Severe weather caused 36% of NRMA Insurance autumn home claims nationally, though Queensland had its quietest autumn for wild weather damage in more than six years.
The insurer received 10,151 wild weather claims nationally in March-May, less than half the 25,000 weather claims received a year ago and down 13% on summer’s 11,646.
“This is considerably fewer than last autumn when many areas of the east coast recorded their wettest autumn on record,” NRMA Insurance said.
The total was made up of 4673 home and 5478 motor claims, which was 7% of all its motor claims across Australia, and mostly related to hailstorms that struck NSW late last month.
NRMA Insurance Meteorologist Bruce Buckley says looking ahead, warmer and drier conditions that are expected inland do not preclude the possibility of heavy rain events, particularly East Coast lows which can be highly impactful because of the combined effect of wind and rain.
“Looking towards spring, warm and dry conditions are expected to become more pronounced and likely to facilitate a heightened risk of multiple bushfire events,” Mr Buckley said.
The IAG-owned brand singles out the impact severe weather is having each quarter in its Wild Weather Tracker, breaking down its March-May wild weather claims by state.
In NSW, 3421 or 44% of all home claims were the result of severe weather, compared with 22,405 or 85% a year ago. It also received 5351 severe weather motor claims, or 9% of all NSW autumn motor claims, down from 12,673 or 26% a year earlier.
“Hailstorms caused considerable damage in NSW this autumn with the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region hit hard, accounting for half of all wild weather claims in the state. Motor claims were more than double those recorded in summer,” the Tracker said.
In Queensland, the insurer says 364 or a quarter of all home claims were the result of severe weather this autumn, down from 1571 or 65% a year ago, while there were just 71 motor weather claims.
“Claims were significantly lower than those recorded in summer in what was the quietest autumn for wild weather damage in over six years,” NRMA Insurance said. The Gold Coast made up 12%, Sunshine Coast 11%, and Logan-Beaudesert 7.5%, and Brisbane east 7%.
In WA, 418 or 23% of autumn home claims were due to severe weather, down from 611 or 42% a year ago. Just 14 WA motor claims were due to severe weather, compared with 908 a year ago.
“WA experienced severe weather this season including Tropical Cyclone Ilsa which struck the east Pilbara coast at category five intensity in April, although NRMA Insurance only received a minimal number of claims from this event. Perth was also hit hard by storms and heavy rainfall in late May,” the Tracker said.
In the ACT, there were 184 severe weather home claims and 16 motor, while in SA the figures were 273 home and 20 motor.
“Nearly a third of all home claims in the ACT were caused by wild weather this autumn with Kaleen, Kambah and Nicholls the hardest hit suburbs,” NRMA Insurance said.
“Nearly a quarter of all home claims in SA this autumn were caused by wild weather with the Adelaide Central and Hills region hardest hit, accounting for over a third of all claims.”
NRMA Insurance and Australian Red Cross have launched a Get Prepared app to make it simple for households to create an all-hazards emergency plan, ensuring that key information such as contacts, meeting places and important documents are on-hand and easily accessible.
“With a warmer than average winter forecast and a potentially dangerous bushfire season on the horizon, we’re urging people to take steps to prepare for wild weather this winter,” Executive GM Direct Claims Luke Gallagher said.
See the Tracker here.