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Flood insurance

Most home insurers can cover you for flood damage – but not if you've taken out a policy in the last 72 hours.

Top pick: Floods
  • Save up to 20% when you buy online (T&Cs apply)
  • Cover for storms, fires, theft, floods and more
  • Finder’s Green Insurer of the Year 2022
How we chose this

What you need to know

  • Most home insurance policies automatically cover floods.
  • With a few insurers, such as Budget Direct, you will need to specify you want to add flood cover to your policy.
  • You generally will not be covered for flood damage if you took out a policy 72 hours ago.
1 - 7 of 29
Name Product Finder Rating
Budget Direct Home & Contents Insurance
4.5/5★★★★★
Finder AwardBonus
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
4.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: The most popular insurer on Finder, Budget Direct prioritises low-cost cover and gives you up to 30% off your first year for new combined policies purchased online. This is a big reason it won this year’s Finder Award for value.
Youi Building and Contents Insurance
4.5/5★★★★★
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
4.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Finder’s 2022 Insurer of the Year for Customer Satisfaction and our Top Pick for Fire Damage cover. It’s good if you want a tailored quote over the phone.
QBE Home & Contents Insurance
3.5/5★★★★★
Green CompanyBonus
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
3.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Finder's Top Pick for Floods plus cover for other common claims such as fire and theft). Its discount is better than most – 20% off your first year with a combined policy.
Honey Home & Contents Insurance
4.5/5★★★★★
Finder AwardBonus
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
4.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Honey gives you $250 smart sensors to reduce accidents and estimates your rebuild costs for you. Honey was a finalist for the comprehensive category in this year’s Finder Awards.
Everyday Comprehensive Building and Contents
1.5/5★★★★★
Bonus
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
1.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: It covers more than most and you can get 10% off your Woolies shop. Watch out for underinsurance though – there’s a $15k limit on debris removal fees (this can cost $100k).
Qantas Home and Contents Insurance
4.5/5★★★★★
BonusFinder Award Finalist
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
4.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Join and earn up to 40,000 Qantas Points for every home insurance policy you take out by 31 July. T&C’s and exclusions apply.
Seniors Top Home & Contents Insurance
3/5★★★★★
Bonus
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
  • Storm
  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Flood
  • Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
  • Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
  • Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
  • Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
  • + more insured events and other features
3/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Senior Card holders can get up to 30% off and it covers accidental damage, unlike many others. Make sure your rebuild costs are accurate though – Aus Seniors don’t do underinsurance cover.
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Top pick for floods: QBE

QBE insurance

What we like about QBE:

  • QBE automatically covers flood damage. It's included in the insured event storm, storm surge, rain, hail or flood. This makes claiming a little simpler. With most insurers, storms and floods are considered 2 separate insured events. This means if there is storm and flood damage to your home, you may need to pay 2 excesses but not with QBE.
  • It covers forced evacuation by a government authority. For example, if you need to leave because of a flood risk, QBE can pay for temporary accommodation for up to 60 days.
  • It can also cover debris removal which can be very costly if your home is damaged or destroyed, plus pay for the temporary storage of your undamaged belongings.

Get quote

Does home insurance cover flood damage?

Yes, insurance can cover flood damage. Here's what that usually means:

flood

Floods (water that escapes from its natural confinements)

For example, if a lake, creek, dam or river bursts its banks and it damages your home or contents, insurance can cover you.

rainwater

Rainwater run-off

For example, if a large amount of rain falls and overflows into your home, you can be covered for the damage. Some insurers include this in flood cover, while others will cover rainwater in storm cover.

How do home insurers cover floods?

Since 2012, all Australian insurers define a flood as:

The covering of normally dry land by water that has escaped or been released from the normal confines of: any lake, or any river, creek or other natural watercourse, whether or not altered or modified; or any reservoir, canal, or dam.

Some insurers will go further than this and include rainwater run-off, sometimes called water run-off as part of flood or storm cover. We've included a section on how this is covered.

ProviderFloodsCover for rainwater damage/water run-off
Budget Direct
Home and contents insurance
Optional add-onIncluded automatically in storm and rainwater damage (damage must occur within 24 hours of a storm or heavy rain)
Youi
Building and contents insurance
  • Yes
Included automatically in storm damage. Covers loss or damage due to storm water overflow from roof gutters and their downpipes or from the area immediately around the premises.
Coles
Home and contents insurance
  • Yes
Water run-off automatically included in flood cover
ANZ
Home and contents insurance
  • Yes
Included automatically in storm, rainwater, flood or wind damage
Everyday
Comprehensive building and contents
  • Yes
Included automatically in storm, rainwater, flood damage
Honey
Home and contents insurance
  • Yes
Water run-off automatically included in flood cover
Bendigo Bank
Home and contents insurance
  • Yes
Included automatically in storm, flood rainwater or wind damage
Seniors
Top home and contents insurance
  • Yes
Included automatically in storm, rainwater, flood damage

What is covered in flood insurance?

Flood cover can pay to repair or rebuild your home and your belongings if you have contents insurance. For example, it can cover:

  • Structural work to repair a flooded foundation
  • Replacing your television set if damaged by flood water seeping into the electronics.
  • Temporary accommodation and emergency evacuation costs if your home's too damaged to stay in.
Flood insurance payouts
Insurers have paid more than $2 billion to insurance customers impacted by the February-March floods that hit South-East Queensland, the Northern Rivers and some other parts of New South Wales, according to the Insurance Council of Australia.

What isn't covered?

Most home insurance policies won't cover you for flood damage if you make a claim within 72 hours of buying the policy. Put simply, if you take out cover while a flood warning is active, your insurance claim will be rejected.

There are a few exclusions related to floods that you won't be covered for. These are some of the main ones. To find out more, it's worth looking at the exclusions section of your home insurer's product disclosure statement (PDS).

  • Actions of the sea – for example, tsunamis or high tides.
  • Water that's entered your home because of renovations.
  • Water that has gradually seeped into your building.
  • Earth movement that was not due to the flood or storm.
  • Damage to plants, trees and lawns.
  • Damage to swimming pool covers.

How do I know if I'm in a flood zone?

You can contact your local council or talk to your insurer. They should both be able to let you know if you're in a flood zone. You can also enter your details into the Australian Flood Risk Information Portal, which will give you a breakdown of risk within your local area.

Insurers will use the National Flood Information Database (NFID) to determine your home’s flood risk and premium. They will also take into account your home’s location, building type and claims history.

Have you been impacted by the floods?
You can head to our dedicated flood page to get help with relief, insurance, aid and much more.

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