Your home has now become a building site, your home Insurance will cover you for small jobs but not necessarily. Check with your insurer to see what coverage they will provide.

It is vital that you check the specific policy wording of your Home and Contents Policy, as most insurers suspend the home insurance and public liability cover for renovation and extension work over a certain value e.g. $30k or complexity. This could affect the cover to the existing house for loss or damage as direct result of the renovations or extensions. Public liability cover could also be affected. If you are renovating or extending you should check your current policy wording carefully. When renovating your home the greatest risk is from storm, wind and water damage. These are the most common insurance claims.

Structural Defect
Any defect in the structural works which affects the stability or strength of the building or any part thereof and is attributable to defective design, defective or faulty workmanship and/or defective materials and which;
1. Results in a regulatory authority closing or prohibiting the use of the building or any part thereof.
2. Does or would prevent the continued practical use of the building or any part thereof.
3. Results in destruction of the building or physical damage to the building or any part thereof.
4. Results in threat of imminent collapse that may reasonably be considered to cause destruction of the building or physical damage to the building or any part thereof.

Structural Works

1. All internal and/or external load – bearing structures essential to the stability or strength of the building or any part thereof, including, but not limited to foundations, floors, walls, roofs, columns and beams.
This is known as the under-insuring trap. Do not try to save money by insuring your works for less than the actual replacement cost of a licensed builder carrying out the work. In the event of an indefinable event under the policy, (an event that is insured), and it is found that the sums insured are less than 90 percent of the amount required to be insured, the amount recoverable by you under this policy will be reduced by such proportions as the sums insured bear to 90 percent of the amount required to be insured.

Are subbies covered? Most policies do NOT cover subcontractors that you employ on site, that is it VITAL that you check their Public Liability insurance policy to make sure it is current, preferably keep a copy, to help you.

i. Have a minimum of $5,000,000 public and products liability insurance and relevant employers liability insurance
ii. Conduct a thorough safety inspection of the Construction Site prior to beginning any work or delegating any work

iii. Be required to comply with all relevant safety requirements applicable to the work they will be conducting on the Construction Site; and

iv. Be accredited or licensed where applicable for the work they or persons under their instruction and/or employment are performing.

Yes, at Buildsafe Insurance Brokers our renovation Insurance does cover your contents. Don’t leave your valuable possessions uninsured while you are renovating.

Yes you are, our policy is unique and does protect you and your family in the event of a flood.