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Explore home insurance in SA
Written by
Tina Sendin
Edited by
Ellie Garran
Reviewed by
Adrian BennettOur Home and Contents partners
iSelect does not compare all providers in the market or all policies offered by our partners in your area. Not all policies or special offers are available to all customers. Learn more.
How can home insurance in SA help me?
Home insurance in SA’s a lifesaver. It can help you bounce back from wild weather, helping you cover repairs when disaster strikes. Plus, with building costs on the rise, it’s a smart way to protect your investment. It might even cover your valuables when you’re out and about!
Is home insurance mandatory in SA?
Nah, home insurance isn’t mandatory in South Australia. But it’s a bloody good idea – at least if you reckon it’s better to be safe than sorry! Home insurance is your safety net that can give protection against the bad elements, whether it’s nightmarish weather or some sticky fingers.
What do different types of home insurance cover in SA?
Building
insurance
Sometimes called home insurance, this is cover for the structure of your home. This could be smaller fix ups (like replacing a leaking roof), right through to structural improvements (like your new pergola) and rebuilding it all after a bushfire has torn through your neighbourhood. This cover may even pay for you to stay somewhere else until your place is home sweet home again.
Contents
insurance
This is insurance for anything you own – yes, including those linens you’ve kept since childhood. Your cover could help you repair or replace things like furniture, collectables, and electronics if they get damaged, broken, or stolen. This is great for renters who want to ensure they’re covered (and in this case we also refer to it as renter’s insurance).
Landlord
insurance
Landlord insurance is specifically designed for property owners who are renting out their homes. It offers protection for the building itself, as well as any contents that belong to the landlord and are available for the tenant to use. It can provide valuable protection and peace of mind for tenant-related dramas like rent default or legal liability.
Combined home and contents insurance
If you’re after a more comprehensive option, combined home and contents insurance might be the way to go. This type of policy brings together the best of both worlds, offering protection for the structure of your home as well as your belongings inside. Whether it’s storm damage to your roof or theft of your valuables, this cover could help ensure you’re not left footing the bill.
What are the optional home insurance covers available in SA?
Floods
Optional cover for floods can provide additional protection for your home and belongings in the event of flood damage. This may include coverage for repairs or replacements due to water damage caused by natural disasters or burst pipes.
Accidental damage
This type of optional cover can protect against unexpected mishaps that cause damage to your home or possessions, such as accidental breakage of a window or spilling wine on your carpet. It provides an extra layer of security for those unpredictable ‘oops’ moments.
Motor burnout
Optional cover for motor burnout can help cover the costs of repairing or replacing household appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines, if they’re damaged due to electrical or mechanical issues.
Portable effects
This optional cover extends the protection of your contents insurance to include personal belongings that you regularly take outside of your home, such as laptops, phones, and jewellery. It can provide peace of mind for those who travel frequently or carry valuable items with them.
How to compare your home insurance
Get started
Tell us about your home and what you’re after, and we’ll get the ball rolling.
Compare your options
We’ll show you policies side by side, including their premiums, inclusions, exclusions, and extras you can add on, so you can easily compare.
Make your choice
Found the one you like? Go for it – you’re a few clicks away from having new cover. All with no extra cost to you.
Start fresh
The final step? Let your old insurer know you’re saying goodbye. It’s time to enjoy your new cover!
Why buy home insurance with iSelect
Our service doesn’t cost you a cent
Instead of charging you anything, we get a commission from our partners.
Same price, no mark-up
We don’t mark up the price of our products, so you’ll pay the same as buying direct.*
*Excluding corporate discounts and exclusive retail offers
Quick and easy online comparisons
The right coverage is only a few clicks away. You can compare home insurance policies in just a few minutes.
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We know our stuff, with over 25 years’ experience helping Aussies compare, switch, and save.
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What are the average costs of home insurance in SA?
iSelect data shows that in 2023–24, the average combined home and contents premium paid by our SA customers was $1,116.
When compared to other states, SA has the second cheapest average premium – only ACT is lower at $1,059.
For context, here’s how the states stack up:
What factors can affect the cost of home insurance in SA?
The cost of home insurance depends on so many factors, including:
all the government charges, taxes, and levies that apply
any optional extras you add on
your claims history, and whether you’ve made a claim before
who’s living in your home
the excess amount you choose
where your home is and its characteristics
any security measures you’ve got in place
the sum you’re insured for
discounts that might be up for grabs
whether you pay in instalments or up-front for the year
the cost of claims your insurer’s paid out and expects to pay in the future.
all the government charges, taxes, and levies that apply
any optional extras you add on
your claims history, and whether you’ve made a claim before
who’s living in your home
the excess amount you choose
where your home is and its characteristics
any security measures you’ve got in place
the sum you’re insured for
discounts that might be up for grabs
whether you pay in instalments or up-front for the year
the cost of claims your insurer’s paid out and expects to pay in the future.
Helpful tip
A little effort can add up to big savings. A yearly review of your policy can help ensure you’re only paying for what you need. Life changes quickly, and renovations, new purchases, or even the addition of housemates could call for updates to your cover.
By taking the time to review and tweak your policy, you’ll not only save money but also have peace of mind knowing your home in SA is well protected. Every little bit helps!
Adrian Bennett
General Manager for General Insurance
How can I save on my home insurance in SA?
Saving on your home insurance doesn’t mean skimping on protection. Here are some clever ways people in the Festival State can lighten the load on their premium, all while staying covered:
Prepare, prepare, prepare
Certain parts of SA, like the Riverland, Murraylands, and Flinders Ranges are prone to bushfires, while areas like Gawler and Port Adelaide can face flood risks. Taking steps to safeguard your home against these threats could help lower your premium.
