Community ………………3 to

South Coast Property Specialists (Carlene Franzen) Tips #1087: Natural Disasters and Home Insurance

What a crazy time we have seen on the eastern seaboard over the last few years. Even in our tiny area of the world we have seen major fires, pestilence (covid) and floods. One issue that raises its ugly head every time is that of insurance coverage. Unfortunately, many people are not insured or are underinsured, and disasters like fire or floods can lead to financial ruin and homelessness. And as we have reported recently, the rental market is so tight all around Australia, finding new accommodation is almost impossible.

It has been interesting to hear stories of the insurance fall out after our bush fires at the end of 2019. One report was of a property owner whose home and contents insurance was around $1,500 per year prior to the fires. The following year, the policy stayed roughly the same (presumably a period of grace) BUT then rose to $9,000 the following year. A quick ring around to the other major insurance companies returned quotations in the similar order of magnitude. They were finally able to find another company, who possibly didn’t have the same payouts in our area to the other companies, with a more reasonable quotation of around $2,500.

So, what is going to happen to all these residents up and down the coast who have been impacted by the recent floods? Television interviews of business owners in Lismore have already revealed that very few had full flood coverage as this would have incurred premiums of around $70,000 per year which is probably hardly worth running the business in the first place. And even for those home and business owners that had insurance, are they going to be able to rebuild in the location, what will be the cost of rebuilding to mitigate against future floods and what will their insurance policies cost in a couple of years’ time?

If nothing else, one of the big lessons to be learnt regarding your insurance is to shop around, and then shop around again and again until you have exhausted all your options. Hopefully you will be able to find a policy that suits both your needs and your hip pocket. These natural disasters, or “unprecedented events” as our politicians are coining them seem to be happening far more frequently than we expected and financial ruin or homelessness isn’t something you should be gambling with.

Mar 11th - Rob Simpson – Batemans Bay Soldiers Club (7.30pm) Mar 12th - Rob Simpson – Batemans Bay Soldiers Club (7.30pm) Mar 12th - Mogo Community Fun Day – Mogo Oval (2-6pm) Mar 12th - BassFront - The Return of WaterFront Saturdays. Mar 12th - Ashleigh Chapman at Tomakin Social club Mar 12th - Alibi Duo at Club Catalina Mar 12th - Mick McGrath at the Adelaide Hotel

Mar 18th - the Cody Munro Moore Homecoming Tour at Narooma Kinema

Mar 19th - Chris McGrath at Club Catalina Mar 19th - Rob Simpson – Tuross Head Country Club Mar 19th - Love and Able at Tomakin Social club

Mar 19th - Great Southern Nights, Tilba Valley Winery and Alehouse, Village Sounds presents All Our Exes Live In Texas, Penny Harterlink, Ricky Bloomfield, Baedon, Melanie Horsnell, Ryan Luckhurst Mar 20th - Drive Time – Club Narooma (3pm) Mar 20th - Eurobodalla Live Music at Moruya Golf Club 12:30pm to 3:30pm

March 25th & 26th - Moruya Blues & Roots Fes val! 12 bands. 1 stage. All from $59

Braidwood Concert Series presents SATURDAY 12 March jazz super-group THIS WORLD featuring Mike Nock (piano), Hamish Stuart (drums, percussion), Julien Wilson (sax) and Jonathan Zwartz (double bass) performing at St Andrews Anglican Church, Elrington St, Braidwood. Time: 4.45 for 5pm. Online x: see link to Humani x and QR code on poster. Or google Humani x and under 'search event' put 'This World 2022'. Don’t miss this amazing line-up and outstanding performers! Enquiries: artwork123@icloud.com Bermagui Seasiders Inc, producers of the Bermagui Seaside Fair are very excited to finally announce our Revive Fes val will take place on March 26th OUTDOORS at the Murrah Hall, Murrah. Reggae favourites The Strides will once again be gracing us with their presence and will be joined with a host of local South Coast ar sts including (alphabe cally) Bodhi Turner, Calum James, Felicity Dowd, Kunda, Lillian McVeity, Nikea & Dre, Prodikal1, The Scaramouche, The Spindri Saga and Warren Foster Snr.

Tickets are just $30 presale or $40 on the gate (if available). Secure your cket here h ps://www.southcoas ckets.com.au/events/ revive/ Gates will open at 3pm with Uncle Warren Foster Snr to deliver the Welcome to Country at 3:30pm.

Day In The Valley March 19th Great Southern Nights in associa on with Tilba Valley Winery and Alehouse and Village Sounds present "Day In The Valley" an open air music fes val in the most picturesque of loca ons! Saturday, 19 March 2022 9:30 am Adult 16+ Tickets $23.50 Mark this one down in the calendar folks and grab yourself a cket to what will be an amazing day of entertainment including local and touring acts Great Southern Nights is a celebra on of live music that takes place right across New South Wales. he dynamic event features hundreds of COVID-safe performances at live music venues across Greater Sydney and regional NSW in March and April 2022 Great Southern Nights is a NSW Government ini a ve, delivered by Des na on NSW in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Associa on (ARIA, to s mulate the revival or the State's live music, entertainment and hospitality sectors, and in turn the NSW visitor economy in response to challenges presented by the COVID-I9 pandemic. For more informa on, please visit greatsouthernnights.com.au.

Photo supplied