Before you claim, you can review your cover to find out what's included. If you're still unsure whether your loss or damage is covered, you can still start a claim and it will be assessed accordingly.
Your home insurance covers loss or damage to your home and/or contents as a result of an insured event.
These events include:
And these optional covers (if purchased):
Storm and rainwater
Fire
Theft or attempted theft
Escape of liquid (e.g. burst pipe)
Impact at home (e.g. fallen tree, or a car driven into a fence)
Breakage of glass, ceramic and sanitary fixtures
Malicious damage, vandalism, or riot
Explosion
Earthquake and tsunami
Lightning
Flood Cover
Motor Burnout
Accidental Damage Cover
Personal Effects Cover
Commercial Storage
Sum Insured Safeguard
For Landlords - Tenant Default or Theft and Malicious Damage
Loss or damage to your home could cause existing damage to worsen over time. This means that if your home is not in good condition at the time of the loss then it may also affect your cover.
This could include:
Pre-existing damage
Leaking showers
Lack of maintenance
Vermin and insect damage
Faulty workmanship
Chemical damage
Loss or damage caused by tenants (unless you have optional covers)
Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for a full list of exclusions.
- Guaranteed repairs - We guarantee the quality of authorised repairs, including the workmanship and materials.
- New-for-old repairs - If your property is damaged, we will repair it to the same standard, specification or quality as it was when it was brand new. For full details please see the PDS.
- New-for-old-replacements - If your belongings are stolen or damaged beyond repair, we will replace the items to the closest equivalent where available.
- Temporary accommodation - If your house is unlivable due to an insured event, we'll give you and your pets temporary accommodation for up to 10% of your sum insured for up to a year.
- Food spoilage - If you're only claiming on food spoilage then we will cover up to $500 once your claim is accepted, with no excess required.
- Removal of debris - We will pay for the removal of debris for up to 10% of the sum insured.
Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
‘Home insurance’ is an umbrella term that encompasses three variations of cover:
- Home and contents insurance covers your house and other structures on your property as well as your belongings for loss or damage due to events like fire, theft and storms.
- Home insurance covers your house and other structures on your property, including your garden shed, fences, and in-ground swimming pool.
- Contents insurance covers the belongings inside your home, including furniture, whitegoods, electrical appliances, clothing, and more.
Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply to Budget Direct home insurance; for full details, please read the product disclosure statement.
An ‘insured event’ is an event we cover should it cause loss or damage to your home and/or contents.
Budget Direct covers the following events:
- Storm and rainwater (flood cover is optional)
- Fire
- Theft (or attempted theft)
- Escape of liquid (e.g. burst pipe)
- Lightning
- Impact at home (e.g. fallen tree)
- Breakage of glass, ceramic and sanitary fixtures
- Malicious damage, vandalism, riot or civil commotion
- Explosion
- Earthquake or tsunami.
For an additional premium, you can customise your Budget Direct home and/or contents insurance by adding one or more of the following optional covers to your policy:
| Can be added to a home or contents policy | |
|---|---|
| Flood Cover | Cover for damage or loss caused by flooding rivers, creeks, lakes, dams and other bodies of water. |
| Accidental Damage | Standard cover includes accidental damage to glass, ceramic and sanitary fixtures; Accidental Damage extends this cover (some exclusions apply – please read the PDS). |
| Landlord Covers | Landlords can choose one or both of the following:
|
| Motor Burnout | In case a power surge burns out a motor in an electrical appliance you own (less than 10 years old); we can also pay for related spoilage of food. |
| Can be added only to a home policy | |
|---|---|
| Sum Insured Safeguard | If your nominated sum insured is insufficient to repair or replace your home, we'll increase it by up to 25% (e.g. from $400,000 to $500,000). |
| Can be added only to a contents policy | |
|---|---|
| Personal Effects Cover | Insures the portable items (e.g. jewellery, sunglasses, camera) you take with you away from your home. Read more |
| Commercial Storage |
Covers your contents for loss or damage while they're stored in a commercial storage facility. |
You can apply to add one or more of these optional covers when you get a quote and buy a policy or – if you’ve already bought one – by calling us on 1800 182 310 or logging into your online account and editing your policy.
If you want to know more about your policy, log in to your Policy Manager to check your cover and excess or check all the details in the Product Disclosure Statement.
Contact Us
No matter whether it's online or over the phone, you are able to contact us 24/7.
In your own time, you can notify us of your claim online. We can then call you if we require further information to finalise your lodgement.
Chat with a member from our claims team on Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm.
A friendly member of our team will assist you over the phone. If you have your policy number on hand then this will help us with your query.
