Many Australian Home Insurance policies include flood cover, but it should not be assumed without checking the policy schedule and wording.

Whether flood cover is included, excluded or optional depends on the insurer and product applying to the individual property.

Is flood automatically included? #

It depends on the insurer and product.

Some Australian Home Insurance products include flood as a standard insured event, while other arrangements can differ.

Always check the current policy schedule and wording.

What does the flood definition mean? #

Australian home building and contents policies use a standard definition of flood. This does not mean every policy automatically provides flood cover.

This matters because water damage can arise from different causes, including:

• Flood.
• Storm.
• Rainwater.
• Run-off.
• Burst pipes.
• Other escape of liquid.

The cause of the water damage can determine how a claim is assessed.

Can flood affect the premium? #

Yes.

Insurers can consider factors such as:

• Property location.
• Flood mapping.
• Previous flooding.
• Elevation.
• Local waterways.
• Building characteristics.

Can a different excess apply? #

Potentially.

Check whether the policy applies:

• Standard excess.
• Additional flood excess.
• Other event-specific excesses.

Should I rely on the suburb generally being low risk? #

No.

Flood risk can vary significantly from one property to another.