Are you happy with your insurer? New research reveals home insurance tops complaints list
New research data released by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), has revealed that home building insurance was the most complained about insurance product in the second half of 2019.
According to the statistics released on Tuesday, a significant 1,445 complaints were made about home building insurance between July and December last year. In fact, during these months, this particular type of insurance complaint made up over 30% of all general insurance complaints in Australia.
The area with the highest number of complaints by postcode was the suburb of Thuringowa in Queensland’s coastal city of Townsville. Of course, if you call Townsville home or you kept on top of the news in 2019, then this won’t come as a surprise. Flooding hit the city hard early last year, leading to an estimated $1.243 billion worth of damage, according to the Insurance Council of Australia.
RELATED: Home insurance traps to watch for after Australia’s bushfire crisis
Common home insurance complaints include incorrect premiums, misleading information about a product, a rejected claim or a claim that your insurance provider may have hemmed and hawed for too long before making a decision and, if you gave your instructions, that they failed to adhere to them.
How can you avoid having your claim rejected?
If you’ve ever found your home insurance policy confusing or you’ve ever had an insurance claim rejected, then it probably won’t come as a big surprise that a lot of complaints can come from confusion with premiums and rejected claims.
Here are a few things you can do to try and protect yourself from being underinsured:
1. Take out underinsurance cover with your policy
It may be hard to believe, but underinsurance is so common that you can actually opt for ‘underinsurance cover’ to protect yourself against an incorrect premium. With this type of cover you can potentially make a claim higher than the amount that your home is insured for, should you need to.
2. Don’t leave anything out!
One reason you may be refused a claim, is if you do not disclose something important when you put in your home insurance application. For instance, if your roof is damaged and you fail to let your provider know and the unthinkable happens and it caves in, your provider may refuse your claim on the grounds that it was already damaged.
So even though a detail may seem small and insignificant, it’s always worth mentioning, after all it’s better to be safe than to have your claim refused.
3. Be aware of what is excluded from your policy
Most home insurance policies will have a number of exclusions, meaning certain events or instances won’t be covered under your policy. Common exclusions include:
- Flood damage
- Storm damage
- General wear and tear
- Animal damage
So if you live near a lake or in a coastal area then you may want to make doubly sure that your current home building insurance policy covers you for flood or storm damage. Just be mindful that if you’re doing renovations and you do have flood or water damage cover, then your claim may still be refused if your home is exposed to the elements.
RELATED: Home insurance traps to watch for after Australia’s bushfire crisis
4. Keep your policy updated
One reason why your home may wind up being underinsured is if you make improvements and fail to update your policy. You might build a top-notch conservatory, but if you don’t update your home building insurance policy, it won’t be covered.
It might even be a good idea to tell your insurance provider about any changes you’re intending to make, before you make them. That way they may be able to advise you on how it will affect your policy and whether or not you will be covered while the renovations are ongoing.
Not happy with your current home insurance policy? If you’re looking to switch or you haven’t yet made the plunge into the world of insurance, why not check out Mozo’s home building insurance comparison page to see what policies are on offer in Australia.
Compare home building insurance
Home Cover - Buildings
QBE Home and Contents Insurance can cover your property and belongings in case of fire, storm damage, theft and more. 24/7 friendly and helpful claims service. Up to $30 million legal liability cover. Temporary accommodation costs for up to two years if your home isn’t liveable.
- Main events covered
- Fire
- Theft
- Storm
- Flood
- Monthly payments
cost extra - Yes
- Underinsurance protection
- Optional ExtraUp To 30% Of Buildings Sum Insured, Applied Automatically For Eligible Policies
- New for old
replacement - Yes
- General contents
- No
- Cash
- No
- Cd dvd and electronic files
- No
- Computer software hardware
- No
- Camera and accessories
- No
- Carpets
- No
- Antiques and valuables
- No
- Jewellery
- No
- Replacement of documents
- No
- Tools of trade
- No
- Contents while moving
- No
- Lock replacement
- Up to $2,500
- Temporary accommodation
- Up to 24 months, up to 20% of sum insured combined with temporary accommodation for pets
- Debris removal
- Yes, combined with building costs
- Demolition cost
- Yes, combined with building costs
- Accidental loss and damage
- Optional Extra
- Accidental breakage of glass
- Yes
- Lightning
- Yes
- Earthquake
- Yes
- Storm surge
- Yes
- Buildings and structural improvements
- Yes
- Building materials
- Up to $2,000
- Landscaping
- No
- Gates and fences
- Yes
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about QBE Home Cover - Buildings
Home Buildings Insurance
Get award-winning Home and Contents Insurance at a price you can afford from Budget Direct. Save a huge 15% on your first year’s premium when you purchase a new combined Home Buildings Insurance policy online.
