As Queenslanders, we love our sunshine, but we also know that storms are a part of life. Knowing how to prepare for potential storms, hail or cyclones can help you protect what’s most important to you.  Be sure to check out these essential tips to protect your home and car.

There are a few practical tasks you can do around the home to reduce the risk of damage. This includes:

• Trimming trees and removing dead branches to reduce the risk of damage from fallen objects.
• Regular roof maintenance, like clearing gutters and securing loose tiles to help prevent leaks.
• Storing or securing outdoor furniture and other loose items to prevent them from becoming dangerous projectiles.

By staying proactive, you can protect your home and property from severe weather.

Have a plan as the storm approaches

If severe weather is imminent, think about the precautions you'll need to take.

• Guard against power surges- unplug appliances and turn off electricity to the house.
• Turn off the gas and water if a cyclone warning is issued in your area.
• Have an emergency kit on-hand with essential items. Find out what to include in your kit here. 
• Secure windows and doors and stay up to date with emergency alerts for your area.
• Moving vehicles undercover and securing boats in a safe location to minimise damage.

These measures may not only protect your home but also yourself and your loved ones.

How to prepare your car for hail and storm season

Severe storms, particularly those with large hail, can severely damage vehicles, often beyond repair.

Preparing your car before the storm

Parking in a garage is the best way to protect your car, but if that's not an option, there are other ways to minimise damage.

Consider leaving your car in a covered shopping centre car park or a carport for some protection. Investing in a padded car cover can also help. If you don’t have a car cover, use blankets to protect your car and place floor mats on the windscreen to shield against hail.

What to do if you’re caught driving in a storm

If you find yourself driving during a severe storm or hail, slow down, turn your lights on, double your following distance to the car in front to at least four seconds (allow more space if you are towing) and find a safe spot to stop well away from high-speed traffic, not on the side of a highway or motorway. It’s also important to remember, if it’s flooded forget it. It is never safe to drive through floodwaters.

For more on how you can prepare your car for a storm check out our vehicle safety video.

The importance of insurance

Getting the right insurance for your home and car is another important part of storm season preparation.  It’s important to understand what you’re covered for in your insurance policy. RACQ’s Comprehensive Home Insurance and Comprehensive Car Insurance includes flood, storm, and hail as standard*, but other insurers may be different.

You should also check that your sum insured amount will cover the cost of rebuilding or replacing your home and/or contents, and if your car is insured as an agreed value, that the amount is in line with the cost of your car in today’s market.