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Theft
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Cover for theft or burglary from your home. Most insurers require you to make a police report.
- • Covers theft and burglary
• Covers theft from fully enclosed private garages
• No cover for theft by residents, someone entering home from common property without signs of forced entry or someone at site with consent -
Fire
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Cover for damage caused by fire and its by-products (smoke, soot, ash, etc). Waiting periods for bushfire may apply, unless you are switching from another policy with equivalent cover with no change in sum insured.
- • Covers fire; bushfire; and heat, ash, soot or smoke from fire within 100m of address
• After bushfire, up to $1000 for cleaning fire retardant off building and replacing water contaminated by fire retardant or used to limit spread of fire -
Flood
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Flood as per the standard industry-wide definition. Waiting periods may apply unless you're switching from another policy with equivalent cover with no change in sum insured.
- • Covered<br>• Covers landslide and subsidence but must be directly caused by and occur within 72 hours of flood<br>• No cover for damage caused by erosion, vibration, landslip, mudslide, collapse, shrinkage or earth movement<br>• 72 hour waiting period
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Storm and cyclone
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Cover for storm damage, including from wind, hail, snow and rainwater runoff (some insurers cover runoff under flood). Waiting periods may apply unless you are switching from another policy with equivalent cover with no change in sum insured.
- • Covered<br>• Covers landslide and subsidence but must be directly caused by and occur within 72 hours of storm<br>• No cover for damage caused by erosion, vibration, landslip, mudslide, collapse, shrinkage or earth movement<br>• 72 hour waiting period
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Storm surge
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Where the sea level rises as a result of a storm. You may also have to claim for storm damage or flood for this to be covered. Some insurers only cover in the event of a cyclone. If this is important cover for you, check the PDS.
- • Covered<br>• Covers landslide and subsidence but must be directly caused by and occur within 72 hours of flood<br>• No cover for damage caused by erosion, vibration, landslip, mudslide, collapse, shrinkage or earth movement<br>• 72 hour waiting period
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Action of the sea
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This usually covers the normal movements of the sea, including damage from king high tides, water erosion, etc.
- No
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Tsunami
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Products that cover tsunami usually include it under earthquake cover, and often comes with an additional excess of $300 or more. Check your PDS for details.
- Yes
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Explosion
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In some policies the actual exploding object is not covered.
- Yes
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Earthquake
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Earthquake cover often comes with an additional excess of $300 or more. Check your PDS for details.
- Yes
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Vandalism
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May also be called malicious damage. Some insurers also classify riot as a separate event.
- Yes
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Impact damage
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Cover if a tree falls on your house or a car crashes into your front room, for example. Some insurers that cover animal damage do so under this event.
- Yes
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Animal damage
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This cover often comes with a range of exclusions – insect damage or damage caused by your pets typically isn't covered, for example.
- • Covers damage caused by animals inside the home that you didn't know were there (or a reasonable person in the circumstances couldn't have known) or animals that become accidentally trapped inside the home<br>• Covers fire and escape of liquid caused by insects, rodents or vermin<br>• No cover for damage caused by animals owned by or cared for or allowed at the address by a resident<br>• No cover for damage caused by animals/birds biting, chewing, clawing, pecking, scratching, tearing or urinating/excreting
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Escape of liquid
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From pipes, tanks, pools, spas, baths/basins, aquariums, waterbeds etc. Excludes faulty workmanship or leaks that cause damage over time.
- Yes
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Breakage
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Damage to easily broken objects like mirrors. Not to be confused with accidental damage, which is a broader level of cover.
- Yes
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Accidental damage
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Cover for accidental damage to insured items at the home.
- • Covered by default<br>• Covers accidental loss and damage to your contents<br>• Covers bicycles while in use, provided they aren't being used for racing or pace-making<br>• No cover for sporting, recreational or leisure goods while in use<br>• No cover for damage caused by failure or shutdown of electricity supply; liquid escaping from agricultural or overflow pipes; animals or birds pecking, biting, clawing, scratching, tearing or chewing the building; animal or bird urine and excrement; building, renovating or altering the home (except for spilling paint); physical assaults; death; tenants; paying guests; or boarders<br>• No cover for burning or scorching caused by cigars, cigarettes or pipes<br>• No cover for food spoilage caused by failure or shutdown of electricity supply<br>• No cover for pollution or vapour caused by home heaters or cooking appliances<br>• No cover for damage that occurs gradually or if you're unable to establish the accidental loss or damage took place at a certain time and date
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Out-of-hours claiming
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The easiest ways to begin a claim outside business hours. All insurers have a phone line you can call during the day, and some insurers still have in-branch claiming.
- Online and 24/7 phone
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How the insurer can settle your claim
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Insurers will settle your claim in one of three ways.