- Main events covered
- Fire
- Theft
- Storm
- FloodOptional Extra
- Monthly payments
cost extra - Yes
- Underinsurance protection
- Optional ExtraUp To 25% Of Sum Insured
- New for old
replacement - Yes
- General contents
- No
- Cash
- No
- Cd dvd and electronic files
- No
- Computer software hardware
- No
- Camera and accessories
- No
- Carpets
- No
- Antiques and valuables
- No
- Jewellery
- No
- Replacement of documents
- No
- Tools of trade
- No
- Contents while moving
- No
- Lock replacement
- No
- Temporary accommodation
- Up to 10% of sum insured, up to 12 months. Combined with temporary accommodation for pets.
- Debris removal
- Up to 10% of sum insured combined with demolition cost
- Demolition cost
- Up to 10% of sum insured combined with debris removal cost
- Accidental loss and damage
- Optional Extra
- Accidental breakage of glass
- Yes
- Lightning
- Yes
- Earthquake
- Yes
- Storm surge
- No
- Buildings and structural improvements
- Yes
- Building materials
- Up to $1,000
- Landscaping
- Yes, garden borders, pathways and paved areas.
- Gates and fences
- Yes
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about Budget Direct Home Buildings Insurance
Home Insurance
Fixing a building when something’s gone wrong can be expensive, so it might be a good idea to get cover that’s right for you and protect your valuable asset. Youi is building insurance that’s a bit more you-shaped.. Mozo People’s Outstanding Customer Satisfaction Home Insurance award winner in 2024
- Main events covered
- Fire
- Theft
- Storm
- Flood
- Monthly payments
cost extra - Yes
- Underinsurance protection
- No
- New for old
replacement - Yes
- General contents
- No
- Cash
- No
- Cd dvd and electronic files
- No
- Computer software hardware
- No
- Camera and accessories
- No
- Carpets
- No
- Antiques and valuables
- No
- Jewellery
- No
- Replacement of documents
- No
- Tools of trade
- No
- Contents while moving
- No
- Lock replacement
- Up to $1,000
- Temporary accommodation
- Up to 12 months, up to 12% of sum insured
- Debris removal
- Up to 20% of sum insured combined with demolition and professional fee costs.
- Demolition cost
- Up to 20% of sum insured combined with debris removal and professional fee costs
- Accidental loss and damage
- Optional Extra
- Accidental breakage of glass
- Yes
- Lightning
- Yes
- Earthquake
- Yes
- Storm surge
- No
- Buildings and structural improvements
- Yes
- Building materials
- Up to $1,000
- Landscaping
- No
- Gates and fences
- Yes
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about Youi Home Insurance
Home Insurance
Get covered in just 3 minutes. Receive complimentary $250 smart home sensors to help alert you to avoidable mishaps like fire, theft & water damage. Get rewarded for being smarter, by keeping your sensors active, with a discount of up to 8% every year (T&C’s apply).
- Main events covered
- Fire
- Theft
- Storm
- Flood
- Monthly payments
cost extra - No
- Underinsurance protection
- No
- New for old
replacement - Yes
- General contents
- No
- Cash
- No
- Cd dvd and electronic files
- No
- Computer software hardware
- No
- Camera and accessories
- No
- Carpets
- No
- Antiques and valuables
- No
- Jewellery
- No
- Replacement of documents
- No
- Tools of trade
- No
- Contents while moving
- No
- Lock replacement
- Up to $1,000
- Temporary accommodation
- Up to 12 months, up to 10% of sum insured
- Debris removal
- Up to 20% of sum insured combined with demolition cost
- Demolition cost
- Up to 20% of sum insured combined with debris removal cost
- Accidental loss and damage
- Optional Extra
- Accidental breakage of glass
- Yes
- Lightning
- Yes
- Earthquake
- Yes
- Storm surge
- Yes
- Buildings and structural improvements
- Yes
- Building materials
- No
- Landscaping
- Up to $1,000 for plants
- Gates and fences
- Yes - Up to 50% of the total cost, up to 2km
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about honey Home Insurance
Home Insurance
Save 15% on a new Gold Home Insurance policy when you buy online Protect your most valuable assets with quality cover from a name you can trust. Our home insurance offers peace of mind at an affordable price
- Main events covered
- Fire
- Theft
- Storm
- Flood
- Monthly payments
cost extra - Yes
- Underinsurance protection
- Optional ExtraUp To 30% Of Building Sum Insured
- New for old
replacement - Yes
- General contents
- No
- Cash
- No
- Cd dvd and electronic files
- Up to $1,000
- Computer software hardware
- Up to $1,000
- Camera and accessories
- No
- Carpets
- Yes
- Antiques and valuables
- No
- Jewellery
- No
- Replacement of documents
- No
- Tools of trade
- No
- Contents while moving
- No
- Lock replacement
- Up to $2,500
- Temporary accommodation
- Up to 24 months, up to 20% of sum insured combined with temporary accommodation for pets
- Debris removal
- Yes
- Demolition cost
- Yes
- Accidental loss and damage
- Optional Extra
- Accidental breakage of glass
- Yes
- Lightning
- Yes
- Earthquake
- Yes
- Storm surge
- Yes
- Buildings and structural improvements
- Yes
- Building materials
- Up to $2,000
- Landscaping
- Yes - pathways
- Gates and fences
- Yes
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about Australia Post Home Insurance
* Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Home Insurance Awards