Insuring yourself for disaster season through policies, cash and investments

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Nov 27

The Australian summer months may accompany the festive season wind-down, but are also unfortunately strongly linked to disaster season. Be it the threat of tropical cyclones in the far north and ...

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Be it the threat of tropical cyclones in the far north and ...</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://www.livewiremarkets.com/wires/insuring-yourself-for-disaster-season-through-policies-cash-and-investments\">Source Link</a>\n\n</div>\n","source":"livewire_stock","html":"<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html>\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv=\"Content-Type\" content=\"text/html; charset=utf-8\" />\n<meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width,initial-scale=1.0,minimum-scale=1.0,maximum-scale=1.0,user-scalable=no\"/>\n<meta name=\"format-detection\" content=\"telephone=no,email=no,address=no\" />\n<title>Insuring yourself for disaster season through policies, cash and investments</title>\n<style type=\"text/css\">\na,abbr,acronym,address,applet,article,aside,audio,b,big,blockquote,body,canvas,caption,center,cite,code,dd,del,details,dfn,div,dl,dt,\nem,embed,fieldset,figcaption,figure,footer,form,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,header,hgroup,html,i,iframe,img,ins,kbd,label,legend,li,mark,menu,nav,\nobject,ol,output,p,pre,q,ruby,s,samp,section,small,span,strike,strong,sub,summary,sup,table,tbody,td,tfoot,th,thead,time,tr,tt,u,ul,var,video{ font:inherit;margin:0;padding:0;vertical-align:baseline;border:0 }\nbody{ font-size:16px; line-height:1.5; color:#999; background:transparent; }\n.wrapper{ overflow:hidden;word-break:break-all;padding:10px; }\nh1,h2{ font-weight:normal; line-height:1.35; margin-bottom:.6em; }\nh3,h4,h5,h6{ line-height:1.35; margin-bottom:1em; }\nh1{ font-size:24px; }\nh2{ font-size:20px; }\nh3{ font-size:18px; }\nh4{ font-size:16px; }\nh5{ font-size:14px; }\nh6{ font-size:12px; }\np,ul,ol,blockquote,dl,table{ margin:1.2em 0; }\nul,ol{ margin-left:2em; }\nul{ list-style:disc; }\nol{ list-style:decimal; }\nli,li p{ margin:10px 0;}\nimg{ max-width:100%;display:block;margin:0 auto 1em; }\nblockquote{ color:#B5B2B1; border-left:3px solid #aaa; padding:1em; }\nstrong,b{font-weight:bold;}\nem,i{font-style:italic;}\ntable{ width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:1px;margin:1em 0;font-size:.9em; }\nth,td{ padding:5px;text-align:left;border:1px solid #aaa; }\nth{ font-weight:bold;background:#5d5d5d; }\n.symbol-link{font-weight:bold;}\n/* header{ border-bottom:1px solid #494756; } */\n.title{ margin:0 0 8px;line-height:1.3;color:#ddd; }\n.meta {color:#5e5c6d;font-size:13px;margin:0 0 .5em; }\na{text-decoration:none; color:#2a4b87;}\n.meta .head { display: inline-block; overflow: hidden}\n.head .h-thumb { width: 30px; height: 30px; margin: 0; padding: 0; border-radius: 50%; float: left;}\n.head .h-content { margin: 0; padding: 0 0 0 9px; float: left;}\n.head .h-name {font-size: 13px; color: #eee; margin: 0;}\n.head .h-time {font-size: 11px; color: #7E829C; margin: 0;line-height: 11px;}\n.small {font-size: 12.5px; display: inline-block; transform: scale(0.9); -webkit-transform: scale(0.9); transform-origin: left; -webkit-transform-origin: left;}\n.smaller {font-size: 12.5px; display: inline-block; transform: scale(0.8); -webkit-transform: scale(0.8); transform-origin: left; -webkit-transform-origin: left;}\n.bt-text {font-size: 12px;margin: 1.5em 0 0 0}\n.bt-text p {margin: 0}\n</style>\n</head>\n<body>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<header>\n<h2 class=\"title\">\nInsuring yourself for disaster season through policies, cash and investments\n</h2>\n\n<h4 class=\"meta\">\n\n\n2025-11-27 08:30 GMT+8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=https://www.livewiremarkets.com/wires/insuring-yourself-for-disaster-season-through-policies-cash-and-investments><strong>LiveWire</strong></a>\n\n\n</h4>\n\n</header>\n<article>\n<div>\n<p>The Australian summer months may accompany the festive season wind-down, but are also unfortunately strongly linked to disaster season. Be it the threat of tropical cyclones in the far north and ...</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://www.livewiremarkets.com/wires/insuring-yourself-for-disaster-season-through-policies-cash-and-investments\">Source Link</a>\n\n</div>\n\n\n</article>\n</div>\n</body>\n</html>\n","isBrief":false,"type":0,"news_type":1,"symbol":"IE00B64PRP62.GBP","symbol_name":"GUINNESS GLOBAL MONEY MANAGERS \"C\" (GBP) ACC","start_time":0,"source_url":"https://www.livewiremarkets.com/wires/insuring-yourself-for-disaster-season-through-policies-cash-and-investments","article_id":"2586112296","we_media_id":null,"thumbnails":[],"rights":{"source":"livewire_stock","url":"https://www.livewiremarkets.com/wires/insuring-yourself-for-disaster-season-through-policies-cash-and-investments","rn_cache_url":null,"directOrigin":true},"url":"https://stock-news.laohu8.com/highlight/detail?id=2586112296","pubTimestamp":1764203409,"columns":[],"sourceInfo":{"source_id":"livewire_stock","name":"Livewire Markets"},"weMediaInfo":null,"summary":"The Australian summer months may accompany the festive season wind-down, but are also unfortunately strongly linked to disaster season. Be it the threat of tropical cyclones in the far north and associated flooding, storms or bushfires everywhere else, there’s much for homeowners to be conscious of.Now is a good time to double-check your policy for what you’re covered for and what you might need to do in the event you need to claim on your cover.In this article, I’ll look at a few things to check, share some basic tips from emergency services for preparation, and investing for natural disasters.Flood protection, on the other hand, is not necessarily standard cover – in some instances, insurers won’t offer protection for properties in extremely flood-prone areas, or if they do offer it, it’s at rates that may be unaffordable for many. 