Severe storms cause property damage for 16% of Aussies in summer 24/25
New research from NRMA Insurance has found 16% of Australians experienced wild weather damage to their home or vehicle over the 2024-25 summer season. Despite high concern about the increased risk of extreme weather, 40% of people feel unprepared to respond to a severe weather event.
The latest edition of the NRMA Insurance Wild Weather Tracker revealed 39% of Australians experienced wild weather that hit with little or no warning last season, highlighting the importance of taking steps to understand your local weather risks and being prepared for the unexpected all year round.
NRMA Insurance received more than 18,100 claims for wild weather damage throughout summer for weather events as varied as severe storms across New South Wales, flooding in Far North Queensland and hailstorms in the ACT. This was followed by the arrival of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred at the beginning of autumn, causing widespread damage across two states and around 95,000 claims across the insurance industry.
As central Queensland communities are impacted by significant rainfall and flooding this week, Executive General Manager Retail Claims Luke Gallagher said weather in Australia is becoming more extreme and it's increasingly important for households and communities to prepare for wild weather - with or without advanced warning.
During summer we saw hailstorms and wind squalls strike suddenly, with as little as 30 minutes warning, and cause significant damage because it caught people unprepared.Luke Gallagher
NRMA Insurance Executive General Manager Retail Claims
Of the 16% of Australians who experienced wild weather damage over summer, NRMA Insurance found 8% experienced damage to their home, 6% experienced damage to their vehicle, and an unlucky 2% experienced both.
"It's the small, everyday preparedness actions that can help protect your home from significant damage when wild weather arrives suddenly. Our research shows 31% of Aussies do not ensure their windows are closed before they go out, and only 35% of people who have outdoor furniture have ever tied it down," Mr Gallagher said.
"Creating an emergency plan is a critical step in building household resilience and preparing for the threat of severe weather. Fewer than 40% of households reported having a severe weather emergency plan in place during summer. We would encourage all Australians to prioritise creating an emergency plan".
NRMA Insurance partners with Australian Red Cross to bring free Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi™ workshops to communities across the country, helping thousands of Australians to know their local risks and get prepared to respond to extreme weather emergencies.
Visit Help Nation to register for Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi™ Workshops, learn more about how to prepare for wild weather, and to download the latest NRMA Insurance Wild Weather Tracker.
Update on IAG response to Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred
IAG, whose brands include NRMA Insurance, CGU, WFI and ROLLiN', has Major Event Specialist teams on the ground continuing to provide face to face support and progressing repairs for customers and communities in South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
To date IAG has received approximately 10,000 claims across its brands. Most of the claims lodged are for property damage due to severe winds, fallen trees impacting properties and intense rainwater entering homes through roofs and around window frames.
IAG's claims personnel are available at five locations across South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales, including two NRMA Insurance pop-up hubs, that have been established to support customers in those areas most impacted.
