Preparing for a flood

This season, a higher risk of widespread and prolonged flooding is expected in flood-prone areas. Here’s what to do before, during and after a flood to reduce the impact on your home or business.

For your safety Prepare an emergency pack containing tinned food, a tin-opener, water, a first-aid kit, blankets, warm clothing, spare batteries, matches, a battery-powered radio and gloves.

For your safety:

• Evaluate your flood risk. Find out if your premises has ever been flooded, and find out from your local council or state emergency service if you are in a flood-prone area.
• Gather important and valuable items and documents that you can take with you should you need to evacuate the premises. Place them in waterproof bags.
• Prepare an emergency pack containing tinned food, a tin-opener, water, a first-aid kit, blankets, warm clothing, spare batteries, matches, a battery-powered radio and gloves.
• Keep yourself and your family or colleagues safe by ensuring that everyone is familiar with your evacuation plan and knows where first-aid and emergency kits are.
• Make sure that operational and other data is backed up, and that stock and other key items can be moved if needed.
• Speak to your broker or insurance provider to review your insurance. Make sure you know what your insurance covers, and that the sum you are insured for covers the replacement value of the items you wish to insure.
• Be sure to check if your policy covers you for flood, or if flood cover is available to you.

As flood threatens:

• Contact 000 or your local SES in any emergency.
• Use a battery-powered radio to monitor your local radio station for updates on the flood. weather, power supply, emergency warnings and evacuation alerts
• Switch off utilities: electricity, gas and water.
• Disconnect electrical appliances. Move key household and electrical items to a higher place.
• Monitor and follow the advice of emergency officials

After a flood:

• If there is any danger, contact 000 or your local SES.
• Return to your premises only when authorities indicate that it is safe. Avoid fallen power lines and damaged trees.
• Water can become contaminated after a flood. Do not drink water straight from a tap until authorities declare it safe.
• Until then, boil the water before drinking it.
• Do not enter floodwaters unless authorities say it is safe.
• Never drive your vehicle through flood water, even if it looks shallow.
• Once the danger has passed, take photos of damaged or destroyed items before disposing of them to assist in any insurance claims
• Speak to your broker or insurance provider to lodge your claim, or make a claim online at bankvic.com.au or call 13 63 73.
  
  

Once the danger from any severe weather event has passed, take photos of damaged or destroyed items before disposing of them to assist in any insurance claims. Contact your insurer to lodge your claim.

It’s always important to make sure you know what your insurance covers. Speak to your insurer to find out if you’re adequately covered.

We’re here to help

If you need help with your insurance, please visit bankvic.com.au/insurance or contact us on 13 63 73 for a free no-obligation quote.

References: A waiting period may apply to cyclone, flood, grassfire or bushfire claims. Please refer to your PDS, KFS, policy schedule, and Certificate of Insurance for full details, terms and conditions and to check whether this applies to you. Please note the information in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any decisions based on this article. This article has been prepared by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL 234708 (“Allianz”). Information contained in this article is accurate as at November 2021 and may be subject to change. In some cases information has been provided to us by third parties and while that information is believed to be accurate and reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed in any way. Any opinions expressed constitute our views at the time of issue and are subject to change. Neither Allianz, nor its employees or directors give any warranty of accuracy or accept responsibility for any loss or liability incurred by you in respect of any error, omission or misrepresentation in this article. Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL 234708 10 Carrington Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Terms and conditions: Police Financial Services Limited –– trading as BankVic ABN 33 087 651 661 AFS Licence No. 240293 arranges Home and Content, Landlord, Motor and/or Caravan & Trailer insurance as an agent of the insurer Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Allianz) ABN 15 000 122 850 AFS Licence No. 234708. We do not provide any advice on this insurance based on any consideration of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Policy terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. Before making a decision, please consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Home , Landlord, Motor and/or Caravan & Trailer PDS and relevant key fact sheet (KFS) , Home Buildings, Home Contents, Landlord Buildings and/or Landlord Contents KFS. The Target Market Determinations are available by calling 13 63 73. If you purchase this insurance, we will receive a commission that is a percentage of the premium.