Does home insurance cover damage my pets cause?

An excess is an amount that may apply and that you may need to contribute towards the cost of a claim. Depending on your policy and the type of claim you make, different excesses may apply.

An excess usually applies for most claims unless there's someone else we can recover the costs from, like the driver of another car who caused the accident. In some cases you’ll be asked to pay the excess to the repairer or supplier. We can also deduct it from any payment we make to you.

To find out which excess type applies to your policy, please refer to your policy document or view your policy in your online account.

For more general information about excesses, see our Premium, Excess and Discounts Guide.

If you have Home Building, Home Contents or Home Building and Contents, you can choose to cover the burnout of your electric motors (as part of your Building and/or Contents) that are up to 15 years old, so long as they are not used in your business or covered by a warranty.

If you have Home Buildings Plus or Home Contents Plus insurance, electrical motor burnout is automatically included.

Important note for customers in NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT:

If your policy was

• First purchased before 21 April 2024 and not yet renewed
• Last renewed before 1 July 2024

your cover will be different. Call us on 132 132.

To learn more about what you're covered for, read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) on our policy booklets page.

We may ask you to provide information to help us process your claim, such as:

• Purchase receipts
• Photos of the damage
• Credit cards or bank statements

You can upload any documents or information online using your account.

Accidental Damage Cover is an option you can choose when you get a home insurance quote. It covers things like:

• Your child accidentally knocked your TV over and broke the screen
• You were up in your roof and accidentally put your foot through the ceiling.

You can choose Accidental Damage Cover for your building, your contents or both. It's automatically included in Building Plus and Contents Plus policies.

For more information on Accidental Damage Cover, read our Product Disclosure Statement or call us on 132 132.

Yes, you're covered under Home Buildings Insurance for the reasonable costs of temporary accommodation for you, your family and your pets if we agree you can't live in your home.

If you're a tenant and have a Home Contents policy with us, we'll cover reasonable extra rent costs for your temporary accommodation.