Surprising ways the heatwave could cost you money So hot right now. Picture: Marilyn Saunders/Twitter. Really, truly, scorching hot in Australia right now. Bushfires are burning. Tennis players are melting. It's set to be Victoria's hottest day since Black Saturday, while if Adelaide tops 40 degrees it will be their third worst heatwave on record. But aside from all the sweating, the heatwave could cost you. And not just in the ways you think. Here are the surprising ways high temperatures can hit your health, productivity and pets. The Bureau of Meteorology heat map for Saturday. Healthcare The heatwave has led to a huge spike in workload for emergency services, as they deal with the fallout of heat exhaustion. In Victoria overnight, ambulance services recorded 13 cases of heat exhaustion and seven heart attacks, in addition to the 163 exhaustion cases and 37 heart attacks in the previous 24 hours. There were also nine cases of children having to be rescued from locked cars. At the Australia Open almost 1000 people were treated for heat-related illnesses, with organisers forced to invoke the extreme heat policy for the first time ever as temperatures on centre court topped 43 degrees. British great Andy Murray accused organisers of putting lives at risk saying "it only takes one bad thing to happen" and it was a bad look when players and spectators were "collapsing." Canadian player Frank Dancevic collapsed during his first round match as temperatures topped at 43 C at the Australian Open. In addition to the health implications, extreme heat can also mean higher insurance premiums later in life. Lifeinsurancefinder.com.au spokeswoman Michelle Hutchison said Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with two in three people diagnosed before they turn 70. This means they can be forced to pay premiums between $5 to $20 per $1,000 insured, depending on their circumstances, according to insurer Noble Oak. "For a $500,000 policy, that's up to $830 extra per week, or from $2,500 to $10,000 in just a year," she said. That means that the average 30 year-old female paying $15 per month on her premiums will pay well over 50 times the annual cost of her policy if she applies after surviving a melanoma. For a man in that same situation, it's still about 25 times the typical cost of cover. Melburnians keep cool at Brighton Beach as the temperature tops 40 degrees. Damage to homes and property With 16 bushfires burning across South Australia and residents in Victoria's Grampians urged to evacuate, it remains to be seen how bad these bushfires will be. But aside from the horrific loss of life and homes, they can also have a huge financial impact on families and communities. Victoria's Black Saturday bushfires cost more than $4 billion according to the Royal Commission, which they regard as a conservative estimate for the loss of lives, homes, property, and income. The devastating fires caused $1.2 billion worth of damage to property alone, the Insurance Council estimates, as well as $600 million worth of destruction to state forests and $76 million worth of damage to infrastructure. Firefighters at work in the bush near Steiglitz, Victoria. Picture Kylie Else. Food prices Remember bananas soaring to $15 per kilo after Cyclone Yasi? Adelaide Produce Market's marketing manager Julian Carbone said the current heatwave is unlikely to produce anything that dramatic but could lead to short-term disruptions to supply. "Obviously the heat is having an effect on tomatoes, eggplant and capsicum, but they're temporary things and that will sort themselves out," he said. There will be a week or so but ... we've still got existing stock in the system. Fresh Select's CEO John Said told the ABC they have noticed burnt leaves on lettuce and broccoli crops already, but the true cost is yet to be known. The Victorian Strawberry Association said berries could also suffer a drop in quality as heat stresses the fruit into forced ripening. Keeping cool at St Kilda beach. Electricity If your strategy has been to refrigerate yourself inside, you could be in for a bill shock, as the surge in electricity use sent prices skyrocketing. Wholesale energy prices in South Australia surged to $10,515/MWh, well above their long term average of $70/MWh as people turned on their air conditioning. They've now dropped back to less than $1600/MWh The Advertiser reports, but it might pay to put away a little extra for your power this month. More than 20 koalas have been admitted to hospital for stress. While it's easy for us to escape to the pub, spare a thought for poor animals that have no respite. More than 20 koalas across South Australia have been admitted to hospital for stress and put on drips, while animal shelters received nearly 40 calls about pets suffering and flying foxes fell out of trees with exhaustion. RSPCA South Australia acting chief inspector Ms Andrea Lewis said it's vital to think of how animals can cope in the heat, as it doesn't take long for them to start to suffer. "Make sure animals, including livestock, have ample water and shade to keep cool and hydrated," she told the Adelaide Advertiser. Has the heatwave cost you in any unexpected ways?