone, storm and fire, subject to policy terms.
02
Is designed to help protect your belongings inside the home, subject to policy terms.
03
Is designed to help protect rental properties and rental income, subject to policy terms.
04
Is designed to help protect the parts of a unit the owner is responsible for, subject to policy terms.
The Cyclone Reinsurance Pool: since July 2022, the Australian Government’s Cyclone Reinsurance Pool has given insurers access to reinsurance for cyclone damage and related flooding on eligible home, contents, strata and small business policies. You don’t need to apply or do anything to be part of it. ARPC’s latest assessment reports that home premiums in the highest cyclone risk areas have fallen and more policies have become available since the pool started. Results vary by home and insurer, so it’s still worth comparing your options at each renewal.
Roof, window and structural damage from cyclone-strength winds
Storm surge and flooding linked to a cyclone
Water damage from wind-driven rain entering the home
Fallen trees and flying debris damaging the home or vehicles
Loss of rent for landlords while a property is being repaired
Underinsurance when rebuild costs rise after a major event
Important: The information on this page is general in nature and does not take into account your individual circumstances. Insurance cover, terms, conditions and exclusions vary between insurers and policies, and availability depends on your property, its location and your claims history. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement for full details of cover. The risks listed above are general examples only, for illustrative purposes, and do not confirm that your individual policy will respond to any particular claim.
Insurers price for the higher chance of cyclone damage in northern Australia. Location, the age and construction of the home, mitigation work and the excess you choose all play a part. We can explain what is driving your premium and whether there are options worth considering.
It’s a line of latitude that crosses Queensland just north of Noosa and Gympie, forms the southern border of the Northern Territory, and reaches the WA coast around Shark Bay. The insurance industry commonly uses it as a rough boundary for cyclone-exposed areas, although each insurer sets its own rules.
Many home policies include cyclone and storm, but definitions, excesses and limits vary. Storm surge, flood and wind-driven rain are areas where wording often differs between insurers. We check the wording for your home and explain what is and isn’t included before you decide.
It’s an Australian Government reinsurance arrangement for insurers that started in July 2022. It covers cyclone damage and related flooding on eligible residential and small business policies. You don’t need to do anything to be part of it, and it doesn’t guarantee a lower premium for every home.
We can review your situation and look at the options available. If we don’t think there’s a workable solution, we’ll tell you honestly.
Tell us about your home and one of our brokers will be in touch to talk through your options.
HOME INSURANCE
Cover options for the home you live in, subject to policy terms
HOME INSURANCE
Cover options for prestige and high sum insured homes, subject to policy terms
PROPERTY INSURANCE
Cover options for investment properties and rental income, subject to policy terms
STRATA INSURANCE
Cover options for apartment and unit buildings, subject to policy terms
