Autumn home and contents insurance checklist

Collage of autumn leaves and a storm.

Rain, leaves, and mushrooms: Autumn in Australia is certainly a mood. But cooler weather also means new hazards for our homes and valuables.

So in the interest of getting the most value out of home insurance, let’s run our properties down this seasonal checklist.

1. Review your emergency flood plan

Collage of a river flowing through a backyard.

Thankfully, this year the South Pacific patterns are in neutral, neither in the flooding mood of La Niña nor the drought devastation of El Niño. However, autumn rainfall remains a threat to homeowners who live in flood-prone areas, so it’s always good to keep your home’s emergency flood plan up to date. 

Renters can also benefit from having a flood preparedness plan, as contents won’t be covered by landlord insurance.

2. Clean your gutters

Collage of a woman taking an autumn selfie.

Leaves! Leaves everywhere! Like with bushfire season, it’s important to clear your gutters of sticks, leaves, and debris in autumn. Clogged gutters can result in costly water damage during storms, and because it’s a maintenance issue, your home insurance won’t cover the repairs.

3. Watch out for mould

Collage of a woman searching her house for mould.

Rising damp, or mould, is often the result of poor ventilation. As we start to close our windows and temperatures cool, moisture can accumulate easily behind furniture and in bathrooms. Keep air moving through your home and wipe down surfaces prone to dampness.

4. How’s your foundation?

Collage of a hand knocking over foundation materials like dominoes.

As trees grow and the ground absorbs water, foundations can sometimes shift – again, a gradual problem not covered by home insurance.

Keep an eye on your home’s foundation, or if you can, get an expert to check it regularly. If you notice a crack, it’s essential to fix it sooner rather than later.

5. Trim those trees

Collage of a woman relaxing among a garden.

Overhanging branches are home hazards during autumn winds and storms, so be sure to keep them in good nick! 

However, be aware that if you damage your property or belongings while doing the landscaping yourself, your home insurance policy likely won’t cover it. Consider bringing in professionals to do the dirty work for you.

6. What’s your sum insured?

Collage of a woman thinking questions about her sum insured on her home insurance policy.

Underinsurance continues to be a plague upon policyholders, especially since providers have upped their premiums by massive margins in the last year due to repeated natural disasters. If you’ve renewed your home insurance policy recently, or plan to renew, check your sum insured value and ask yourself if it’s really enough to cover the cost of rebuilding your home and replacing your valuables. You might be surprised! 

If you find yourself underinsured, reach out to your provider. They may be able to help you revise your policy and get it back to a good value. However, if the cost of properly insuring your home proves too high, it may be time to compare home insurance policies. You can get started in the table below.

Don’t forget to read the product disclosure statement (PDS)!

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Last updated 11 December 2024Important disclosures
Important information on terms, conditions and sub-limits.
  • Home Cover - Buildings & Contents

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    Yes
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    Optional ExtraUp To 30% Of Buildings Sum Insured, Applied Automatically For Eligible Policies
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes
    Details
  • Home & Contents Insurance

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    No
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    No
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes
    Details
  • Home & Contents Insurance

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
      Optional Extra
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    Yes
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    Optional ExtraUp To 25% Of Building Sum Insured
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes
    Details
  • Home & Contents Insurance

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    Yes
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    No
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes

* Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.

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