Data has revealed Tamworth was the most storm-affected place in northern NSW in the most recent financial year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NRMA Insurance said its figures showed NSW had experienced its most intense storm season in years.
It said 61 per cent of its home insurance claims in NSW that year were due to storm damage - the highest proportion since 2014-15.
The top 5 hardest-hit areas in the region were Tamworth city, Hillvue, Narrabri, Inverell and Moree.
Read also:
Car insurance claims in NSW after storms - including for hail damage - was more than double the long-term average, at 15 per cent of all car claims.
However, the data reflects the drought's impact on the region: the number of storm claims were down 38 per cent on 2017-18, and down 26 per cent on the previous five years' average.
NRMA Insurance also surveyed more than 1000 NSW residents last month on the impact of climate change on storms.
It found that 61 per cent of people thought climate change would make storms more frequent and intense and 57 per cent thought that was already happening.
'Get ready for more'
NRMA Insurance and NSW SES are urging residents to make sure they're prepared for storm season, which runs from October to March.
NRMA spokesman Alex Mazzoni said people needed to be ready for "more hail storms, more damaging winds and more intense rain".
"Trim your branches, clear your gutters and secure loose items in your garden on your balcony.
"Severe weather can strike at any time, so these little actions can make a big difference."
NSW SES Acting Commissioner Fatima Abbas said the SES had responded to more than 3500 jobs in the past month already.
"In these recent storms, we have seen countless trees blown over and, in some cases, entire roofs have been blown off homes and businesses," she said.
"It is important that we know the things we can do to prepare our properties and loved ones for floods and storms."
