Making a property claim

The scope of work will outline the individual items of work that need to be completed as part of your property insurance claim. If a project manager has been assigned to your claim, they will prepare a scope of work for your insurer and obtain quotes so that the cost of your repairs can be determined. 

The scope of work needs to be agreed with you before repairs begin or a cash settlement is determined. If you disagree with anything on your scope of work, let your project manager know so it can be resolved.

Reinstatement under your policy refers to a building standard and specification that aims to restore your property to its original condition, either when it was new or most recently improved.

When your property requires repairs or rebuilding, your insurance policy will only pay the reasonable costs necessary to meet the reinstatement condition using current building techniques and readily available materials. It will not cover any costs associated with improving or enhancing your property.

Most house and contents insurance policies include temporary accommodation benefits if your damaged home is determined to be unsafe to live in. The amount of money you will be paid and how long you will be covered for depends on your policy.

Talk to us to find out more about your specific situation.

No, it’s important to keep the damaged property so your insurer can inspect it. If you need to dispose of items urgently for health and safety reasons, take plenty of photos or get an inspection report from an independent, qualified professional such as a plumber or builder. If you’ve already disposed of the items, please give us the full details of how you did it and any costs you incurred.

Generally the water damage caused by a burst pipe would be covered by your policy. Cover for the burst pipe depends on what caused the pipe to fail. For example general wear or maintenance would not be covered but an accidental event like frost damage could be. Please contact us for more information.

Gradual damage is damage that has been occurring over a period of time and is often caused by water. Many insurance policies exclude cover for gradual damage or provide limited cover up to the amount specified in your schedule.

Please contact us if you have questions about gradual damage.

This depends on the nature of your repairs. Extensive repairs or a full rebuild will take longer than repairing damage that's confined to one room or to a small part of your house. When a repair involves multiple trades, they'll generally work one after the other, as one trade often can't start until another has finished their tasks. The loss adjuster should be able to tell you about the plan for repair and the estimated time frame.

The excess is the amount that you need to contribute to the cost of a claim. If you can provide the details of the other person involved in the claim, the insurer will attempt to recover the costs from them once your claim is settled. If the recovery is successful, your excess will be reimbursed.

A loss adjuster is an insurance professional who investigates and assesses your claim on the insurer's behalf.