- • Repair damaged items
• Replace damaged items
• Pay you the item's replacement value, up to your sum insured or other sublimits -
Cash settlement
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How much will you get in a cash settlement? How a cash payout is calculated can depend on whether you request it or the insurer offers it. Non-cash alternatives might include gift cards, pre-paid debit cards, store credit, etc. Customer cost: The insurer will pay what it will reasonably cost you to repair/replace your contents. Insurer cost: The insure will pay what it would cost them. This offer may take into account trade discounts the insurer can access, leaving you out of pocket.
- • Customer cost if insurer offers cash
• Insurer cost if you ask for cash (may be less than retail cost)
• Insurer may offer non-cash alternatives -
New for old contents replacement
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All insurers promise to replace contents with equivalent new items, although some policies have exceptions.
- Yes (excludes art objects, collections, memorabilia and antiques, ornaments, paintings, pictures, sculptures and works of art)
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Cover for unlisted portable contents
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Many insurers will cover a limited range of items for accidental loss or damage away from home.
- • Covers general contents for accidental loss/damage
• Up to contents sum insured overall
• Up to 100 days for watches and jewellery outside Australia & New Zealand (must be worn or in a safe)
• Covered anywhere for up to 180 days in Australia and New Zealand
• Contents excess applies -
Optional cover for specially listed valuables
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For an extra premium you can insure individual portable valuables against accidental loss or damage, both at and away from home. Individually listed items are insured for their replacement value and will be shown on your certificate of insurance.
- • Cover for accidental loss/damage
• Covered anywhere for up to 180 days in Australia and New Zealand
• Contents excess applies -
Contents in the open air
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Open air usually includes any area on your property that is exposes to the elements, but may also include unlockable areas like a garden shed. Each insurer has different definitions, so check with them for restrictions.
- Up to sum insured overall
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Temporary accommodation
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If your home is uninhabitable after an insured event. Some insurers will only pay this benefit if the rent at your new accommodation is more than your current rent. In that case they will only pay the difference, not the full cost.
- • Up to 10% sum insured
• Paid on top of sum insured
• Covers temporary accommodation costs for you and your pets, mail redirection, utility connection fees, relocation costs, rental bond, and lease break fees -
Debris removal
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Cover to remove destroyed contents after an insured event.
- • Up to 20% sum insured overall
• Paid on top of sum insured -
Emergency storage
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Covers the cost of commercial storage for your undamaged contents, if they are unable to be kept at your home or temporary accommodation after an insured event.
- • Up to 20% sum insured
• Paid on top of sum insured
• Covers moving/storing contents -
Keys and locks after break-in
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Cover for replacing locks and re-coding electronic keys after a break-in or theft of the keys. Policies usually stipulate you report the break-in to the police.
- Up to $2500 overall
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Motor burnout
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Cover for burnout of motors that are part of your insured contents, e.g. washing machines. Also called motor fusion.
- Motors up to 10 years
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Jewellery
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Cover for unlisted jewellery at the home. If you want a higher level of cover you may be able to specifically list the item. If you need cover away from home, see listed valuables cover above.
- • Up to $40000 overall
• Up to $10000 per item or set -
Artworks
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Cover for unlisted works of art. If you want a higher level of cover, you may be able to specifically list individual items.
- Up to $200000 overall
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Collections (e.g. stamps, coins)
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Cover for unlisted collections like coins and stamps. If you want a higher level of cover, see listed valuables cover above. In some cases cover may depend on the type of collection, so check the PDS.
- Up to $50000 overall
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Digital media
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Cover for contents such as digital media, software, and storage (e.g. discs, drives).
- Up to sum insured overall
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Spoiled food
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Cover for food (and sometimes medication) that spoils if your fridge/freezer stops working. Typically you won't pay the full excess unless it is as a result of an insured event (in which case you'll probably be claiming for other damages).
- • Up to $500 overall
• Cover for insured events, unit failure, sudden escape of refrigerant fumes and failure of public electricity supply -
Visitors' contents
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Cover for your visitors' belongings if they are lost or damaged in an insured event. Standard exclusions and restrictions will apply.
- Up to 30 days and $2000 overall
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Pet cover
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Some policies will cover your vet bills in certain circumstances.
- • Up to $2000 overall
• Cover for accidental injury
• Optional -
Permanent fixtures
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For strata owners, does the policy cover 'permanent fixtures' like floorboards, air conditioners etc
- • Up to sum insured overall
• Covers fittings not considered part of the building by state law
• Covered fixtures include lino, floating wooden floors, ducted/split system air conditioners, spas and wall paint/paper (NSW only) -
Overlapping cover at a new house
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Let your insurer know you're moving house and they may cover your contents at both properties during the moving process.
- Up to 14 days cover at both addresses
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Cover for contents while moving house
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Cover while moving your contents to a new home. Usually only covers your contents while they're in the moving truck, not while you're loading in or out.
- • Up to contents sum insured overall
• Cover for collision, overturning or theft of removal vehicle; accident involving removal vehicle; fire and flood