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Be it the threat of tropical cyclones in the far north and associated flooding, storms or bushfires everywhere else, there’s much for homeowners to be conscious of.\nNow is a good time to double-check your policy for what you’re covered for and what you might need to do in the event you need to claim on your cover.\nIn this article, I’ll look at a few things to check, share some basic tips from emergency services for preparation, and investing for natural disasters.\nKnow your property\nDo you know if you live in a flood zone or if your property could be at risk of fire damage in a bushfire?\nDon’t assume you’re safe – you could live in a hilly region over 100m above sea level and still have a flood risk for your property related to underground water or historic river pathways that have been built over. Equally, not being able to see the bush out your window doesn’t guarantee you don’t have a fire risk.\nYou can check the level of risk you have for these with your local council, regional and state emergency services, or even through tools like Landchecker or Steadfast Flood Risk Tracker. You can track active fires on the government site MyFireWatch.\nHere’s a list of SES websites for you to visit, track emergency situations or request assistance:\n\nNSW State Emergency Services\nQLD State Emergency Services\nNT State Emergency Services\nACT State Emergency Services\nVIC State Emergency Services\nSA State Emergency Services\nTAS State Emergency Services\nWA State Emergency Services\n\nChecking your policy\nStorms and fire protection are typically standard parts of home insurance cover, but your cover may be affected by whether your home complies with fire regulations. As regulations change over time, if your property is damaged, the cover may only cover direct replacement rather than the costs of repair and bringing the property up to the latest requirements.\nIf you think this could affect you, it’s worth getting in touch with your insurer to discuss what replacement really looks like and whether you want to self-cover the difference out of pocket or upgrade your insurance cover to a higher level (which comes with added costs).\nThe Insurance Council of Australia offers a building calculator to help you estimate the amount you might need for rebuilding.\nBear in mind that your cover in these instances might not include smoke or heat damage, and if you haven’t taken reasonable measures to protect your property.\nFlood protection, on the other hand, is not necessarily standard cover – in some instances, insurers won’t offer protection for properties in extremely flood-prone areas, or if they do offer it, it’s at rates that may be unaffordable for many. If your attempts to gain flood cover are rejected and you’ve lodged a complaint through the insurer’s complaint department, you can also appeal through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority – though there’s no guarantee of appeal.\nAlways check the list of exclusions on your policy to see if you can manage with these or not. If some of the exclusions might be critical, it’s a good idea to contact your insurer to discuss your options.\nYou can compare your insurance policy with others on a range of commercial sites – just keep in mind that these comparison sites might earn a commission on any policy you choose, and it’s not always easy to compare like with like, so doing extra research on insurer websites can be worthwhile.\nProtective measures in disaster season\nThere are a number of steps emergency services recommend taking, depending on what emergency risk you might face. Before that point, though, it’s worth having a disaster kit.\nIn your disaster kit, you should have at a minimum…\n\nYour family’s passports and other important documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, property documentation (insurance, proof of address), wills and powers of attorney.\nAn external hard drive or cloud storage with copies and photos of important documentation. The external hard drive should be stored somewhere separate from you and your property, such as with a friend, or even a bank or lawyer.\nEmergency plans and contacts for your family and pets\nFirst Aid Kit and medicines\nNon-perishable food and water supplies\nSoap, toilet paper, toothpaste and toothbrushes\nTorch\n\nYou may also want to keep some other personal items, like spare clothing, with your kit.\nMeasures to protect your property in the event of fire or flood can differ, and it’s worthwhile speaking to your state emergency services about what they recommend.\nSome basics for fire suggested by the NSW SES include:\n\nClearing your roof, gutters and around your property of loose leaf litter and branches.\nRepair damaged tiles\nEnsure hoses are long enough to reach around your property\nInstall fine metal mesh screens on windows and doors\nRepair or cover gaps in external walls\n\nYou might also consider installing fire sprinklers in your gutters.