Home and Contents Insurance South Australia

No one wants to think the worst could happen but unless you’ve got the kind of luck that has you winning the lotto every week, it might help to prepare a little.

For example, in South Australia, serious fires are expected to occur in six to seven years out of every decade.¹South Australian Country Fire Service – Bushfire history Think the Black Summer bushfires of late 2019 and early 2020 where fires destroyed more than 1,000 homes.²Government of South Australia – 2019-2020 Bushfires
Plus, while rain may become a little more scarce in future years, extreme rain events that make you consider building an ark in the backyard could become more of the norm. Places like Port Adelaide, the Gawler River catchment, and Brown Hill and Keswick Creeks catchments all have higher risks of floods than other parts of the state as it is,³Government of South Australia – Flood risk so more intense rain could mean a repeat of the 2023 Murray River floods for these areas and beyond.

People can also pose a risk to your property, whether they mean it or not. Vandalism, theft and malicious damage all could leave you footing a sizable bill to get things back to normal.

All in all, it’s understandable to feel a little anxious about what the future holds for your home and belongings. However, Home and Contents Insurance could help you sleep a little easier at night.

Part of what makes the world so exciting is the endless possibilities. Unfortunately, those possibilities do include things we’d rather not have happen. Home and Contents Insurance isn’t entirely comprehensive of absolutely everything that could happen (how many people are having to claim accidental damage to their TV because they slipped on a banana peel?) But it could give you a decent amount of cover on those more likely scenarios.

For instance, you may be able to get cover for: 

• Fire (including bushfires) 
• Theft or attempted theft 
• Malicious damage 
• Storm and wind 
• Explosions 
• Earthquakes or tsunamis 
• Falling trees 
• Leaking or burst pipes 

Additionally, you might want to extend your coverage for events like: 

• Floods 
• Accidental damage 
• Motor burnout 

If you’ve lived elsewhere than SA, these lists may look familiar since there isn’t really much variation between what is typically covered in Australia. It’s more about the insurer or policy. 

Risky business isn’t just a Tom Cruise classic, it’s also Home and Contents Insurance in a nutshell. When deciding your premium, your insurer takes into account a variety of factors to determine the likelihood (or risk) of you needing to make a claim. This can include things like: 

• The extent of your coverage, like if it’s for just your home or your home and contents together 
• Your claims history 
• Where you live, such as in a high-risk area for bushfires 
• What materials your home is built from 
• How secure your home is, including if you have security alarms or deadbolts 

Landlord Insurance isn’t mandatory in South Australia but seatbelts weren’t initially either and they turned out to be a good idea. Renting out a property comes with the risks that living in a property does — fire, storms, theft — but also has its own share of unique uh-oh moments. For instance, your tenant may default on their rent or be able to legally and immediately break their lease, leaving you suddenly having to juggle a new budget. Or they may have pets that while generally well behaved, come with the risk of accidents happening. Essentially, Landlord Insurance could help take some of the stress out of being a landlord, at least when it comes to looking after the property and collecting rent.

Sure, you might find some similarities between Home and Contents Insurance Policies but that doesn’t mean there won’t be one that comes out ahead of the pack. For the ultimate policy showdown, you might want to look beyond the basic features and scope out optional extras, as well as wrap your head around any limitations and exclusions.

Similarly, you may need to do a little self-reflection to know what it is you’re looking for. For example, it might help to have a ballpark figure for what it’d cost to fix or rebuild your home if the worst did happen.

Putting together a list of your valuables and working out how much they’re worth could also be a good idea. With this knowledge close to hand, you might be able to narrow down your pool of potential policies more quickly.

You can even get started right now with iSelect’s help to compare a selection of policies and providers.*