Despite the fact that they live in a zone frequented by cyclones, about 87% of north Queensland homes still don't have cyclone shutters – one of the most basic forms of protection.

According to new research by Suncorp and James Cook University, more than half of homeowners in the region are either “extremely unlikely” or “neutral” about installing shutters and other upgrades in the next five years.

The research, released last week as the cyclone season began, found residents continue to underestimate the dangers, despite the devastating damage Cyclone Debbie caused last year.

About 90% of the 550 residents polled believe Category 1-2 storms bring very low to somewhat low damage risks, and 45% say the same about Category 3-4 storms.

“The risk perception results highlight a disconnection between the level of damage homeowners expect and the level of damage possible for a given category of cyclone, which may have important implications to mitigation investment decisions,” the researchers say.

Suncorp says mitigation is one of the best forms of protection, and nine out of 10 cyclone-related claims could be avoided with proper preparation.

Its data shows residents who added cyclone-resilience measures to homes coped better with Debbie than those who did not.

More than 40,000 customers have signed up for Suncorp’s Cyclone Resilience Benefit since its launch more than two years ago. The program rewards customers in the north with premium reductions of up to 20% when they make storm-resilience upgrades.