\nSome basics for flood suggested by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA include:\n\nConsider alternatives to carpet as floor coverings\nInstall electricity sockets and power points above floor level\nStore chemicals and poisons above ground level\nPurchase emergency equipment, such as drinking water containers, fuel supplies, sandbags\nRelocate any items you would want protected in a flood to a higher level or alternative location\nKnow where and how to turn off electricity, gas and water mains.\n\nIf you face an emergency, follow directions from emergency services, keep updated on evacuation points and be ready to evacuate if needed. \nHow insurers cover you\nInsurers typically use investments alongside cash reserves to help manage their ability to service claims over time, but bear in mind they are operating with far vaster sums and the returns on their investments might cover replacing millions of houses in a year. Their investments will still be relatively defensive and income-generating.\nAs a quick example, in its FY25 report, Insurance Australia Group (ASX: IAG) reported that its shareholder fund was split 65% to fixed income and cash, 34.5% to equities, and 0.5% to alternatives. You’ll note the use of fixed income and cash to assist with managing the ability to pay claims as needed, while the equities would offer both dividends and the ability to help growth funds. \nOutside of this, IAG also has a $75m venture capital fund called Firemark Ventures, which invests in start-ups that might materially affect how insurance works, such as its investment in Digital Agriculture Services that offers AI-powered rural, agri and climate risk intelligence. \nIf you want a closer understanding of what fixed income and cash investments might look like in an insurer’s portfolio, QBE’s latest half-year report offers more detail into how this might all look. Please note because of rounding, it doesn’t perfectly equal 100%.\n\n\n\n\nAsset\n\n\nAllocation   %\n\n\n\n\nFixed   income assets\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShort-term   money\n\n\n13.1%\n\n\n\n\nGovernment bonds\n\n\n26.9%\n\n\n\n\nCorporate   bonds\n\n\n45%\n\n\n\n\nInfrastructure   debt\n\n\n1.1%\n\n\n\n\nEmerging   market debt\n\n\n1.6%\n\n\n\n\nHigh yield   debt\n\n\n2.3%\n\n\n\n\nPrivate credit\n\n\n1.4%\n\n\n\n\nGrowth   assets\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDeveloped   market equity\n\n\n2.7%\n\n\n\n\nUnlisted   property trusts\n\n\n2.1%\n\n\n\n\nInfrastructure   assets\n\n\n4.1%\n\n\n\n\nAlternatives\n\n\n0.6%\n\n\n\n\nSource: QBE Group Half Year Report 2025\nInvesting for disaster season\nIf you wanted to copy the insurers' approach – while still maintaining an insurance policy, this might look like adding in an emergency cash savings account and investments.\nFrom an emergency cash savings perspective, investors could consider high-interest savings accounts to help build their money. They might also look at term deposits with the caveat of watching what the term is and monitoring rollover dates to avoid being unable to access money if it has automatically rolled into a new term. It can be valuable to set up automated savings transfers into your emergency fund to ensure it keeps growing over time. \nAn emergency cash fund might mean a separate cash account linked to your main account so that you don’t accidentally dip into it. It’s something to discuss with your bank to see what options they might suggest for you.\nInvestors need to be conscious that in an emergency, they’ll need to be able to access funds quickly, so tying all their spare cash in investments might make quick access to emergency funds difficult or near impossible in the event of an emergency. \nSome investors might choose a combination of insurance, emergency cash and an investment portfolio.\nInvesting is not typically used as an emergency option for individual investors, for the reason that you generally invest for long-term goals, and it can be hard to instantly access funds in an emergency. You also don’t necessarily have access to the types of investments that insurers might have. You might instead choose to use investments to help increase your emergency funds alongside your existing cash reserve, this could simply be an additional goal and component of an existing portfolio.\nWhat you would need to consider when investing to help bolster your emergency funds would be:\n\nA goal amount to invest for and a minimum timeframe for this. If under five years, focusing on building cash savings might suit your needs better. You never know when a disaster is going to hit, but if you live on a once-in-a-lifetime flood plain, you might have more flexibility than someone in a high-risk zone.\nCapital protection, a level of growth to manage inflation and liquidity of assets to access funds quickly if needed.\nA regular investment plan to keep the fund growing.\n\nThis could mean additional defensive investments in your existing portfolio, a greater allocation to liquid blue-chip investments or adjusting your existing regular investment plan upwards to factor for the additional emergency buffer. It’s worth discussing this with an expert to find out what this might look like for you and how you can incorporate it alongside your existing portfolio, as well as factoring in insurance and an emergency cash fund.\nReady for disaster season?\nIf you need extra help with your policy or planning for extra buffers in the form of savings and investments, it can help to talk to your insurer and seek expert advice on the options that might best suit your circumstances.\nFor other disaster needs, check in with your local and state emergency services and keep updated on changing conditions. Stay safe!\n\n\n\nNever miss an update\n\n    Enjoy this wire? 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