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In addition to cover for fires and bushfires, Youi is the only policy we looked at that specifies it covers:
accidental fires within 100 metres of your home,
soot or smoke damage from a bushfire
temporary accommodation if you're told by the local authorities to evacuate.
All home insurance policies typically cover fires but Youi's product disclosure statement (PDS) is much more detailed. Unlike others, it clearly specifies you're covered for accidental fires, including fires caused directly by mechanical or electrical failures. Some other insurers don't cover this automatically.
We only looked at Finder home insurance partners and selected our top pick for fire damage cover based on who offered all of these benefits: bushfire cover, accidental fire cover, soot or smoke from bushfire cover, damage from an accidental fire 100m from your home and temporary accommodation, evacuation cover. We did not research all insurers on the market.
What does a home insurance policy cover you for?
Fire insurance generally covers you for loss or damage caused by: fire, bushfires and grass fires and smoke.
Here's how different parts of a home insurance policy can help if your property is affected by fire.
Let them know ASAP so that they can assess the damage.
Gather evidence.
Take photos of the damage, get the police report and make a list of what you lost in the fire. Try to locate proof of ownership of the items you lost.
Lodge your claim.
Fill this out on the insurer's website and send it back to them along with the evidence you've gathered.
Wait for the results.
If your claim is accepted, your insurer will pay to repair or replace whatever is covered by your policy. If your claim is denied, you have the right to several rounds of appeals, first through the insurer's internal disputes department and then through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
How common are fire insurance claims?
According to an April 2022 Finder survey, the joint top 3 home insurance claims were for fire (4%), hail (4%) and mould (4%).
What fire insurance doesn't cover
Here are some reasons an insurer could deny your claim:
A bushfire occurs within 48–72 hours of you buying your policy (the argument is that you could have bought your insurance only after you found out your home was in the path of an existing fire).
Damage from ash, soot or smoke caused by a fire away from your home (you'll only be covered for ash, soot and smoke if the fire damaged your house).
Your house didn't comply with fire regulations (for example, you have a wood heater that was not installed according to regulations).
The fire was intentional.
It was caused by negligence.
There was no flame.
Why you can trust Finder's home insurance experts
We're free
You pay the same as buying directly from the home insurer. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site – plus, our tables make it easy to compare policies.
Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and we work with lots of home insurance brands, making it easier for you to find a good deal.
We're here to help
Since 2014, we've helped 150,000+ people find home insurance by explaining your cover options simply and clearly. We'll never ask for your number or email. We're here to help you make a decision.
FAQs about fire insurance
Fire insurance should be included in all home and contents insurance policies. It can pay to repair or replace your home and your belongings if they are damaged by fire. It can also cover you for temporary accommodation if you can't stay in your damaged house.
Keep in mind, for a fire to have occurred, there needs to be a flame present. Insurers don't generally cover other heat-related problems like scorching or melting.
Fire insurance also includes bushfires. However, you generally need to have held the home insurance policy for longer than 72 hours to be covered for bushfires.
Yes it can but it's not always clear if home insurance policies will cover accidental fires. For example, many insurers will cover accidental fire damage under accidental damage. However, accidental damage isn't automatically covered by many policies. You need to pay extra for it.
Yes. Contents insurance covers you for damage to your belongings caused by fire, including bushfire. It may make sense to get contents insurance if you own an apartment, unit or townhouse. This is because your building is typically covered by strata.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, news.com.au, The Telegraph, Explore Travel and Escape. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Kaplan Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
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