Temporary Accommodation Insurance

Sometimes damage to your home and its contents can prevent you from living at your insured address. If your home becomes unlivable as a result of an insured event, a home insurance policy could help pay for temporary accommodation. This generally includes accommodation for you, your family and your pets while your home is being rebuilt or repaired.

What is temporary accommodation?

In home insurance, temporary accommodation is provided if your house becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event like a fire, flood or another emergency.

It's often automatically included in home insurance policies. To get covered for temporary accommodation, an inspector will have to confirm that your home is too damaged by the insured event to live in.

Compare temporary accommodation benefits in home insurance

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Product AUFHO	Temporary Accommodation	Building Cover	Contents Cover	Sum Insured Safeguard	Online Discount
Promoted Budget Direct Home & Contents Insurance Best Rated BrandBonusFinder Award Finalist	10% of sum insured - Up to 12 months			Optional		Our verdict: The most popular insurer on Finder, Budget Direct prioritises low-cost cover and gives you up to 30% off your first year's premium for new combined Home & Contents policies purchased online.	Get a quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Promoted Honey Home & Contents Insurance Bonus	10% of home sum insured					Our verdict: Honey gives you $250 smart sensors to reduce accidents and estimates your rebuild costs for you. Honey was a finalist for the comprehensive category in this year’s Finder Awards.	Get a quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Promoted QBE Home & Contents Insurance Green CompanyBonus	20% of buildings sum insured - Up to 24 months					Our verdict: Finder's Top Pick for Floods plus cover for other common claims such as fire and theft). Its discount is better than most – 20% off your first year with a combined policy.	Get a quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Youi Building and Contents Insurance Best Rated Brand	12% of sum insured - Up to 12 months					Our verdict: Finder’s 2022 Insurer of the Year for Customer Satisfaction and our Top Pick for Fire Damage cover. It’s good if you want a tailored quote over the phone.	Get a quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Seniors Top Home & Contents Insurance Bonus	The lesser of: 12 months rent; or 10% of your building sum insured					Our verdict: Get up to 20% off when you buy a combined home and contents policy. This includes a 10% discount for purchasing a combined policy and an additional 10% discount for valid Seniors Card holders. Terms, conditions, underwriting criteria and minimum premiums apply, which may reduce discount. Make sure your rebuild costs are accurate though – Australian Seniors don’t do underinsurance cover.	Get a quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Huddle Black Home and Contents Insurance	20% of your building sum insured					Our verdict: Save up to 10% on your policy in the first year.	Get a quoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Finder survey: How many people value temporary accommodation cover?

How do I claim for emergency accommodation?

You can only receive cover for emergency accommodation once you've made a claim for an insured event, like a fire, and the insurer agrees to pay your claim.

At this point, your insurer will inform you of whether or not it will pay for temporary accommodation, provided your home is uninhabitable.

How does home insurance cover me for emergency accommodation?

The amount you get paid depends on the insurer. For many, the amount you will receive will be based on the weekly rentable value of your home.

Others will generally pay you between 1% and 12% of the building's sum insured towards temporary accommodation. Most will pay you for no longer than 12 months.

Provider	How it covers you
	It will pay up to 10% of your home or contents sum insured for temporary accommodation.
	Up to 10% of the sum insured or the cost of accommodation for up to 12 months from the date of the event, whichever is less. And up to $5,000 for pet accommodation.
	1% of the building's sum insured plus up to $250 for pet accommodation. The most it will pay in total is 12% of the building's sum insured plus up to $2,500 for pet accommodation. For emergency evacuation it will pay the temporary accommodation costs up to the day you are allowed to return to the premises; the maximum period it will pay for is 30 days.
	It will pay up to 10% of your home or contents sum insured for temporary accommodation.
	Cover for the lesser of 12 months' rent or 10% of your home sum insured.
	Up to 10% of the sum insured or the cost of accommodation for up to 12 months from the date of the event, whichever is less. And up to $5,000 for pet accommodation.
	Cover for the lesser of 12 months' rent or 10% of your home sum insured.
	Cover for the lesser of 12 months' rent or 10% of your home sum insured.

What kind of emergencies are eligible for emergency accommodation?

To get access to temporary accommodation through home insurance, an insured event needs to have damaged your house to the point it is no longer inhabitable. Commonly covered events can include, but are not limited to:

It's not uncommon for the authorities to order evacuations or prevent you from returning home during bushfire season. However, most policies will only pay for temporary accommodation if your home is destroyed by a fire, not if you are ordered to evacuate.

Only youi specifies in its product disclosure statement (PDS) that it will cover you for emergency evacuations.

Expert insight: How to assess a portable home

"The biggest challenge after natural disasters is securing temporary shelter while homes are being rebuilt. Portable homes offer a fast, reliable solution, providing a comfortable home base during this period. These homes can be covered under home insurance as temporary accommodation, making them a practical option. Look for features like quick setup, flexibility in location, and modern comforts. Ensuring your temporary home meets these criteria can significantly ease the stress of displacement and provide stability during the rebuilding process."

Michael Doubinski

CEO, PennyGranny

Why would an insurer not pay for temporary accommodation?

Here are some reasons why a home insurer may deny your claim for temporary accommodation, or stop paying for it.

• Your home was deemed livable by an insurance assessor
• There were avoidable delays which lead to you exceeding the reasonable time it takes for repairs. This is usually no longer than 12 months.
• If you weren't living in the house when the damage was caused
• If you have no intention of rebuilding or repairing
• If you have indicated that you don't need alternate accommodation (i.e. staying with family or friends)

Frequently asked questions

• Will I be covered if I'm a renter with contents insurance?

  Yes, you can get covered for temporary accommodation with renters or contents insurance.

• Can I get temporary accommodation if I've been evacuated from my home?

  Yes. Youi is one of the few home insurers to state that they will cover your accommodation if you need to evacuate due to an emergency.

• What happens if my belongings don't fit in the temporary hotel?

  If your belongings don't fit in the temporary accommodation you're provided, most policies will also offer you commercial storage space.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

Gary Ross's expertise

Gary Ross has written 626 Finder guides across topics including:

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