Get your quote here and now. Whether you are protecting your Brisbane home, managing a Queensland investment property or running a business vehicle, now is a good time to review your cover. Use the quote option that applies to you:
Insurance markets continue to change quickly.
For Saturday, 29 August 2026, the main themes are delayed small business protections, higher home insurance costs, bushfire resilience discounts, cyber supply-chain gaps and more choice for landlords.
Here is what the latest news means for Brisbane and Queensland customers.
1. The national insurance code has been delayed again
The redrafted national general insurance code of practice is now expected to be lodged in late October.
This is another delay in a process intended to update the way insurers handle customers, claims and complaints.
The main issue is disagreement about how much protection should apply to small business insurance.
The draft approach has raised concerns about cover such as:
- Public and product liability
- Professional indemnity
- Management liability
- Cyber insurance
- Business interruption
- Contractors’ cover
- Industrial special risks
These policies are often essential for small and medium-sized businesses. However, concerns have been raised that some small business products may receive fewer code protections under the draft arrangements.
The current code remains the working framework while the redraft is considered.
The delay means businesses may not know exactly how the final protections will operate until the updated version is lodged and reviewed.
That makes clear policy advice even more important.
Business Insurance Consulting can help explain what your policy currently does, how complaints and claims are handled, and whether your cover responds to the risks your business actually faces. The starting point may be a review of your business insurance options, rather than waiting for the new code to be finalised.
2. Home insurance premiums are rising close to 15%
Home insurance affordability is a growing issue across Australia.
Recent pricing data indicates that average home and contents premiums in major cities have risen close to 15% over the past year.
For Brisbane homeowners, the cost of insurance can be affected by several factors, including:
- Rising building materials
- Higher labour costs
- Severe weather losses
- Flood and storm exposure
- Bushfire risk
- The age and construction of the home
- Previous claims
- The selected excess
- The sum insured
A premium increase does not always mean your policy is offering better protection.
It is possible to pay more while still having a sum insured that is too low. That is why comparing price alone can be risky.
Business Insurance Consulting can compare available options across the market while checking whether the cover remains suitable. The cheapest policy may not provide the right protection for your building, contents, valuables or temporary accommodation needs.
You can also review the key features of home and contents insurance before deciding what needs to change.
3. Bushfire resilience may help reduce premiums
Some insurers are now offering premium reductions for verified bushfire resilience improvements.
Reported reductions range from around 5% to 21% of the total premium, depending on the property, location and risk profile.
The types of improvements that may be considered include:
- Ember-resistant vents and screens
- Better roof maintenance
- Reduced vegetation near the home
- Improved access for emergency services
- Non-combustible building materials
- Clear gutters and roof valleys
- Improved separation between structures
The exact discount is not automatic.
The work may need to be assessed or verified before an insurer applies any reduction. A property can also remain exposed to other risks, such as storm, flood or escape of water.
Resilience improvements are useful because they may support both safety and affordability. However, homeowners should not reduce their sum insured just to keep the premium down.
4. Underinsurance remains a serious problem
Underinsurance happens when the sum insured is lower than the true cost to repair or rebuild a home.
This is different from the market value of the property.
A rebuild estimate may need to allow for:
- Demolition and removal of damaged materials
- Building materials and labour
- Design and professional fees
- Council and planning requirements
- Temporary accommodation
- Site access difficulties
- Retaining walls, pools and driveways
- Bushfire or flood-related construction requirements
- Higher costs after a widespread disaster
Brisbane rebuild costs have increased, just like building costs in other parts of Australia. A sum insured selected several years ago may no longer be realistic.
Some policies include a safety net or additional rebuilding allowance. These features can help, but they do not fix a sum insured that was already far too low.
Business Insurance Consulting can check how your building sum insured was calculated and whether the policy includes useful protection for increased rebuilding costs.
A review is especially important after:
- Renovations
- Extensions
- Solar installation
- New kitchens or bathrooms
- Landscaping work
- Changes to the number of rooms
- Major changes in construction costs
The right question is not simply, “What is my house worth?”
The better question is, “How much would it cost to rebuild this home properly after a total loss?”
5. Cyber policies are being checked for supply-chain exclusions
Recent high-profile arrests linked to an alleged software supply-chain attack have put cyber insurance wording under closer review.
The concern is simple.
A business may have strong security controls, but still be affected when a software provider, cloud service, managed technology provider or other supplier is compromised.
The business may experience:
- System downtime
- Data exposure
- Lost income
- Recovery and investigation costs
- Customer notification expenses
- Business interruption
- Delayed deliveries
- Problems accessing essential software
Some cyber policies may not respond fully if the incident starts in a third-party system.
Other policies may include a supply-chain extension but apply a lower sub-limit, a waiting period or a special definition of a widespread event.
Business Insurance Consulting can review the policy wording for questions such as:
- Does “computer system” include important third-party providers?
- Is cloud-based software included?
- Are managed service providers covered?
- Does business interruption apply when a supplier’s system fails?
- Are non-technology suppliers included?
- Is there a separate limit for supply-chain incidents?
- Could a widespread event clause reduce the available payout?
- Are patching, multi-factor authentication and backup requirements conditions of cover?
A business should also map its critical suppliers.
This includes technology providers, payment platforms, distributors, logistics providers, manufacturers and any other supplier that could stop the business from operating.
Insurance should support a wider risk management plan. It should not replace supplier checks, backup arrangements, recovery testing and clear incident response procedures.
For more background, see this guide to the cyber threat landscape for Australian businesses.
6. Landlords have more insurance options
There is more choice emerging in the landlord insurance market, including the return of a specialist provider.
This is useful news for Queensland investment property owners. Landlord insurance is not the same as standard home insurance.
A landlord policy may need to address risks such as:
- Loss of rent
- Tenant damage
- Malicious damage
- Theft by a tenant
- Legal liability
- Strata or body corporate issues
- Temporary accommodation for tenants
- Water damage
- Flood and storm damage
- Property left unoccupied
More choice can help landlords compare differences in cover, exclusions, limits and claims processes.
However, a larger choice of policies can also make the decision harder. Two policies may use similar marketing language while treating tenant damage, rent default or malicious damage very differently.
Business Insurance Consulting can compare landlord insurance options and check whether the policy reflects the property’s location, construction, tenancy arrangement and rental income.
You can read more about landlord insurance and the issues investment property owners should consider before selecting cover.
Why local advice matters in a changing market
The latest news shows why insurance should be reviewed before renewal, not only after a loss.
A local Queensland insurance broker can help connect the wider market to your specific circumstances.
Business Insurance Consulting can assist with:
- Comparing available insurance options
- Checking building and contents sums insured
- Reviewing business interruption limits
- Identifying liability exposures
- Testing cyber supply-chain wording
- Checking landlord policy exclusions
- Explaining premium changes
- Preparing information for underwriters
- Supporting you through the claims process
For Brisbane businesses, homeowners and property investors, the goal is not to buy the most cover possible at any price.
The goal is to understand the major risks, choose suitable protection and keep the policy aligned with your assets and responsibilities.
A short review now may identify a serious gap before it becomes an expensive surprise.
If you need help with a new policy, renewal or claim, contact Business Insurance Consulting.
Disclaimer: This info is general advice only and doesn't consider your personal goals or financial situation. Before making a decision, please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD). Give us a shout if you need specific advice!
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Phone: 0412 212 099 | Email: craig@businco.com.au | Website: businessinsuranceconsulting.com.au