Things like clearing out gutters, installing ember guards, or raising electricals in flood-prone areas can make a big difference. Insurers love a secure home; they could reward these efforts with reduced premiums.
That said, most insurers look into the location of your home, and if it’s in a flood- or bushfire-prone area, then you might have to pay a higher premium, unfortunately.
Insure for the right amount
Making sure your sum-insured cover is spot-on can help bring your premiums down. Over-insuring means you’re paying extra for coverage you might not need, while under-insuring could leave you out of pocket in the unfortunate incident of a disaster. It’s worth getting an accurate valuation and updating it as your circumstances change.
Compare policies regularly
One way you can save on premiums is to shop around. Premiums can vary, and comparing insurers could help you find one with better rates or perks. Although comparing won’t get you out of paying the Emergency Services Levy, it can still potentially save you some money.
Plus, your current needs may change a year from now. A quick check now and then can keep extra savings in your pocket.
Bundle your policies
Combining your building and contents insurance can help you save on home insurance in the long haul. Plus, if you’ve got multiple insurance policies for things like your car, life, or health, you might want to consider bundling them with the one provider. Many insurers offer discounts for bundling, and it’s super convenient to have everything under one roof.
Pay annually if you can
If you’ve got the cash flow, paying your premium up-front for the whole year rather than in monthly instalments can save you money. Some insurers tack on fees for the privilege of paying monthly, so going annual could be an easy win.
Don’t miss out on discounts
Insurers love rewarding low-risk customers, so you might want to take advantage of any discounts they offer. Having good home security, like deadlocks, security screens, and monitored alarms, could get you a better deal. If you haven’t made any claims for a while, you can check if you can score a no-claims discount, too. And the longer you’re a member of an insurance fund, the greater your loyalty discount could be.
What are the risks to my home in SA?
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 of 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 more scarce in future years, extreme rain events that make you consider building an ark in the backyard could become more of the norm. As it is, 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, so more intense rain could mean a repeat of the 2023 Murray River floods for these areas and beyond.
But it’s not always Mother Nature causing the drama. People can be a real pain too. By the end of 2024, SA recorded over 20,000 property damage offences.3South Australia Police – Offences reported or becoming known to police | November 2024 Fixing up graffiti, theft, or malicious damage could leave you with a pretty hefty bill, unfortunately.
Frequently asked questions
What are the home insurance providers in SA?
SA’s got plenty of home insurance providers to choose from. If you’re keen to compare a range of policies, the iSelect comparison tool can help you find the right fit. It’s quick and easy – might even take less time than patching up a leaky roof!
Here are some insurers that iSelect can help you compare:
- ahm
- Budget Direct
- Coles
- Everyday Insurance
- Huddle
iSelect does not compare all providers in the market or all policies offered by our partners in your area. Not all policies or special offers are available to all customers and some may only be available over the phone or on the website. Learn more.
Here are some other insurers available in the market today:
- 1300 Insurance
- 1Cover
- AAMI
- Allianz
- Ansvar
- ANZ
- APIA
- Assetinsure
- Aussie (AHL Investments Pty Ltd)
- Australian Seniors Insurance Agency
- Bank of Melbourne
- BankSA
- BOQ
- Bupa
- CBA Insurance
- CCI Personal Insurance
- CGU
- CHU
- COTA Insurance
- Defence Service Home Insurance Scheme
- Dodo
- Elders Insurance
- Flex Insurance
- FM Global
- GIO
- Guild Insurance
- Hollard Australia
- Honey
- ING
- Insurelite
- MHIA
- National Seniors Insurance
- NRMA
- Over Fifty Insurance
- Ozicare
- QBE
- RAA Insurance
- RAC
- RACQ
- RACT
- RACV
- Real Insurance
- RentCover Landlord Insurance
- Retirease Insurance
- SGIC
- SGIO
- SGUA
- ShareCover
- St. George
- Strata Community Insurance
- Suncorp Insurance
- Terri Scheer Landlord Insurance
- Territory Insurance Office
- Westpac
- WFI
- Youi
How much should I insure my home for?
You’ll want to get the sum you’re insured for just right – not too high, not too low. To help you figure it out, it makes sense to consult experts like builders, architects, or quantity surveyors who have industry knowledge on building costs. You can also try using online calculators that can give you ballpark figures on how much it might take to protect your home and contents.
Do I need landlord insurance in SA?
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 same 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.
Does home insurance cover cash?
Generally speaking, most home insurance policies don’t cover cash. It’s always a good idea to double-check your policy’s product disclosure statement (PDS) to see what’s covered and up to what limit. If you regularly keep large sums of cash at home, you might want to consider a safe or alternative arrangements!
How do I compare home insurance in SA?
You might find some similarities between home insurance policies from different providers, 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.
With iSelect’s help, you can even make a comparison of policies and providers right now.
Get started on comparing home and contents today!
Save time and effort by comparing a range of home and contents insurance policies with iSelect
iSelect General Pty Ltd (ABN 90 131 798 126. AFSL 334115) has partnered with Compare the Market (ABN 83 117 323 378. AFSL 422926) to compare a range of home insurers and policies. Not all providers in the market or all policies offered by the partners are compared and not all policies or special offers are available to all customers.
A number of our participating general insurance brands are arranged by Auto & General Services Pty Ltd ACN 003 617 909 on behalf of Auto & General Insurance Company Limited 111 586 353, both of which are related entities of iSelect Limited. Our relationship with those companies does not impact the integrity of our comparison service. Click here to view iSelect’s range of providers.
Any advice provided by iSelect is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice iSelect gives you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on iSelect’s advice or purchasing any policy. You should consider iSelect’s Financial Services Guide which provides information about our services and your rights as a client of iSelect. iSelect receives commission for each policy sold that is a percentage of the premium or a flat fee. Ask us for more details before we provide you with any services.