We Make Insurance Easy
We Make Insurance Easy
We Make Insurance Easy
Understanding your cover BEFORE Fire Season
Living in the Macedon Ranges means we're lucky enough to be surrounded by beautiful bushland, rural properties and plenty of open space. But with country living comes the reality of bushfire season.
Whether you're on a residential block in town, a few acres out of town or a larger rural property, it's worth taking a little time to make sure your insurance is keeping up with your needs.
We know insurance probably isn't at the top of your fire season to-do list, but there are a few simple things you can do now that could make life a whole lot easier if you ever need to make a claim.
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Is your home properly insured?
Here's a question worth asking yourself. If you had to rebuild your home tomorrow, would your insurance cover the cost?
It's easy to set up a policy and forget about it, but building costs change, renovations happen and the value of our belongings tends to grow over time.
And if you live on a rural or bushfire-prone property, there can be a few extra things to consider.
We're here to help you review your cover, understand what's included and make sure your insurance is suited to your property and circumstances.
Have you photographed your belongings lately?
Here's a little job that future you might be very grateful for.
Grab your phone and take a walk around your house, photographing each room and the things you own. Furniture, appliances, electronics, clothes, tools, even the contents of your garden shed.
It doesn't need to be fancy, and you don't need to photograph every single teaspoon. The idea is to have a record of what you own in case you ever need to make a claim.
Save the photos somewhere safe, preferably in cloud storage, so you can still access them if something happens to your home.
And while you're at it, keep copies of receipts and valuations for any particularly expensive items.
What about sheds, fences and everything else on your property?
Got a shed down the back paddock? A workshop full of tools? A few kilometres of fencing? Just because something is on your property doesn't necessarily mean it's automatically covered by your home insurance. Different policies have different limits, exclusions and definitions, particularly when it comes to rural properties, outbuildings, machinery and fencing. It's worth checking what you've actually got insured, rather than finding out after something happens.
What should you do before bushfire season?
There's the obvious stuff, like clearing gutters, keeping the grass down and having a bushfire plan. But there are a few insurance-related jobs worth adding to your list too. Check your home and contents sums insured. Make sure your insurer knows about any renovations or additions. Photograph your belongings and save the records somewhere safe. Check whether your sheds, fences and other structures are covered. Understand any exclusions, excesses or waiting periods that might apply. Make sure your contact details are up to date. For advice on preparing your property and keeping your family safe, we recommend visiting the Country Fire Authority (CFA).
What happens if you need to make a claim?
Hopefully you'll never need to find out, but if the worst does happen, it's good to know who to call. Your safety always comes first. Once it's safe to do so, get in touch with your insurer or broker as soon as practical. If you're a client of Macedon Ranges Insurance, we can help guide you through the claims process, explain what happens next and assist with communication between you and your insurer. Because dealing with a bushfire is stressful enough without having to figure out your insurance on your own.
Not sure if you have the right cover?
That's what we're here for. Whether you've been with the same insurer for years, recently renovated or simply haven't looked at your policy in a while, we're happy to have a chat. We can review your current insurance, discuss any potential gaps and explore options that suit your property and budget. A little preparation now could save you a lot of headaches later.
