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*As of 03/03/2025, Southeast Queensland and Northern NSW have been put on cyclone watch as Cyclone Alfred hovers off the southern Queensland coast. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has classed the cyclone as a category 2 system, predicting it will “become slow moving and turn west towards the Queensland coast on Tuesday evening. Alfred’s intensity may fluctuate between category 1 and 2 later today and tomorrow, but is forecast to cross the southeast Queensland coast at category 2 strength late on Thursday or early Friday,” says the latest update from BOM.
When severe weather warnings are issued, insurers often impose embargoes, temporarily restricting new policies or changes to existing cover in high-risk areas. This means that if you don’t already have insurance, you may be unable to secure a new policy to cover your home, car, or belongings against damage from the cyclone or related flooding.
Head to government website, Get Ready Queensland for information on how to prepare and secure your home for an extreme weather event.
Australia is a vast country which experiences an equally vast array of weather conditions throughout the year, including the destructive storms that summer or the wet season can often bring.
As well as making it more difficult to drive safely, storms can also produce hazards such as hail, fallen trees or branches and rising floodwater, all of which cause problems for vehicles big and small.
For those without a garage or carport, protecting your car from hail or rain at this time of year can be especially difficult..
Here are a few steps you could consider if you want to minimise the chance of your car copping hail, storm or flood damage this year.
1. Sign up for early warning alerts
A number of local governments and other organisations across Australia offer early warning or emergency alert services to people living in the area.
These often come in the form of text message or push notification warnings you can sign up for, which are then sent to your phone when a storm is headed towards where you live.
Examples include the Brisbane City Council’s Early Warning Alert Service, while the Bureau of Meteorology has a weather app and also issues Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and other Severe Weather Warnings in every Australian state and territory, so it could be worth keeping an eye on its website or social media pages.
2. Visit your local shopping centre
If there’s a serious storm on the way and you’re concerned about your car, consider a visit to your local shopping centre. It will most likely have a covered car park where you can leave your vehicle.
You may want to check the centre’s opening hours first, as some shopping centre carparks will only let you in while the stores inside are open. It’s also worth checking if you can park for free, or if there’s a fee free period. For example, first three hours free, then charges apply.
You could also go and see a movie, as many cinemas have sheltered parking, whether or not they are located in shopping centres. This may help protect your car from being damaged by hailstones and storm debris.
3. Check whether your insurer has a warning system
Some insurers, such as Budget Direct via its Hail Hero service, alert customers when there is hail forecast in the customer’s local area.
That’s not to say you should run towards any insurer simply because it has a warning system, but it could be worth asking your current insurer what it offers, and comparing your options to find a policy that suits your needs.
4. Use blankets
If you’re caught with only a few minutes’ warning, and no cover, one option could be to throw some relatively heavy blankets over your car and tie them down. This could help to protect your car from an array of things a storm could throw at it, especially hailstones and small branches.
5. Keep your car away from bodies of water
If you live near a creek, river, or lake and you think there may be a flood or storm on the way, find a place to park your car that’s either on higher ground, or far enough away from the body of water to ensure its safety.
Otherwise, you may run the risk of your car being damaged by flood water.
6. Keep surroundings clear
Inspect the area around your home, or wherever your car is parked, for potential hazards. Loose roof tiles, overhanging branches, and TV antennae can all pose a threat to your car in heavy winds.
A bit of time spent taking pre-emptive measures to protect your car from hail and other storm damage could help you reduce the risk of a major headache (and cost) after the event.
Of course, you may also want to check what your car insurance would cover if your car were to be damaged by hail, flood water, or other storm-related disasters.
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Cover image source: Ben Romalis/Shutterstock.com
This is an update of an article originally written by Tom Letts.
