Warning bell sounds over worsening underinsurance crisis
Experts warn that the effects of “crisis level” underinsurance across the country will continue to ruin Australians unless decisive action is taken.
Marty Sadlier, director at MCG Quantity Surveyors (MCG), has weighed in on Australia’s property underinsurance crisis, proclaiming that the “fallout could be devastating”.
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Through their analysis conducted on more than 2,000 reports, MCG evinced that across multiple property sectors, Australian assets are on average underinsured by 24 per cent.
“Residential property alone is underinsured by 18 per cent on average. So, if a home’s true insurance value was $650,000, which is reasonably common, its owner would be up for around $117,000 to cover the shortfall in replacing their destroyed property,” Sadlier stated.
Cost-of-living pressures were also described by Sadlier as compelling owners to “discount” their premiums via underinsurance and in dire cases influence owners to cancel their insurance coverage entirely.
The effects of underinsurance might not just be limited to residential properties, with Sadlier remarking that the underinsurance crisis could have even worse impacts in other sectors.
“Industrial and office properties are underinsured by 31 per cent and 24 per cent respectively.
“This delivers a massive blow to a business’s financials when the shortfall needs covering,” Sadlier explained.
Sadlier cited a “combination of events” as contributing towards this present status quo of underinsurance, listing off “fast-rising construction costs, unreliable automated insurance calculators, COVID-related supply chain and manufacturing issues, and a lack of available labour” among the chief influences.
The director singled out the “extraordinary increase in insurance premiums” as being particularly concerning as these rises have prevented people and businesses alike from affording adequate coverage.
“Certain assets have actually been categorised as uninsurable by insurers, while other properties have seen premiums skyrocket to such levels that business operations are no longer viable,” Sadlier expressed.
The director advised that the pattern of recurring natural disasters occurring in recent years is further cause for alarm, especially in the event that future disasters continue at this frequency.
“Each year – usually around December and January – we’ll see reports of floods or fires devastating communities and bringing things to a halt.
“Unfortunately, many home owners, business owners and commercial investors will discover all too late that their insurance arrangements are woefully inadequate,” the director cautioned.
Sadlier stressed a solution must be found before the next spate of natural disasters.
He is calling on owners to ensure that their property’s insurance value is accurately assessed and regularly updated to stay current within the fast-moving construction cost environment.
Beyond these measures, Sadlier also spoke of the need for government intervention that would regulate the insurance industry from quoting the “outrageous premiums” that are incapacitating Australian businesses and individuals alike.
“It’s apparent few understand the monumental impact this can have on not just property owners but consumers and the economy as well. It fuels inflation which affects us all,” Sadlier concluded.