Sunshine State residents have been reminded to prepare for extreme weather in the months ahead as an insurance claims study identifies Queensland's storm spots.
The Bureau of Meteorology has already warned Queenslanders summer could bring extreme events including bushfires, thunderstorms, flooding and tropical cyclones.
Suncorp Insurance and the Queensland State Emergency Service released on Wednesday a list of the state's worst storm-damaged hotspots from the previous financial year.
The list is based on an analysis of almost 10,000 weather-related home insurance claims across Queensland in the 12 months to June 30, 2023.
Half of Queensland's top 10 storm-battered suburbs were in Wide Bay, a coastal region starting north of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
The rest of the areas were around Toowoomba as well as Gladstone and Yeppoon in Central Queensland.
Suncorp executive general manager for home claims, Alli Smith said nature was unpredictable and storms could happen anywhere.
"We're encouraging all Queenslanders to prepare themselves for the upcoming storm season, including inspecting retaining walls, cleaning out gutters and trimming trees around the home and checking your insurance," she said.
Data from Compare the Market suggested many Australian households could be underinsured.
A total of 7.5 per cent of people surveyed said they planned on ditching their contents insurance when their next renewal came through and 15.1 per cent never read their product disclaimer statement or policy documents.
Rain followed by hail and flooding are the most common causes of damage leading to insurance claims.
"We have just come out of three La Niña weather patterns that have caused widespread rain and flooding across Queensland," Ms Smith said.
Acting SES Assistant Commissioner Brian Cox said simple steps such as clearing gutters, checking the roof and ceiling for any damage and securing outdoor items could reduce risks.
"Severe weather is a part of life in Queensland and storms can strike at any time," Mr Cox said.
Emergency services are ready for the upcoming storm season but households are being encouraged to do what they can now to prepare, including putting together an emergency kit with essential items.
At the national level, Suncorp found Dubbo in western NSW and Shepparton in northern Victoria were two of the worst-hit areas for storm-related insurance claims.
Both areas experienced significant flooding during the 2022/23 financial year.
