Home office insurance

If you're one of the many Australians working from home on a more permanent basis, you should consider home office insurance. It can cover your office appliances and equipment, from monitors to memorabilia, and it's available with certain comprehensive home insurance policies — we've made a list of who below.

Compare policies for home office insurance

Here's a list of the providers who offer home office insurance. Our table doesn't include prices because quotes are based on your specific circumstances, such as the value of your house and the contents inside it. Compare features first, then you can click through to get a personalised quote.

{"userFilters":[{"config":{"MULTISELECT":true,"VALUES":"Home and Contents Insurance,Building Insurance,Contents Insurance"},"dataSelector":{"recordType":"product","fieldCode":"FILTERS.POLICY_TYPE"},"dataType":"TEXT","label":"Policy Type","order":1},{"config":{"MULTISELECT":true,"VALUES":"Fire,Storm,Theft damage,Flood,Lightning,Earthquake,Malicious damage,Electrical motor burnout,Accidental damage,Portable contents cover,Temporary accommodation,Building modifications,Replacement of locks,Removal of debris and trees,Accidental glass breakage,Sum insured safeguard,Full building replacement,Contents temporarily removed from home,Food spoilage,Tools of trade,Jewellery,Guest contents,Home office contents,Outdoor contents,Funeral expenses,Legal liability "},"dataSelector":{"recordType":"product","fieldCode":"FILTERS.BENEFITS"},"dataType":"TEXT","label":"Benefits","order":2},{"config":{"MULTISELECT":true,"VALUES":"NSW,QLD,VIC,TAS,WA,NT,SA,ACT"},"dataSelector":{"recordType":"product","fieldCode":"FILTERS.AVAILABLE_STATES"},"dataType":"TEXT","label":"Available State","order":3},{"config":{"VALUES":"Yes,No"},"dataSelector":{"recordType":"product","fieldCode":"FEATURES.WATER_DAMAGE"},"dataType":"TEXT","label":"Escape of liquid","order":4},{"config":{"VALUES":"Yes,No"},"dataSelector":{"recordType":"product","fieldCode":"FILTERS.BONUS_FILTER"},"dataType":"TEXT","label":"Bonuses","order":5},{"config":{},"dataSelector":{"recordType":"product","fieldCode":"GENERAL.PROVIDER_ID"},"dataType":"UUID","label":"Providers","order":6},{"config":{"VALUES":"0"},"dataSelector":{"recordType":"UI_FILTER_COMPONENT","fieldCode":"FULL_MARKET"},"dataType":"FULL_MARKET","label":"More products"}],"niche":{"currencySymbol":"$","decimalPoint":".","decimalPlaces":"2","thousandsSeparator":",","filterBoundsMap":{"product.FILTERS.POLICY_TYPE":null,"product.FILTERS.BENEFITS":null,"product.FILTERS.AVAILABLE_STATES":null,"product.FEATURES.WATER_DAMAGE":null,"product.FILTERS.BONUS_FILTER":null,"product.GENERAL.PROVIDER_ID":null}},"prefilled":false,"experimental":false}

Finder Score	Home office equipment	Home Contents Cover	Outdoor Contents	Portable Contents Cover	Accidental Damage to Home or Belongings	Online Discount
Promoted Budget Direct Contents Insurance Most Loved	Finder score 9.2 Excellent				Optional	Optional		Get 15% off your first year's premium if you purchase online. T&Cs apply.	Our verdict: The most popular insurer on Finder, Budget Direct prioritises low-cost cover. You need to pay extra for flood cover and accidental damage.	Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted Honey Contents Insurance	Finder score 8.9 Great	Up to $20,000		Up to 5% of contents sum insured	Optional	Optional		Our verdict: A great option for renters or property owners seeking mid-tier coverage for their personal belongings.	Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted QBE Contents Insurance	Finder score 8.2 Great				Optional	Optional		Get up to 10% off your first year. T&Cs apply.	Our verdict: It covers essentials such as fire and theft plus comes with some good perks such as security upgrades after a burglary.	Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Qantas Contents Insurance	Finder score 9.4 Excellent				Optional	Optional		Earn up to 40,000 Qantas Points for joining by 28 January. Plus save 15% on your 1st year’s premium when you purchase online. T&Cs apply.	Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
ING Contents Insurance	Finder score 8.9 Great				Optional	Optional		Save up to 15% when you purchase cover online. T&Cs apply.	Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Real Essential Contents Insurance	Finder score 7.8 Great	Up to $5,000		$4,000	Optional			Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Youi Contents Insurance Most Loved	Finder score 7.2 Great				Optional	Optional		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 quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Huddle Black Contents Insurance	Finder score 6.2 Standard	Up to $10,000		$8,000	Optional			Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Real Top Contents Insurance	Finder score 6.2 Standard	Up to $10,000		$8,000	Optional			Get a quote More info Compare product selection Compare	loading

loading

Compare other products

We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:

How we picked these

How we calculate Contents only home insurance Finder Scores

Read full methodology

What different scores mean

9+

Excellent

These products offer a balance between low pricing and more features.

