After the catastrophic earthquakes of Christchurch earlier this year, many Australians felt the fear of their New Zealand neighbours. The rubble of Christchurch have not even been cleaned up yet, so the idea of a similar disaster striking Australia is unthinkable.

There doesn’t seem to be any permanent damage caused by the Melbourne earthquake and no one injured.

Are you up to date with your home insurance? Just in case another earthquake comes by and causes damage to your property, make sure you’re covered for property damages. Visit our Home Insurance page for more information.

Temperatures have been going to as low as 4 degrees and not only in Melbourne, but also in other Australian cities such as Sydney, who are also receiving this beautiful morning mist.

Weather experts say that this drastic change in weather, especially all the rain, is due to the phenomena named the La Nina effect. Melbourne was on the verge of a drought with a water restriction level at…4a was it? Who can even remember the save-every-drop-of-water days when watering plants or washing your car was considered eternal damnation?

This shift in weather patterns is quite scary if you ask me. You just don’t now what’s coming up. You just have to be prepared!
Crazy winds, unstoppable rainfall, flash floods are just part of the Australian weather statistics these days.

Is your house insured for what’s about to come? Heavy rain can damage rooftops and create other problems around your home. Not to mention the crazy winds that have the ability to snap a few oak trees into half. Make sure you have home insurance to cover for this Australian weather frenzy!

Also Keep yourself warm, Be safe, and always bring an umbrella!

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However, there are a few precautions and checks that we can keep in mind to make fire safety a priority in our homes. The NSW Fire Brigades Safety Tips include the following -

• Making sure you have an adequate number of working fire alarms in your home.
• Having a fire escape plan in the event of a fire, and making sure all residents of your home are aware of how to put it into practice.
• Make sure you have keys available to all locked doors that are accessible easily.
• In Winter, use caution when using heaters, electric blankets and other appliances.
• Take care around the home with stored chemicals in sheds, and fuel that is used for BBQ’s. Always handle this material appropriately.
• Never leave cooking or any other open flame such as candles unattended.
• Regularly test your appliances to make sure that the cords and their elements are in good, fire safe order.

1300 Insurance takes fire safety extremely seriously, as they recognise the importance of the home and it’s possessions to your family. 1300 Insurance offers home and contents insurance which can give you peace of mind in the event of an accident.

Home and contents insurance is one element of everyday insurance that can give you security, however it is important to be vigilant in practicing fire safety to prevent accidents where possible.

Safety first around festive lighting needs to be a priority. In a survey conducted in the UK, it was found that dangers from Christmas lights were widespread, presenting a direct threat of electric shocks and fire hazards.

As a leading provider of online home and contents insurance, 1300 Insurance has the following advice for ensuring safety around the home with Christmas lights;

• Ensure you have a safety switch installed on your powerboard.
• Make sure the lights you have chosen are used for their intended application; indoor or outdoor, and always read instructions before use.
• Only purchase festive lighting that has been approved by Australian regulatory standards.
• Use powerboards with overload and surge protectors, not double adapters.
• Turn off your Christmas lights when going out, going to bed, replacing bulbs and when it is raining.
• Always supervise children around Christmas lights.
• Pack your lights away safely when not in use in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

These few tips for practising responsible maintenance of Christmas lights should mean that your family has a safe and happy Christmas. Remember to update your home and contents insurance and ensure that you have peace of mind this Christmas.

However, there are valuable tips which can assist in making sure your house is as secure as possible. Of course, preventing and deterring would-be criminals is one of the biggest tips.

Here are a few tips on how you can protect your home and valuables while you’re away.

- Make sure that your doors and windows are locked securely. If you have an alarm, make sure you activate it before leaving the house.

- Ask a friend or neighbour to collect your mail, put your bin out, or turn your house lights on and off while you’re away. Also, stop any newspaper subscriptions or have them collected regularly to prevent them from accumulating at the front door.

- Avoid leaving boxes which had contained expensive items in sight – such as plasma tv boxes or games console boxes.

- Check your home and contents insurance is up to date before you go away.

- Store important documents, expensive jewellery and sentimental items in a safe before you go away.

- Lock away tools and implements that could assist in a break in should they be lying around outside your home.

- Leave blinds and curtains partially opened to give the house a lived in appearance.

Home security and home and contents insurance plays a vital role in assuring you and your family of the security of their precious objects.

Source: Yahoo.com

Natural disasters are an unfortunate occurence in Australia, and are stressful enough without the added worry of financial difficulty.

The Insurance Council of Australia says that a home and contents insurance policy, appropriate for your circumstances, is an important feature of any risk management plan.

Even if your home is not in an area generally effected by natural disasters, their occurence is enough to remind us all to take a detailed review of our insurance needs and our level of cover.

The Insurance Council of Australia advises taking an inventory of the cost of rebuilding your home and the cost of replacing property items in and outside the home, room-by-room. This should provide an up to date requirement of your home and contents insurance needs.

By staying up to date with your home insurance requirements, you can make sure you’re prepared for any circumstances.