Newcastle and Lake Macquarie were hard-hit by wild weather this autumn, according to the NRMA, with almost half of weather-related insurance claims in NSW coming from the region during the period.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
According to figures released by NRMA on Tuesday, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie made up 49.6 per cent of weather claims across NSW during the season - with seven of the state's 10 "hardest hit" locations in the region.
Merewether had the most insurance claims in NSW, followed by Belmont North in second place, Belmont in third, Swansea in fourth, Newcastle in seventh, Charlestown in ninth, and Gateshead in 10th.
NRMA received 10,151 insurance claims for weather damage to homes and vehicles nationally during autumn. Most (5478) were for vehicles damaged during intense hailstorms in late May.
The figures came as NRMA and Australian Red Cross released their improved Get Prepared app - a tool the organisations said could help with the creation of simple all-hazard emergency readiness plans.
Australian Red Cross head of emergency services Andrew Coghlan said it was important to prepare in advance for any type of emergency a household could encounter.
"Emergencies can occur anywhere, at any time and when they happen, there's lots of decisions to make," he said.
"Last year alone, Australian Red Cross supported more than 130,000 people during emergencies such as bushfires, floods and severe storms.
"We see firsthand the benefits of creating an emergency plan on the Get Prepared app, which not only helps your household prepare to respond to the physical impacts of emergencies, but also prepare for the mental and social impacts of emergencies."
IN THE NEWS:
To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.
