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When you live in Queensland, you need to be prepared for water to cause you trouble. As Queensland's Home Insurance experts, we've gone to great lengths to understand the risk of flooding to your home and the importance of being completely covered.
Of course, it's not just floods and storms that cause damage. There are any number of water hazards that cause damage to homes every day – from broken pipes to burst waterbeds. It's important to ensure you're covered for it all, whether you live in a major city or a regional town.
A simple description of flooding is water where it is not wanted.
Every year in Queensland, floods cause millions of dollars of damage to buildings and critical infrastructure, such as roads and railways as well as to agricultural land and crops. They also disrupt business and can affect the way of life we love.
Flooding occurs most commonly from heavy rainfall when natural watercourses do not have the capacity to move excess water on. However, floods are not always caused by heavy rainfall.
SOURCE: GEOSCIENCE AUSTRALIA
In Queensland, there are three main types of flood, click next to find out more.
Flash floods can occur almost anywhere when there is a relatively short intense burst of rainfall such as during a thunderstorm. As a result of these events the drainage system has insufficient capacity or time to cope with the downpour.
Riverine flooding occurs in relatively low-lying areas adjacent to streams and rivers. In flat inland regions, floods may spread over thousands of square kilometres and last several weeks.
The third type of flood is action by the sea. This can result from other phenomena, particularly in coastal areas where inundation can be caused by a storm surge associated with a tropical cyclone or a tsunami. If a storm surge is generated by cyclone activity then we will cover damage caused by that storm surge if it occurs at the same time your home and contents are damaged by the cyclone.
SOURCE: GEOSCIENCE AUSTRALIA
Even if you don't live in a likely flood area, there are many other types of water damage. We cover damage at the home caused by leaks from dishwashers, washing machines, pipes in walls, rainwater downpipes, even waterbeds.
Many factors can influence the risk of flood in your area. Floodplain shape, slope and storage together with man-made structures all have a significant influence on the routing of flood flows.
In general, the factors which influence whether a flood will occur include:
SOURCE: GEOSCIENCE AUSTRALIA
Suncorp spends considerable time and resources researching all areas of Australia to map flood prone areas and assign risk estimates to each area. We then consider carefully how to adjust premiums to take into account the fact that some areas and properties are more likely to flood than others.
Our flood pricing is based on the specific flood risk of each individual home. We use data from a wide range of sources including local council flood mapping where available, along with terrain data and independent hydrologist reports. We also work with external companies with expertise in assessing flood risk that validate and provide additional information to determine the true flood risk.
It's important to regularly review your insurance to make sure your information and your coverage is up to date. Details like building construction, foundations and roof type can also make a difference to your insurance premium.
Unlike most insurance companies, whether it's flooding from a river or a storm, with Suncorp Home and Contents Insurance, flood cover is automatically included.
| Suncorp | NRMA (QLD) | Allianz | QBE | RACQ | |
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| Automatic flood cover |
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Our Automatic Flood and Storm Damage Cover helps protect you from water damage caused by rain, wind and hail, as well as flood.
If you have home insurance and your home is flooded, we’ll pay your accommodation up to:
If your home is damaged by flood, we’ll pay to:
When rebuilding your home, we’ll cover the:
We don’t cover flood damage to wharves, jetties, pontoons or retaining walls or damage caused by actions or movements of the sea (with limited exceptions). For other exclusions that apply, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) .
When you live in Queensland, you must-have a plan for floods. Be prepared for floods and other wild weather by following these simple steps. Download our Flood Safety Checklist and make sure you’re prepared before, during and after the event.
FloodSax are the modern sandbag. Within minutes, FloodSax can be put into action, limiting the damage caused by water and flash flooding. There’s no sand, no mess and each bag expands on contact with water to absorb up to 13 litres of water.
To purchase your FloodSax Home Pack, click here.
For a special offer, Suncorp Insurance customers can purchase additional Flood Sax at the special rate of $40. Please click here and have your policy number and credit card ready.
It’s another way we’re helping Queenslanders to be prepared for flood and water damage.
Storms have always been a part of life in Queensland. And while many of them just give our gardens a good soaking over summer, some cause major damage to homes and infrastructure across the state. In fact, Emergency Management Australia reports that severe thunderstorms cause more damage in Australia each year than any other natural event, with the damage bill rising into hundreds of millions of dollars. Most of this damage is caused by hail, which accounts for almost half the total damage cost inflicted by severe storms. So, it pays to ensure your home is protected should a severe storm hit.
