Two severe storms smashed Cootamundra on January 9 and 12 with businesses flooded, power cuts and trees knocked down.

NRMA Insurance is run by the Insurance Australia Group (IAG) and a spokeswoman said during last year few claims were received arising from extreme weather.

“We received less than 50 claims for the recent January storms in Cootamundra,” an IAG spokeswoman said.

“Over the past 12 months, we have received minimal claims in Cootamundra as a result of extreme weather events.”

The spokeswoman urged residents to look at ways they can prepare in the event of a storm.

“Severe weather can strike at any time and preparation is key to limiting damage,” she said.

“Our latest NRMA Insurance research shows nearly half of all NSW homeowners (46 per cent) have not taken enough measures to prepare their home for storm season.

“Little acts like trimming branches, clearing your gutters and securing loose items in your garden or balcony can make a big difference when severe weather strikes.”

The State Emergency Service (SES) received 46 calls during the storms.

“The storm must have flown through. It wasn’t just one street, it was all over Cootamundra,” he said,” SES Local Controller for Cootamundra-Gundagai council Ross Tout said.

“The thing that amazed me was the size of the trees which were knocked over. Cootamundra has beautiful trees, but in a storm like that, they can become a danger.”

Mr Tout said it was the largest operation he’d run as an SES Local Controller and he praised the response from SES units as well as other emergency services who assisted.

He said the SES had gone through an after-action report.

“We’ll look back and work out what we can do better.”