Four risks to your home, and how to combat them

23 Nov 2020

Understanding the risks your home faces will help you protect it. Here are four examples.

Your home is more than just four walls – it’s a sanctuary for you and your loved ones.

Home insurance is designed to cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home, and structures such as outbuildings, garages, fences and pools. It’s a good idea to be aware of the hazards your home could face, and the steps you can take to protect it.

1. Natural disasters

In Australia we’re exposed to our fair share of natural disasters. Depending on where you live you could be at risk of storms, flooding, bushfires, cyclones, earthquakes and more.

The Insurance Council of Australia is a great source for information about protecting your property and putting together a disaster action plan. It’s worth the time and effort because smart planning could not only save your home, it could save your life.

Not every storm is on the scale of a natural disaster but even more moderate weather events can do significant damage to your home. Proactive steps such as clearing dead or overhanging branches and ensuring your roof’s in good shape could really pay dividends when a storm rolls in.

2. Fires

House fires can spread quickly and put you and your family in danger. Here are a few ways to reduce your risk:

Always ensure smoke alarms are installed and fitted with working batteries
Never leave cooking unattended, particularly when you’re using the cooktop
Keep matches out of the reach of children
Store flammable chemicals away from ignition sources
Clear the lint from your dryer each time you use it
Switch off appliances when they’re not in use, and avoid overloading power points.

3. Internal leaks

Water may not necessarily come from outside your property – internal leaks can be equally destructive.

If you’re in an area where the temperature drops below freezing in winter you’re at risk of burst water pipes (water expands as it freezes). Keeping your home warm enough to stop your pipes from freezing and lagging (insulating) the pipes should do the job.

If you damage a pipe accidentally by drilling through a wall, turn off the main water valve until you get it fixed.

It’s also a good idea to check the hoses on your washing machine from time to time – if they burst or come loose it can be seriously bad news, especially if you’re not home to turn off the taps.

4. Accidental damage

Are you a parent? Perhaps you’re just clumsy or unlucky? Either way, accidental damage happens. From a wayward ball smashing a window to DIY accidents, the list of potential scenarios is almost endless.

Hiring professionals to do renovations and keeping an eye on your kids can help, but including the accidental damage option with your home insurance is a smart move.

Find out more about QBE's Home Insurance

This article was originally published in December 2015 and was updated in November 2020.

This advice is general in nature and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and may not be right for you. You must decide whether or not it is appropriate, in light of your own circumstances, to act on this advice. To decide if QBE’s products are right for you, please ensure you obtain and consider the Policy Wording or Product Disclosure Statements and Target Market Determinations, available online at QBE.com/au. Insurance issued and underwritten by QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (ABN 78 003 191 035, AFSL 239545).