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Home Insurance
What happens when you make a home insurance claim?
Learning what happens when you make a home insurance claim can help demystify the process during what can be a stressful time.
Home insurance can provide peace of mind to property owners should the unexpected happen. But if you’ve never had to make a building or contents insurance claim for your home, the process might seem confusing.
Understanding how, and what happens, when you make a home insurance claim can help make the process smoother.
Here’s what you need to know about making a building or contents insurance claim for your home with RACV Insurance.
In this article
Prioritise safety
In the immediate aftermath of an insured event (such as fire, burglary or storm) the first thing to do is to ensure your safety and that of everyone in your household. Contact emergency services by calling 000 if necessary.
If you are unable to live in your home following a listed event, RACV Building Insurance may cover:
- temporary accommodation for you, your household and your pets for up to 12 months
- the removal and storage of your possessions
- reasonable living expenses
Before making a home insurance claim
You may be required to provide documentation to support your claim. This may include receipts, photographs, reports from emergency services.
Before making a claim it’s important to know if what you’re claiming for is covered under your policy.
Read through the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) supplied to you when you took out your home insurance policy and ensure what you’re attempting to claim does not fall under an exclusion.
Understanding your policy, including the provided PDS and any listed exclcusions can help if making a claim.
How to make a home insurance claim
The first step in lodging your home insurance claim is contacting your insurer. RACV Insurance allows you to make home insurance claims online as well as over the phone by calling 13 19 03.
Have the required information accessible when making your claim. This can include:
- your personal details
- policy number
- coverage details
- proof of ownership for contents
- supporting details of the incident (such as photos, reports or witness accounts)
RACV Insurance also provides interpreter and hearing impairment services for members who need them.
What happens once I’ve made a home insurance claim?
Once your insurer has received your claim it will be assessed. RACV Insurance allows members to receive updates of their claims via email, text message or both.
If you’ve made a building insurance claim, your insurer will review the damage report provided. They may also need to organise an inspection of your property to assess the damage in-person. If you’re making a contents insurance claim, photographs of damage or proof of ownership will be reviewed.
Your insurer may have a preferred network of tradespeople to use should your settlement involve repairs or a rebuild.
Settling a home insurance claim
If your claim is accepted the next step is settlement.
Settlement for building insurance claims can involve a repair, rebuild or cash settlement. Your insurer will work with the homeowners regarding the extent and nature of repairs needed.
Your insurer may have a preferred network of repairers, or you may be able to choose your own.
Any repairs authorised by RACV Insurance come with a lifetime guarantee.
With contents insurance settlement, the contents in question are repaired or restored wherever possible. If it’s not possible, a replacement may be issued or a store credit or cash payout arranged. RACV Contents Insurance offers new for old replacement as standard.
How does my excess affect my home insurance claim?
Excess is a sum of money you contribute to the cost of a claim after it has been accepted. Any excess payable at claim time can be found on your Certificate of Insurance. You may need to pay an excess amount before settlement of the claim can occur.
Tips for making home insurance claims easier
- Familiarise yourself with your home insurance policy, including policy exclusions and your excess amount.
- Keep a home inventory. Revisit this inventory each time you renew your home insurance policy, update it with any new possessions and check that your sum insured is sufficient to repair or replace these items.
- Keep your receipts or take photos of them as this can provide proof of ownership for contents claims.
- Examine the amount you are insured for each time you renew your policy. Consider if you’ve made any changes to your home or contents (such as renovations or new purchases) that could affect whether you are adequately insured.
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
