Youi has launched a new resource hub to help consumers better prepare for severe weather events.  

The insurer says the hub follows research that revealed a growing gap between Australians’ understanding of the need for appropriate protections and their efforts to implement them. 

It found only 37% of respondents felt strongly prepared for severe weather events, with Queenslanders exhibiting the highest level of confidence. 

Older Australians were the least likely to express confidence in their security, despite having the highest awareness of risk, with respondents citing barriers such as age, disability and other living conditions as preventing factors for implementing actions.  

The gap was also highlighted by the gulf between the 81% of respondents who said they had experienced severe weather and the 17% who had a practised emergency plan. Among those without a plan, 41% admitted they were unsure about how to set one up. 

Youi claims EGM Chris Jarrett says the research shows Australians “aren’t short on awareness, they’re short on clear, actionable steps”.  

“Youi’s Severe Weather Hub is designed to turn awareness into action by making practical resources easy to access,” Mr Jarrett told insuranceNEWS.com.au. “It provides clear, expert advice on how to prepare before an event, what to do during, and how to manage recovery.”  

Only 38% of survey participants reported regularly checking their insurance coverage, with the lowest rates in WA and Victoria. 

The findings also revealed 46% of policyholders felt confident their policy covered severe weather events, while 15% were either unaware or uncertain about this coverage. 

Mr Jarrett says to make planning easier, the hub provides users with “step-by-step guides and templates covering essentials like checking insurance coverage, identifying local risks, creating emergency contacts and evacuation routes, and preparing a low-cost emergency kit”.  

Disaster Relief Australia co-founder and former CEO Geoff Evans says the hub is “a step in the right direction, giving Australians tools to act before it’s too late”.  

Click here to view Youi’s severe weather hub.