Severe storms can be broadly defined as a violent disturbance of the atmosphere. Strong winds are normally accompanied by rain, thunder and lightning. Thunderstorms and land gales are the two most common types of storm, with thunderstorms posing a greater danger to personal safety and property. They can produce damaging hail, strong wind gusts, flash flooding, tornadoes and lightning, while land gales are gale force winds occurring over land.
SOURCE: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT QUEENSLAND
Each year, storms represent a very real threat to our homes in Queensland. So, it pays to have insurance cover that you can count on. Suncorp Insurance covers loss and damage caused by storm and flood e.g. rain, wind and hail damage and damage caused by flooding from rivers, streets and canals.
We do cover damage caused by tsunami but we don’t cover damage caused by other actions or movements of the sea. An exception to this is that damage caused by storm surge is covered if it occurs at the same time your home or contents are damaged by a storm or flood. We don’t cover storm or flood damage to wharves, jetties, pontoons or retaining walls.
For all other inclusions and exclusions that apply, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
A clear plan to deal with our annual storms is a must-have for your family and to protect your home. By following a few simple steps, you can become storm ready. Download our Storm Safety Checklist and make sure you’re prepared before, during and after the event.
The annual cyclone season for the coastal regions of Queensland usually occurs between November and April. As Australia’s most feared weather phenomena, tropical cyclones are characterised by destructive winds with gusts that can approach speeds of up to 300km/h, torrential rains, storm surges and wild seas. Cyclones can turn debris into dangerous missiles that can result in extensive property damage, as well as serious injuries and fatalities. After crossing land, cyclones tend to weaken as they lose contact with the warm tropical waters needed to sustain them.
A cyclone can be defined as a violent storm that is characterised by high winds that rotate about a calm centre of low atmospheric pressure.
Cyclones are categorised by wind strength as follows:
To keep Queenslanders aware of potential cyclones, warnings are issued by the Bureau of Meteorology when a cyclone is expected to cross land within 24 hours. Each warning is accompanied by a distinctive warning signal and identifies communities under threat, the name of the cyclone, its position, intensity, severity and movement.
SOURCE: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT QUEENSLAND
Since a cyclone is a type of storm, Suncorp covers loss and damage caused by storm and flood e.g. rain, wind, hail, storm and damage caused by flooding from rivers, streets and canals. Damage caused by storm surges is also covered if it occurs at the same time your home or contents are damaged by a storm or flood.
The main things we don’t cover are storm or flood damage to wharves, jetties, pontoons or retaining walls. For the complete list of inclusions and exclusions, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.
Whether you live up north or down south, cyclones are something that every Queenslander should take seriously. So, a cyclone plan should be a must-have for every household. Download our Cyclone Safety Checklist and make sure you’re prepared for what Mother Nature brings.
Queenslanders can be affected by fire anywhere and at any time. Bushfires in rural, regional and outer lying metropolitan areas are now part of almost every Queensland summer. The dry and hot conditions combined with our abundance of native bushland make it the perfect setting for bushfires.
But it’s not just bushfires that Queenslanders need to be prepared for. Sadly, every year sees the tragic loss of lives and the destruction and damage of homes as a result of house fires. With most house fires starting at night while people are asleep, the consequences can be fatal. So, it’s vitally important to be fully prepared and to take the necessary precautions to protect your family and your home.
Bushfires can be defined as any uncontrolled, non-structural fire that is burning in a grass, bush or forested area. While bushfires bring massive destruction, they also bring new life and are an essential part of our ecosystem, with many native plants relying on these fires to regenerate.
SOURCE: RIAUSTRALIA.ORG.AU
Suncorp Insurance covers loss and damage caused by fire. For example fires started by electrical faults, heaters, kitchen fires, bushfires and other causes.
However, in some instances we do not cover damage caused by scorching, ash, smoke, soot or cigarette burns when your home has not caught on fire. For a complete list of inclusions and exclusions that apply, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)
Fire can affect all Queenslanders. So, whether you live in the city or the bush, you must have a plan for fire. Read more about Bushfire and Home Fire Safety with our checklist to make sure you’re ready should fire strike.
Last Summer, many Queenslanders were affected by the cyclones and floods. We were proud to be there when we were needed most, and these clips show how our claims service helped people get back on their feet. Have a look, and remember, don't just hope you're covered, put your trust in Suncorp Insurance.
You can obtain more information from the following sources:
Natural Hazards
Natural Hazards – Floods
Natural Hazards Mapping
Home Insurance product information
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