Insurance Australia : IAG stands ready to support communities impacted by bushfires as conditions escalate

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Customer news IAG stands ready to support communities impacted by bushfires as conditions escalate 09 January, 2026 3 Share this story: IAG stands ready to support customers and communities impacted by the extreme heatwaves and bushfires in South Eastern Australia. IAG Major Event Response Manager Julia Attard said IAG, whose brands include NRMA Insurance, CGU, WFI and RolliN' is tracking the bushfires closely and is ready to mobilise on the ground response teams to support affected customers. IAG is closely monitoring the Victorian bushfires and fire risks across South Australia and New South Wales. Our teams of assessors, partner builders and Response Vehicles are on standby and ready to be deployed to support impacted customers across Southern Australia. Julia Attard IAG Manager Major Event Response IAG Meteorologist and Senior Weather Risk Analyst Kathryn Turner said the extreme heatwave affecting Victoria, South Australia, and southern New South Wales is forecast to peak today, then ease back from Saturday. Catastrophic bushfire ratings are in place for parts of South Australia and Victoria today and numerous bushfires burning across parts of Victoria. Conditions are set to remain severe as high temperatures, very low moisture and strong winds will likely lead to erratic fire behaviour. Kathryn Turner IAG Meteologist and Senior Weather Risk Analyst "Fires can spread rapidly and even jump natural and man-made barriers such as roads, rivers and firebreaks. Embers carried by the wind can travel many kilometres ahead of a fire, so communities well outside the direct path can still be affected.," Ms Turner added. IAG's latest Severe Weather in a Changing Climate report found that southern Australia is facing increased bushfire frequency and intensity, as hotter, drier and more fire prone conditions combined with shifting rainfall patterns are creating a more fire supportive landscape. "The threat of bushfires isn't just for regional or rural communities. More people than ever are living on the bushland-urban interface, putting millions of Australians at-risk of bushfires across metropolitan areas," Ms Attard said. "It's imperative Australians know how to protect themselves and to prepare their homes if disaster strikes." "With temperatures continuing climb, ensure it's safe to be outdoors and check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours who may need assistance preparing. Safety is always the number one priority, that means having a well-stocked emergency kit, a bushfire survival plan, and staying update to date with local emergency services." Prepare for bushfire season by clearing gutters regularly, pruning trees and shrubs, keeping grass short and mulch and flammable items like woodpiles away from your house. "Check the seals around doors and windows are closed so fire embers can't enter your home, position gas cylinders on side of house and away from trees and gardens and if your bushfire survival plan is to stay and defend, have a long hose or hoses that can reach all around the house and is connected to a reliable source of water," Ms Attard added. Following the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, IAG research found a significant rise in community awareness and concern about natural disasters, with nearly 90% of Australians and New Zealanders indicating they planned to take proactive steps to protect their home and contents from bushfires and other extreme weather events. Global severe weather events like the January LA wildfires, and the more recent December 2025 bushfires on the NSW central coast underscores how critical it is for governments, insurers and communities to work together on bushfire mitigation measures. Julia Attard IAG Manager Major Event Response Tips to prepare for a bushfire: Have a Bushfire Survival Plan - one of the most important things to do before a bush fire is to decide what you'll do if one should start. Visit: Bush fire survival plan - NSW Rural Fire Service Take the advice of the emergency authorities - listen to updates from your local fire service and follow instructions about when you should evacuate your home. Stay up to date with the Hazards Near Me NSW App or Fires Near Me website as recommended by the NSW RFS. Create an emergency kit - this could include items such as a fire blanket and fire extinguisher, first aid kit, woollen blankets and emergency contact numbers. Prepare your home - make sure you're clearing your gutters regularly, pruning trees and shrubs around the walls of houses, and fitting seals around doors and windows to eliminate gaps. Keep an eye out for your neighbours, particularly if they're elderly or need extra support in an emergency. If you have pets or livestock, make sure you factor them into your bushfire survival plan. Check your insurance cover at least once a year to make sure you have the right level of cover - this includes adding any renovations or extensions you've made to your home insurance and listing any new and potentially expensive items under your contents insurance. Do a bushfire home self assessment: Complete Resilient Building Council's online home assessment app to get a resilience rating and find out how to make your home more resilient. Attend an Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi™ Workshop , a part of NRMA Insurance's Help Nation initiative, to learn about your local risks and how to prepare for extreme weather. How to prepare you home this bushfire season: Install metal gutter guards Install fine metal mesh screens on windows and doors Fit seals around doors and windows to eliminate gaps Attach a fire sprinkler system to gutters Enclose the areas under your house Have hoses long enough to reach around your house Ensure your fireplace chimney is clean Check the condition of external walls and cladding and seal any gaps Remove and store flammable items (including wood piles) well away from your house Keep mulch away from the house and keep grass short Make sure that any pressure relief valves on LPG cylinders face away from your house IAG customers can contact their insurer via: NRMA Insurance: 13 11 23 or www.nrma.com.au CGU Insurance: 13 24 80 or www.cgu.com.au WFI Insurance: 1300 934 934 or www.wfi.com.au ROLLiN': www.rollininsurance.com.au/claims RACQ Insurance: www.racq.com.au/insurance RACV: www.racv.com.au/insurance

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