Home insurance for a unit or townhouse: Is it any different to a free-standing house?

You may be living in an apartment or townhouse and wondering if your insurance is any different to what you get from your free-standing house peers. 

Well, in short, yes. Since an apartment unit and townhouse are strata buildings their insurance differs somewhat from a non-strata house's home insurance. For one, the owners' corporation (the collective group of owners of the land) is required by law to hold residential strata insurance. In essence, this covers the building for any damages or break-ins.

So, do I even need insurance?

If you’re living in a unit or apartment, don’t think that strata insurance covers you for everything. If the building was damaged by fire or flood, the building would be insured but your personal property would probably not be covered. 

That’s where contents insurance comes in. Basically, with contents insurance you protect yourself in regards to your personal items (like furniture and clothing) and it can cover a range of events such as fires, flood, storms, and theft.

Where can I find the right contents insurance for me?

While your insurance isn’t mandatory if you live in an apartment or townhouse, you never know what could happen. So, if you want to keep your personal belongings safe in case of a disaster, contents insurance is probably something you want to think about getting sooner rather than later.

It’s always a good idea to do some research, compare what’s on offer and weigh up the costs. 

Not sure where to start? Well, here at Mozo we compare the best home and contents insurance providers on our database—compare today to find the right one for you.

Home insurance comparisons on Mozo

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Last updated 8 December 2024Important disclosures
Important information on terms, conditions and sub-limits.
  • Home Cover - Contents

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    Yes
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    No
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes
    Details
  • Contents Insurance

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    No
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    No
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes
    Details
  • Contents Insurance

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
      Optional Extra
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    Yes
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    No
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes
    Details
  • Contents Insurance

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    Yes
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    No
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    Yes
  • Home & Contents Insurance

    Main events covered
    • fire
      Fire
    • theft
      Theft
    • storm
      Storm
    • flood
      Flood
    Monthly payments
    cost extra
    Calendar icon
    Yes
    Underinsurance protection
    Underinsurance protection icon
    No
    New for old
    replacement
    Replacement icon
    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.

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