About 16% of Queensland householders have no home building and contents insurance as cyclone season approaches, according to an RACQ Insurance survey.

Some 11% have insufficient cover to rebuild their home after a total loss and 17% say their cover is too low to replace their contents, the insurer’s Cyclone Preparedness Index shows.

Only 44% of north Queensland householders have checked their home building and contents cover and 33% say they have not prepared for the season.

A third of all state householders with insurance have not checked their cover in the past year.

The lack of cyclone season preparedness reflects a “disturbing trend”, RACQ Insurance spokesman Mike Sopinski says.

“Householders should take steps now to safeguard their properties… they need to be aware that most insurers will not provide cover after a cyclone has been officially named.

“They could end up bearing the cost of cyclone damage themselves.”

Rebuilding costs can increase dramatically after major disasters, Mr Sopinski says.

Only 29% of north Queensland householders have checked their roofing, the survey finds. About 19% have prepared an emergency kit, 32% have removed leaves and debris and 43% have cleaned gutters.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) says national catastrophes since the start of 2010 have caused insurance losses of more than $8.8 billion.

Queensland has borne the brunt, with insurance losses of $4.9 billion. In January inundation and storm damage from ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald caused $978 million in insurance losses in Queensland and $121 million in NSW, according to ICA.

The RACQ report is based on an online survey of 1000 Queenslanders in October.