While natural disasters can occur at any time in Australia, there is a particular part of the year when certain events become more likely. Catastrophe season, or CAT season as the insurance industry calls it, runs from around November to April each year.

Even though we know a lot about these extreme weather events, it can be hard to pin down exactly when they might occur. And that’s the thing, natural disasters are largely unforeseen.

With a long list of things to get done for the summer holidays, it can be easy to let your insurance wellbeing slip. So with that in mind, we’ve gathered a few tips to help you to prepare for the unknown this summer:

1. Check your cover

Check to see if there are any specific events that might be excluded from your insurance policy and assess whether these are required. It might be necessary to change your cover or insurer to ensure you have protection and peace of mind.

2. Check your sum insured

If you’re into smarter ways to manage your money then you’ve probably heard of Scott Pape, also known as the Barefoot Investor.

Scott and his family lost their home to a bushfire in 2014 so he has firsthand experience with the perils of the Australian climate. His advice for preparing for natural disasters includes checking your sum insured. He spoke to ABC Everyday and told them that when his house burnt down he was underinsured. And while he knows better now, he says a lot of people are unknowingly in a similar position.

The Insurance Council of Australia has something similar to say, describing underinsurance as something “that can affect policyholders’ ability to get back on their feet after an unforeseen event.” 

And we agree. It might be worth checking your sum insured and increasing it if necessary. ‍

‍3. Make a plan

If the unexpected should happen, it’s reassuring to have a plan in place to protect you and your loved ones. Red Cross Australia has a collection of resources to help you out, but you can also explore others specific to your state or territory. 

You might be sitting there nodding your head as you read this, but how about we go one step further, and suggest that you put some time in your calendar to get it done? 

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All these little pieces of life admin will become a lot simpler with koverd. If you like the sound of outsourcing your insurance to-do list, join our waitlist and we’ll see you soon!