Is your property Summer safe?

As we work our way through the final days of Spring it's fair to say the warning signs for a difficult summer have been ever present. Winter kind of just ended early August and we went straight into a hot spell for a couple of months. Hot and Dry conditions meant the earth became tinder box dry and ready to ignite. As we know, ignite, it did.

As areas of NSW burned in some of the worst fires on record little did we know what was around the corner. Water tanks were running dry and the earth - where not burnt - looked & Felt like a straw mat. Our fears were that more fires were to come, but this lil ol planet of ours did it's usual thing and produced the opposite. November has been awash with rain and destructive hail storms throughout most of the area. Port Macquarie and then Coffs Harbour both received significant hail storms. The Hunter Valley and New England also copped a pounding, whilst some flooding occurred in the lower Barrington region. This is just The Mid North Coast of NSW by the way, if we started on the rest of the country we'd be writing 'War & Peace.'

It certainly has been a topsy turvy time. Our office was quick to react to a high volume of claims. One of key service standards is our end to end claim service meaning we personally lodge claims, arrange assessors, repairers and settlement, plus keep an eye over the claim to assist it in running smoothly. This means we spent most of November keeping the claims ticking over. Most Insurers have reacted superbly with minimal disruption to our clients. Some a little slower to react but then it's our role to keep them moving along.

So if this much has gone on before the traditional start of the Summer storm season,what is the summer going to be like. We aren't expects on weather prediction but it's fair to say a traditional season could be on the way. Very warm conditions with the usual summer storms sweeping through. Our only hope is the extremes will settle and all of us have a safe and happy holiday period. Enough warning has been around for months and months now so let's be serious now, who has a summer safety plan in place? Chances are it's a no and this baffles us even after everything we've seen. Infact think about the weather since about 2009. Major storms and floods, bush fires and even mini cyclones. Is this enough warning for us? Infact whilst writing this blog on Monday 25th November a Hail Storm swept through Taree and we raced out to move our 6 month old car under an awning. The photo beside shows how quick hail can occur and build up. Only small this was but it can still cause alot of damage.

It's not hard to have a plan in place for your home and or business. IAA Mid North Coast specialise in protection of businesses but what we mention here is the same for your home. Your Insurance policy is not a maintenance program. We know some think it is but this is not the case. An Insurer has every right under the Terms & Conditions of their policy to decline a claim if the damage is caused by lack of regular maintenance. We had one during the February Storms whereby a rusty old roof let water come gushing through the building. Whilst any subsequent damage we were able to claim, the client did not get a new roof as it was simply too old and in bad condition. This cost needed to be worn by the client as it falls under regular maintenance.

So let's look at your property. Is it in good condition. Keep the maintenance in mind in regards to your Insurance. An Insurance policy covers sudden and unforeseen events. If your roof is rusty and is swept up in a storm then your Insurer may not pay your claim in full.

Check all drain piping to ensure it is free of any build up of leaves or other material. If it is it could rapidly fill up and send water back in under your roof and through to your ceiling, thus causing damage to plaster and potentially getting into wiring.
What about your wiring? Is it up to date? Has it been checked by a qualified electrician recently. Annual check ups should not be discounted.


Keeping on wiring have a look at the build up of dust or cobwebs around it. A small surge can lead to a spark which only needs something small and fibrous to ignite. A Cobweb or dust is perfect for this. Often you cant even see this build up so it's important you just be regular with the cleaning.



Onto the grounds around your property. What is the upkeep? Are the industrial bins full and where are they positioned. Is the grass clear and kept low. Are all external awnings and furnishings able to be locked down so they do not become missiles.

As you can see this is purely scratching the surface but for general upkeep it will serve you well. Keep any fuse boxes or power boxes clear of dust and webs and consider where any flammables are stored. Your business will have Australian Standards for safety to meet and we strongly recommend you review these. To just focus on your home for a minute the recent changes in legislation to Pool fences has now come into force. Have you complied with the new legislation. Remember these points are not just to protect your property but other people in the community. This in turn protects you from a negligence point of view.

So as you can see basic maintenance can help protect your property. You spend so much building up a business, you take pride in it's appearance, you invest thousands on fit outs and marketing it, wouldn't it be a shame if you didn't take simple precautions to protect it.

To find out more about specific Australian Standards for your industry go to www.standards.org.au

There are also many web pages with tips on protection of your property. For example the Rural Fire Service have plenty at http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

The SES also has a site www.stormsafe.com.au



Enjoy Summer but don't act surprised if something occurs from lack of maintenance. The warnings have been ongoing for many years. We are here if needed throughout summer but hope you take some precautions first and foremost so when you do need us to work on a claim it's a straight forward process.

This information is general in nature only and provided by Complete Risk Solutions Pty Ltd. Please conduct your own safety audit and use this information as a general guide only. Information and some images courtesy of news.com.au, Coffs Harbour Advocate, Standards Australia.