Every year our team of product experts and analysts perform a detailed assessment of a wide range of home and contents insurance policies available to Australian consumers as part of the Mozo Experts Choice Awards. 

When analysing a policy, the team keeps an eye out for standout policies that meet the criteria for exceptional value and/or exceptional quality home and contents insurance.

• Exceptional value awards. Home Insurance that’s among the best-priced for the main features it offers, based on a comparison of prices for selected customer scenarios.
• Exceptional quality awards. Home Insurance cover that leads the market in the generosity of additional benefits and flexibility of options - irrespective of price.

For the 2024 awards, which cover the period from September 2024 to August 2025, the Mozo experts compared over 41 different home and contents policies head to head using more than 5,000 customer quotes for our exceptional value awards and looked at a wide range of factors to hand-select the year’s best policies in our exceptional quality category. Full methodology report.

The Mozo People’s Choice Awards are not judged by data analysts and professional researchers. Instead, the winners of these awards are decided by you, the actual customer.

For the 2025 awards, over 4,000 Aussies rated providers on customer service and customer satisfaction, the signup experience, and for insurance, what the claims process was like. The Mozo People’s Choice Awards have been running since 2011.

Shopping around for home insurance is like shopping for other goods and services. When you're in the market to find the best home insurance policy for you, it can be helpful to know about any new products, special discounts, or offers available and this is where our editor’s picks come in.

No one home insurance policy can be called the best. However, some may be more suited to your circumstances than others. As discussed earlier on, a policy that includes flood cover as standard may be appealing to someone who lives in a valley or near a river, while someone whose home sits near bushland may be more concerned about bushfire cover.

To pick the best home insurance for you, you will first have to decide what you need from a policy. Are you worried about your home being burgled? Do extreme weather events pose a threat where you live? Another thing to consider is budget. If money is tight, you may be after a no fuss policy that covers the basics. Or, if your financial situation is comfortable, you may want a comprehensive home insurance plan with all the bells and whistles attached.

Whatever your situation, you can start reviewing policies at Mozo’s compare home insurance above.

The definition of damages may vary between insurers, but depending on the level of cover you choose, damage generally refers to:

• Damage to the building. Covers damage to your home’s structure, fixtures and fittings.
• Damage to your belongings. Protects personal items inside your home, and sometimes outside of your home.
• Liability for damage. Provides coverage if someone is injured on your property or if you accidentally cause damage to someone else’s property.
• Damage to your wallet. Covers out-of-pocket costs for temporary accommodation if your home is made unlivable by a covered event.

If an incident involves another party (like a liability claim), their insurance may come into play, but it’s still important to keep your insurer informed so they can support you throughout the process.

A product disclosure statement, or PDS,  tells you exactly what’s covered, what’s not, how much coverage you have, and the specific situations when you can make a claim, plus anything that might void your cover. 

You can find the PDS for any home insurance policy on the insurer’s website, whether you’re a customer or not. Simply pull up the PDS of any policy you’re considering and use it to compare options or understand your chosen policy inside and out. 

Renters insurance is essentially contents insurance for people who rent. In fact, many insurers use the same PDS for both, with minor differences or notes explaining specific considerations for renters.

For example, with temporary accommodation, if your lease excuses you from paying rent when the property is unlivable, the policy might only cover extra costs beyond your usual rent.

Otherwise, there’s basically no difference.

Being underinsured means your policy doesn’t cover the full value of your home and possessions. It often happens when the rebuild costs of your home increase over time, you conduct renovations, or you upgrade some of your possession, but then forget to update your policy to reflect the new rebuild or replacement value. 

When this happens, you’ll be left on the hook for the difference in cost should there be a total loss. For a partial loss, your insurer could reduce your payout by the same percentage you were underinsured.

Many policies offer underinsurance protection as an optional add-on. If you choose it, it can cover anywhere from 20-30% more than what you’re actually insured for.

The best way to work out how much to insure your home for is to understand that the 'value' is based on the rebuild cost. In other words, how much it would cost to rebuild your home from the ground up if it were completely destroyed. This is different from the market value of your property.

To avoid being underinsured, you'll need an accurate rebuild cost estimate. Here are a few ways to get one, some more precise than others:

• Use an online calculator. A good starting point is to search for a 'home rebuild cost calculator' online. These tools provide a solid baseline estimate to work with.
• Hire a professional. For the most precise figure, hire a quantity surveyor or valuer. The Australian Property Institute’s website has a search tool to help you find a local expert.
• Compare insurer estimates. When you get online quotes, insurers will suggest a rebuild cost. Compare these different estimates against your own baseline figure to see if they are realistic.

How you respond immediately after an incident is key to the investigations, assessments and resolutions that follow. That’s where documentation is important. Here’s what you need to know:

• Documenting home damage. If your home suffers damage from a storm, fire or other covered event, take clear photos of the damage, note down the details (such as time and cause), and keep any receipts for emergency repairs or temporary fixes.
• Documenting theft or valdalism. Contact the police and file a report. Then, document any stolen or damaged items by taking pictures and gathering receipts or records. Contact your insurer to inform them and follow their instructions.
• Documenting liability incidents. If someone gets injured on your property, take photos of the scene, get witness statements, and keep any medical or police reports that may be relevant.

