Large areas of expensive Australian real estate will likely be under seawater by 2100, according to a new website.

The Coastal Risk Australia site uses Google map technology and local tidal data to show how rising sea levels could encroach on the land under three scenarios.

It shows beaches on the Gold Coast and coastal centres such as Cairns in Queensland and Queenscliff in Victoria are particularly vulnerable.

The website has been developed by NGIS Australia, whose Principal Consultant Nathan Eaton says it helps people appreciate what rising sea levels could mean for their homes and neighbourhoods.

“This website allows every Australian to visualise our climate change future with pinpoint accuracy and gain a better understanding of how rising sea levels will affect our coastline and neighbourhoods,” he said.

Submerged premises would most likely be uninsured, given home policies do not usually cover “actions of the sea”, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“Gradual sea level rise is not a hazard… contemplated under home building insurance policies, and ICA is not aware of any insurer that covers this risk,” a spokesman said.

ICA says governments must “urgently invest” to protect communities from extreme weather events “rather than spending billions of dollars each year on reconstruction efforts following disasters”.

Insurance Council of New Zealand CEO Tim Grafton told insuranceNEWS.com.au his country is also unprepared for rising sea levels, and must take the issue seriously.

“Analysis shows the replacement costs of assets located between 50cm and 150cm from mean high tide levels is between $NZ3 billion ($2.68 billion) and $NZ20 billion ($17.85 billion),” he said. “Those are huge replacement costs representing thousands of houses and businesses.”

Last November New Zealand Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright released a report on possible scenarios and the consequences of rising sea levels.

While acknowledging the report’s value, Mr Grafton says it does not account for ageing infrastructure including stormwater drains, some of which are 60-70 years old.

“There is time to address these issues,” Mr Grafton said. “[The rising sea level] does foreshadow the need for investment in long-term adaptation.

“People need to take long-term views and not build in vulnerable areas.”

Mr Grafton says Australasian insurers are considering their fossil fuel investments in light of climate change. “It is certainly something insurers are looking at. The investment challenge is one that has to be carefully planned.”

Visit the Coastal Risk website here.