Greater access to bushfire attack level (BAL) ratings could help tackle the underinsurance problem in at-risk areas, industry representatives have told a Senate inquiry.

Taking part in the Senate’s inquiry into the 2019/20 bushfire season, they said the information, if provided before a fire event breaks out, would help residents in these areas understand how much they need to insure their properties for.

Building a house that meets a BAL rating usually costs more because of the stringent requirements for construction, design and materials used.

“They're not well known at any point in time, so often you find out what your BALs are post the event,” Suncorp EGM Motor Property and Specialty Claims Michael Miller said. “What you might have thought [before] the event and what the BALs are coming out post the event can be very different.

“That can add considerable cost to the rebuild.”

Suncorp’s submission to the inquiry calls for more consistency in BALs across the states and councils.

Mr Miller said the BALs and land tax valuations could be posted out every year, “to make that very much known”.

IAG EGM Claims Luke Gallagher voiced similar views, saying the current approach is “not visible”.

“It's a reactive approach and it's not lifted up to a national level,” he told the inquiry. “That makes it very difficult for us to inform consumers about the impacts should they suffer at the hands of bushfires.

“It does change for particular areas, and it's not readily available.”