7+

Great

Competitive products within their group.

5+

Standard

Usually these products would either have fewer benefits or higher pricing.

0+

Basic

Offering basic cover with limited features or higher pricing.

What is home office insurance?

You can get home office insurance with a home and contents insurance policy.

If you have a home office, it can cover clerical items kept in your home. This can include computers, chairs, monitors, headsets, keyboards and other bits and pieces you use to get on with your day job.

It'll be covered under the contents section of your policy, just make sure to check the cover limit.

What items are covered?

Here are the home office items that can be covered by a home insurance policy.

• Home office equipment. This includes the really obvious home office stuff like your computer, monitor, headset and printer. A home insurance policy can pay to repair or replace these items if an insured event occurs and causes loss or damage.
• Home office furniture. This can include office chairs, desks and any other furniture you use for work.
• Tools of trade. Standard home insurance policies generally cover tools of trade up to a certain limit. You might be able to get cover for specific tools, instruments and equipment that you use to do your job with home office insurance in certain circumstances. For example, if you're a graphic designer or architect, you might use a drafting board as part of your home office setup.
• Office accessories. Office accessories can refer to anything you keep in your office space, including:

Does this cover tools of trade?

Yes, it can. If you keep your tools at home, like in a home office or garage, contents insurance can cover you up to a certain amount (often between $1,000 and $5,000) if you get it included under home office insurance. Keep in mind that this only applies when you keep them at home. If you want to get cover for outside the home, you'll need to look for a home and contents insurance policy that allows you to add portable contents cover. You can find out more about insuring tools of trade here.

Should I take out accidental damage cover?

Household accidents are common. Here's some reasons it might be worth adding accidental damage cover to your policy:

• An office isn't a home. Here's the thing, we're all naturally less cautious in the comfort of our own home. While that can make working from home a less stressful experience, it can also make us prone to more accidents.
• Do you live with other people or have children? If you've got children running around or flatmates, there's probably a much greater chance of accidental damage occurring than in a traditional office setting.
• Where your home office is in your house. Is your home office tucked away in a separate room you barely use or does it double up as your bedroom or lounge room? If it's the latter, there's probably more chance of an accident happening,
• How accident-prone you are. You can't anticipate accidents at home happening, but you probably know if you're prone to making them. If you're a little clumsy, is going without accidental damage cover really worth the risk?

Do I need personal effects cover?

Personal effects cover is for portable items that can be taken away from the home. It's a good idea to get if you also take some of your home office appliances out with you.

There are two types of cover: unspecified personal effects and specified personal effects. Both can protect against accidental loss or damage to a wide range of portable items including cameras, bags, headsets, glasses, laptops and other equipment you use for work.

With the former, you don't need to list the items; you simply choose an individual item limit and a total claim limit. However, you need to list the items with specified personal effects and you can protect them individually for an agreed amount. Taking into consideration your home office equipment,

• Unspecified personal effects cover is probably better for people who aren't totally sure what items they'll be taking out of the home on a regular basis.
• Specified personal effects cover is probably more suited to people who know what they're taking out each day so only need cover for those specific items.

What isn't covered by home office insurance?

Every policy has exclusions. With home office insurance, you'll probably find that you won't be covered for:

• Damage caused by computer viruses or hacking.
• Any non clerical items that you use for income, generally with the exception of laptops and tools.
• Personal liability or injury. For this, you'll need business insurance.
• Electronic data or files that are corrupted, damaged or lost, including software, photographs, films and music.
• Stocks or samples stored at your home for business purposes.

Bottom Line

With so many of us adapted to the new normal of working from home, it's a good idea to update your home insurance policy to ensure your home office is also covered.

Compare home office insurance

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can you claim home insurance for home office?

  Home insurance generally covers your home office equipment, but it might not provide full coverage for business-related activities or high-value items. If you have specific needs or items that are specialised and related to your work and you store these items at home, consider a specific home office insurance policy to ensure your office is adequately protected.

• Is home insurance compulsory in Australia?

  Yes, home insurance is compulsory in Australia if you have a mortgage on the home. This is a condition of the loan with the lender, as they want to be sure your home loan will be paid out if there is an insurable event that damages or destroys the home.

• What insurance do I need for an office?

  For a home office, you mostly just need to make sure your home and contents cover includes home office. This will cover office equipment and furniture, as well as any tools of trade and office accessories. It won't necessarily cover liability and business interruptions though. So if you're running your own business from home you'll need to consider business insurance. If you see clients at home, you should consider public liability insurance to ensure your office and activities are well covered.

• Does insurance cover working from home?

  Standard home insurance is likely to cover your home office equipment, but not business activities. If you're running a business from home you will need business insurance to cover both your equipment and potential liability while working from home.

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 589 Finder guides across topics including:

• Health, home, life, car, pet and travel insurance
• Managing the cost of living