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First of all, is everyone safe? Only start dealing with home insurance claims if everyone in the family is safe.
After that's confirmed, get in touch with your insurer directly. They can advise your next steps, what they need from you and how to get everything up and running again. The rest of our guide will take you through submitting a claim, step-by-step.
Depending on the insurance company you are with, time limits can vary from 30 days to as much as 1 year and more. Regardless, your best bet is to file your claim as soon as you've gathered all the necessary information.
According to the General Insurance Code of Practice, insurance companies should respond to your claim within 10 business days, letting you know whether they have accepted or denied your claim based on the information you have given them.
In some extreme cases like natural disasters, it might take insurers a little bit longer to get back to you. This is generally because of the large volume of claims that would be coming through.
Here's how to submit a claim in 3 easy steps.
Let them know that you need to make a claim. This can be done online, on the phone or by using their mobile app (if they have one).
Make sure to keep all your invoices and receipts to prove your expenses.
It can take an insurer up to 10 days to respond to your claim. Contact your insurer directly if you need immediate help.
| Brand | Online claims | Phone number | Do they have a mobile app? | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | You can make a claim online here | 13 16 14 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | (+61) 2 4062 8737 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 13 70 11 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 13 13 43 | Get quote | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 1800 069 336 | Get quote | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 1300 265 374 | More info | |
 | No online claim | 1300 370 456 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | (+61) 2 8294 7772 | More info | |
 | Insured events - You can make a claim online here Theft - You can make a claim online here | 1300 034 888 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 13 49 60 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 133 723 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 13 19 48 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 1300 655 489 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 1800 662 884 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 1300 369 989 | More info | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 1300 10 1234 | Get quote | |
 | You can make a claim online here | 13 9684 | Get quote |
If you're not happy with the outcome of your claim, there are steps you can follow to dispute it:
It's probably not worth making a home insurance claim if the loss or damage is worth less than your excess.
For example, you could have $500 worth of accidental damage to a new carpet, but if your excess is $500, it probably doesn't make sense to file a claim.
If you make a claim for something small, you also risk losing your no claims discount, which lots of insurers offer.
Home insurance isn't really for smaller types of damage, but it's extremely helpful for when expensive stuff happens – such as water damage to your bathroom or a burglary that would otherwise leave you thousands out of pocket.
If you need urgent access to funds or repairs, let your home insurer know. They can't make any promises but they can at least try to fast track the claims process for you.
To help get a successful home insurance claim, there are a few things that you can prepare:
Picture: GettyImages
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My insurer has had an inspection done after my house suffered from significant hail damage. Butthe scope of work doesnt cover a lot of stuff that needs to be fixed, some rooms have been neglected entirely (e.g. kitchen which had extensive flooding).
Am I able to get a 3rd party assessor or someone to review the scope of work and put something back formally to the insurer?
Thanks,
Warren
Hi Warren,
Thanks for reaching out to Finder! A very important step in this process is to check the terms and conditions of your policy and see where you stand in this situation. Also, before letting a third party assessor review the scope of work on your house, it would be best to contact your insurer and see if it’s possible to have a reassessment since you were not satisfied with their initial assessment. During the process, you can ask them if they will allow a third-party assessor.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
On 2nd July my home was totally destroyed by fire. On 8th August the insurance company began getting quotes from their network of builders but it is now 22 September and i have had no word on my claim being processed. How long can it take ?
Hi Robert,
Thank you for leaving a question.
Insurers are required to comply with the General Insurance Code of Practice. Section 7.10 of the Code states that an insurer must decide to accept or deny your claim within 10 business days of receiving the claim. If the insurer decides it needs further information or an assessment to decide your claim, then the insurer must notify you within 10 business days of receiving the claim:
What further information is required;
If a loss assessor needs to be appointed; and
An estimate of the time required to make a decision.
You may send a letter of dispute or a complaint letter addressed to the insurance company to follow-up on your claim.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
In the event of a burglary where a window/door is damaged to enter the property and contents were stolen, where home & contents insurance is in place with the same insurer would only one excess be payable or would two excesses be applicable?
Hi Adam!
Thanks for your message and for visiting finder – the leading comparison website & general information service built to give you advice in your buying decision needs. How are you doing today?
Since there are separate policies for home = window/door damage and another contents insurance = for stolen contents then you would two (2) excess payables.
Here are the steps on how to claim from your insurance provider:
Step 1. Contact your insurance company via phone or online as soon as reasonably possible after the event occurs.
Step 2. Fill out and submit a claim form. Many insurers allow you to do this online but you can also do it over the phone. You should receive a claim number once you submit your form.
Step 3. The insurer will send a representative to your property to assess the damage, arrange any emergency repairs if necessary and obtain job quotes from their network of builders and repairers.
Step 4. Once your claim has been processed your insurer will notify you of the outcome.
Step 5. The insurer approved builder or repairer will contact you directly and work will commence as soon as possible.
Step 6. When the job is complete, the insurer will pay the builder or repairer and you will be free to move back into your home.
Hope this helps! Feel free to message us anytime should you have further questions.
Cheers,
Nikki
Our insurance accepted the accidental fire damaged claim of our home garage. But the rebuilding has been delayed. The claim was accepted in January and still the building has not completed yet. Up to present, the builder has done maximum 50 present of the total job. We are frustrated with such delay because we need to sell this house, pay the mortgage and move to our second house. Therefore, we lost a lot of many because of this delay.
I should be most grateful if you would advise me what course of action I should take and whether we are entitle to some compensation.
Thanks,
Khalil
Hi Khalil,
Thanks for your inquiry.
After you file a claim with your home insurance provider, an adjuster will usually visit your home and inspect the damage. He or she will decide how much the insurance company will pay toward your claim. Often, you’ll get an advance against the total amount your provider is paying. It would be best to recheck the terms and conditions of your insurance to fully know what eligible claims and compensations you may be entitled to.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold