‘Monsoonal’ rain set to continue NSW’s 2017 insurance headache in coming week

Homeowners in Sydney and across the east cost could be in for another wet and wild weekend with rainfall expected to worsen in the comings days.

                          Heavy rain falls in Balmain. Picture: Simon_sees/flickr                        

Sydney is predicted to almost double the amount of rain it’s had in 2017 in the next eight days, with 200 millimetres expected for the period compared to the 250 millimetres that’s fallen in the year so far.

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald , Jacob Cronje, Senior Meteorologist at Weatherzone, described the week ahead as looking “almost monsoonal”, with conditions “a perfect recipe for persistent rainfall along the eastern seaboard.”  

The wet conditions forecast for the next eight days come less than two weeks after Sydney was hit by a severe hail and thunder storm which, according to the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), caused over $40 million in insured losses.

“We are expecting a low to form on Friday,” said Jordan Notara, NSW Duty Forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology in an interview with news.com.au.

“As that low forms there is potential to see those falls increase.”

Notara also stated that there was a distinct possibility of flash flooding due to the intensity of the predicted rainfall.

New South Wales has experienced a devastating and costly start to 2017, with the catastrophic bushfires and severe storms which have lashed the state in February responsible for financial losses beyond $70 million according to the ICA.   

Four insurance questions to ask yourself before a storm

• Does my home and contents insurance cover storm damage? Most insurers will cover you for storm-related damage, but make sure you have both home and contents insurance to protect your property and valuables.
• Does my policy include flood insurance? Many policies do not automatically include cover for flood damage, but offer it as an optional addition. With different definitions of ‘flood’ and ‘flash flood’ it could be worth contacting your insurer to confirm their policy.
• Is my car adequately insured? With the most recent Sydney storm causing widespread hail damage to vehicles it could be wise to review your current car insurance.
• Do I have a home inventory? One of the first things an insurer may ask you for in the event of a claim is an inventory of damaged items, so being prepared by keeping an up to date list of your major possessions is never a bad idea.