Heatwave prompts call to prepare for severe weather
Plan ahead to ensure your home is ready for severe storms.
An unusual heatwave is sweeping south-east Queensland, putting pressure on Queensland's power grid and prompting severe storm warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology.
Queenslanders should prepare now to ensure they are in the best position to deal with extreme weather events.
Prepare your home
It’s important to check the condition of your household before storms hit. Get the roof checked by a professional to make sure there are no cracks in the tiles, clean out your gutters and clear out excess plants and debris from your gardens. Ensure your home and contents insurance policy is up-to-date and includes new household items such as a new engagement ring, TV or lounge.
Before the storm hits, turn off and unplug unnecessary devices to reduce energy consumption.
Bring any outdoor furniture inside so that it doesn’t get damaged or blown away in heavy winds.
Cover your car
Park your car undercover to avoid damage from falling tree branches or hail. If you don’t have access to undercover parking, a thick blanket can help to protect the windscreen. Remember to never park under a tree during a storm and never drive through floodwater.
Care for your pets
Thunder, lightning and loud wind can be extremely distressing for pets so ensure they are safely inside. Follow these tips from the Animal Welfare League to keep your pates safe and calm.
Check your insurance policy details
Members can check their coverage by logging in to My RACQ and accessing their policy information and insurance disclosure documents
The information and documents will tell you what events and damages you are covered for, your insured amounts and any limits, conditions or excesses that apply.
Access your policy details by following these steps:
- Go to RACQ.com and log in to My RACQ.
- From the home screen, click on the “More info” button next to your products.
- You can then access policy information, including the PDS (PDS) and applicable Supplementary PDS. You can also make a claim and change the contents sum insured.
Click here for more answers to your RACQ Insurance questions.
Making an insurance claim
RACQ insurance holders can save time by logging a claim online. Find out more about the claims process.
Helpful links
- Bureau of Meteorology – get up-to-date weather warnings and forecasts for your area.
- Energex (south-east Queensland) – find information on current outages. Call 13 19 62 to report fallen powerlines or electric shocks and 13 62 62 to report power interruptions.
- Ergon Energy (regional Queensland) – find information on current outages. Call 13 16 70 to report fallen powerlines or electric shocks and 13 22 96 to report power interruptions.
- State Emergency Service (SES) – provides search and rescue operations and disaster response services to the Queensland community. Call 132 500 for assistance following severe storms or flooding.
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The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.
Insurance products (excluding Travel Insurance) are issued by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (RACQ). Conditions, limits and exclusions apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and any applicable Supplementary PDS before making a purchase decision on this product. You can also access our Target Market Determinations on this website.
Banking and loan products issued by Members Banking Group Limited ABN 83 087 651 054 AFSL/Australian credit licence 241195 trading as RACQ Bank. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending policies apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the disclosure documents for your selected product or service, including the Financial Services Guide and the Terms and Conditions, and consider if appropriate for you before deciding.
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RACQ Operations Pty Ltd (ABN 80 009 663 414 AR 000234978) and Members Travel Group Pty Ltd (ABN 45 144 538 803 AR 000432492) are acting as an Authorised Representative of the issuer of the insurance, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548). Any advice set out above is general in nature only, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before purchasing any travel products, please consider the RACQ Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Target Market Determinations (TMDs) that apply to these products. Whilst the PDS outlines the Terms and Conditions of these products, the TMDs outline the intended class of customers that comprise the target market for these travel products. This will allow you to consider which products best suit your objectives, financial situation and needs and consider the products appropriateness to your personal circumstances. TMDs also outline matters involving the distribution and the review of these products. The PDS, Supplementary PDS and TMDs for each travel product can be found here.