As another Australian summer approaches, bushfire risk becomes top of mind for many homeowners, even those who may not have faced fire before. While your local fire authority provides the best guidance on how to physically prepare your property, now is the right time to make sure your insurance cover is ready to respond if disaster strikes.
Below is a short checklist to help you ensure your insurance is up to date and you’re ready for the season ahead.
1. Review your home and contents amounts
Many people discover after a bushfire that their insurance wasn’t sufficient to rebuild what they lost. Take the time to review:
- Your sums insured: are they realistic for the current cost of rebuilding and replacing your home and contents? With construction and material prices still high, now is a good time to confirm whether your policy limits would cover a full rebuild.
- Any recent changes or upgrades: have you renovated, landscaped, or purchased major new items in the last 12 months? Make sure these are reflected in your cover.
Hot Tip: If you’re insure of your sums insured, you can use the Insurance Council of Australia’s free calculators
2. Check what’s covered (and what’s not)
Bushfire cover is standard on most home insurance policies, but not all policies are equal. Before summer:
- Understand any waiting periods: many insurers apply a 48–72 hour delay on new policies or changes before bushfire cover becomes active.
- Check for temporary accommodation benefits if your home is uninhabitable: this can make a big difference while repairs or rebuilding take place.
- Make sure your policy is active: ensure renewals are paid and cover is in place.
3. Keep Records
Claims are far easier to process if you can show what you had before the loss.
- Create a simple home inventory: photos or a short video walkthrough are always good to have.
- Save copies of receipts, warranties or valuations for high-value items.
- Store these securely online or off-site (for example, in cloud storage or with your broker).
- Keep your policy details and broker’s contact information somewhere accessible if you need to leave quickly.
4. Follow the CFA’s Property Preparation Advice
Physical readiness can make a life-saving difference, but this guidance sits best with fire authorities, who provide expert, location-specific information. For practical bushfire safety tips, visit:
5. Stay Alert and Ready
Download your state’s fire warning app, set up local notifications, and know where to find official updates during fire weather.
Keep your broker’s contact details saved in your phone so you can reach them quickly if needed.
Quick Insurance Readiness Checklist
☑ Review sums insured and consider a rebuild valuation
☑ Update your policy for any home upgrades or purchases
☑ Check inclusions, exclusions, and waiting periods
☑ Photograph contents and store records off-site
☑ Save copies of policies and contact information
☑ Follow CFA guidance for physical property preparation
Preparing for bushfire season isn’t just about clearing gutters and trimming trees, it’s also about ensuring your insurance would actually support you if the worst happened. If you’re unsure whether your current policy reflects your home’s true rebuild value or your contents amount, and you want to have the confidence that there is someone representing you in the event of an emergency, now’s the perfect time to speak with a broker and make sure you are summer ready.
This article provides information rather than financial product or other advice. The content of this article, including any information contained in it, has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider the appropriateness of the information, taking these matters into account, before you act on any information. In particular, you should review the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for any product that the information relates to before acquiring the product.
Information is current as at the date the article is written as specified within it but is subject to change. Breakwater Insurance Brokers make no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information. All information is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of Breakwater Insurance Brokers.
