Australia is known for experiencing a range of natural disasters, which can disrupt communities and cause significant financial hardship for homes and businesses.

Bushfires, floods, earthquakes, cyclones, droughts and severe storms are just some of the extreme weather conditions that states across the country face each year.

Last month, Queenslanders were hit by Cyclone Ita, which caused an estimated $1 billion worth of damage, leaving businesses and homeowners in disarray. In 2013, a series of bushfires struck New South Wales, destroying more than 200 buildings and leading to a number of evacuations.

Western Australia experienced floods in the latter half of 2012 and Perth saw massive storms in 2010 that were dubbed the most expensive in the state's history due to the number of subsequent insurance claims.

The severity of these incidents underlines the importance of ensuring you have adequate business insurance to protect against the large-scale damages that can result from natural disasters.

What should I do if natural disasters strike?

While insurance won't prevent your enterprise from being harmed by extreme weather conditions and other external factors, it can mitigate the financial impacts.

According to the Insurance Council of Australia, any company affected by a natural disaster should follow these steps when making a claim, so keep them in mind when researching business insurance in Perth. 

Contact your insurance company: Organisations are advised to do this immediately – even before arranging repairs – to check what your policy covers.

Take pictures of the damage: Providing as much evidence as possible for your claim will expedite the process considerably.

Maintain an inventory of damaged goods: Any possessions that are damaged or lost due to natural disasters should be documented and passed on to your insurance company.

Don't worry about your documents: Even if your insurance documents are lost, damaged or destroyed, don't worry. The insurance company only needs your name and address to confirm your details.