Both property investors and householders alike need to ensure they have prepared their homes for natural disasters as the Australian summer and more unpredictable weather fast approach.
However, according to research carried out by finder.com.au, some 15 per cent of Australian residents - that's almost one million people - have not taken out a home insurance policy or attempted to protect their property against potential damage caused by natural disasters in any way.
The survey results also showed that Queensland residents have a particularly lax approach to safeguarding their homes against the effects of a flood, bushfire or cyclone, despite the area being at the greatest risk of such incidents.
Some 17 per cent of Queenslanders have not taken any protective measures, meaning 823,650 residents are putting the future of their homes in a serious position of risk.
Experts have warned that it isn't enough to just take out a home insurance policy once and think that will do for the future. Instead, homeowners need to be updating their cover regularly, as factors like renovations can significantly alter the value of a property, changing how much it should be insured for.
Speaking to domain.com.au, Kirsty Clinton, insurance spokeswoman for the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, said: "It's silly to think it's not going to happen. Queensland weather has shown you what it can do.
"Your home is the most valuable thing you'll ever own and your family is the most valuable thing to you."
Bessie Hassan, insurance expert at Finder, added: "Whether it's having an evacuation plan or a home insurance policy, being preventative before summer hits is important."
Finder listed the most important steps to take as investing in an appropriate and up-to-date insurance policy, devising an evacuation plan and making sure all residents are familiar with it, as well as purchasing firefighting supplies and emergency kits just in case of a disaster. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry.