Your policy may have specific conditions for smaller incidents (like a broken window or damaged fence). Your PDS will outline how to handle these situations, but when in doubt, reach out to your insurer for guidance.

Once your insurer has reviewed the details of your claim and investigated the incident, they will either approve or deny your claim and pay out any damages. If your claim is denied or you disagree with their decision, you have two options for appeal:

• Internal appeals process. Your home insurer will have an internal disputes resolution team that is separate from the department that handled your claim. The first step is to lodge an appeal with them, following the process outlined in your PDS.
• Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). If you're not satisfied with the result of the internal appeal, you can take your case to the AFCA for free and independent dispute resolution.

Home insurance can be a bit tricky when it comes to flooding. The term 'flood' for insurance companies generally refers to water escaping or being released from natural sources, like rivers or lakes, and getting into your home. Many policies won’t automatically cover it, meaning you’ll need to opt-in to get the insurance.

Even if your policy doesn’t cover floods, it will likely still cover damage caused by rainwater pooling in low-lying areas, as long as there's not also a creek or other natural watercourse involved.

Don’t forget to check your PDS ahead of time: being clued up on your policy’s coverage before you're knee-deep in water is always a smart move.

No, unfortunately rising damp is almost always an exclusion. Insurers view it as a maintenance or building-flaw issue that happens slowly over time, not as a sudden event. It’s different from the kind of water damage policies do cover, like a leak from a storm-damaged roof or a burst pipe.

Sometimes, a little. Building insurance can cover things like your plants, trees, and lawn if an insured event, such as a fire or storm, causes the damage – though there's usually a specific limit on how much they'll pay. It generally won't cover a general garden makeover or routine maintenance.

This is often a tricky area. Generally, no, foundation problems aren't covered if they're from gradual settling, general soil movement, or issues with the original construction. However, if a specific insured event – like a major burst pipe that causes sudden ground collapse, or an earthquake (if your policy includes that cover) – directly damages your foundation, then your building insurance might provide cover.

Yes, this is a core part of building insurance. It’s there to cover structural damage to your home – think walls, the roof, foundations – when it's caused by an insured event like a fire, storm, or an impact. It won't usually cover damage that happens because of general wear and tear or if maintenance hasn't been kept up.

Coverage for subsidence varies quite a bit between policies. Some may offer limited cover if the ground beneath your home sinks (subsidence), particularly if it’s a sudden event caused by something insured. However, it's often an exclusion if the cause is more general soil movement or gradual settlement over time. You'd really need to check your specific policy wording for this.

Yes, but mostly for the clean-up. If a pipe bursts, your building insurance usually pays to fix the water damage to walls and floors, while contents insurance covers wrecked belongings. The policy often won't pay to fix the broken pipe itself, just the damage it caused. It also doesn't cover routine jobs like clearing a blocked drain.

Yes, but generally only if a storm or another insured event knocks it down. If a fallen tree has damaged your house or is blocking your driveway, building insurance will typically cover the cost to remove it and fix any damage. It won't cover removing a tree just because you think it looks dangerous or might fall in the future.

Unfortunately, no. Termite damage is considered a maintenance issue that can be prevented with regular pest control, so it's a standard exclusion in almost every home insurance policy.

Often, no. Gradual damage caused by tree roots to things like pipes, paths, or foundations is usually excluded. If tree roots cause a sudden event, like bursting a pipe that leads to water damage, the resulting water damage might be covered, but not necessarily the damage caused by the roots themselves.

Yes, usually. Accidental breakage of windows is often covered under building insurance – sometimes as standard, or as an optional extra for "accidental glass breakage." It's also covered if broken due to an insured event like a storm or vandalism.

Generally, no. Standard home and contents policies don't typically cover your belongings while they're in transit with a removalist. You'd usually need specific transit insurance or check if your removalist company offers it. Some policies might offer very limited cover if you're moving items yourself to your new insured address.

Yes, for the resulting damage. If a pipe suddenly leaks or an appliance overflows, building insurance typically covers damage to your home's structure, and contents insurance covers your damaged belongings. Fixing the source of the leak (like the worn-out washing machine hose) itself might not be covered. Gradual leaks or damage from poor maintenance are often excluded.

Yes, this is a really important part called 'legal liability' cover. Both building and contents policies usually include it. It can cover you if someone is accidentally injured (or their property is damaged) at your home and you're found legally responsible. It doesn't cover injuries to you or your family who live with you.

Yes, for the resulting damage if the leak is caused by an insured event, like a storm damaging your roof. Building insurance would cover repairs to the roof structure and any internal damage. If the leak is just from wear and tear or lack of maintenance, it's usually not covered.

Yes, generally under building insurance as it's considered a fixture. It would be covered if damaged by an insured event like a fire or storm. Some policies also include cover for 'motor burnout' or 'fusion' which can protect things like hot water systems if they suddenly fuse or burn out. If it just stops working due to old age, the replacement might not be covered, but damage it causes (like if it bursts) usually is.