How to make a home insurance claim

Last updated: 15 July 2026

Follow some logical steps to claim on your home and contents insurance, to help make the claims process smoother.

Useful actions you can take

Home building insurance covers the cost of rebuilding or repairing your home when something goes wrong. When you need to make a claim, your insurer must handle your claim efficiently and fairly.  

Most insurers will have simple online instructions to step you through what to expect when you make a claim. So, if you have internet access, head to their website or app to check what to do first.

Below are some useful actions that can help make the claims process smoother.

Do a quick review of your insurance policy

If you have time, have a quick read of your insurance policy, to refresh yourself on what is – and isn’t – included in your cover.

Write a list of any questions you want to ask your insurer, so that you don’t forget them when you call. Some questions you might want to ask at the outset include:

What will my excess be? The excess is the amount of an insurance claim that you have to pay, before the insurer pays the balance. The amount will be specified in your insurance policy. If you choose to settle the claim through a cash settlement, the excess will be taken from the total amount of the cash settlement that is made to you.

Do you provide temporary accommodation? Ask your insurer about temporary housing or accommodation if your home has been destroyed, or damage has made it unliveable.

Do you have preferred repairers, or can I chose my own? Many insurers have preferred repairers and suppliers and can arrange repairs for you. You may also have the option to choose your own preferred repairers. You can also choose a cash settlement where the insurer will pay you a lump sum to settle the claim and you can arrange your own repairs. However, there may be risks to this option.

Contact your insurer

Contact your insurer as soon as practical after the event happens, even if you don’t know the full extent of the damage yet. Some types of policies may have time limits to lodge a claim.

Ideally, have your policy number handy when you contact them, to speed up the process.

If the damage is caused by criminal activity, contact the police as well.

If the event is part of a wider natural disaster, you may find that your insurer’s phone lines are busy. Lodging your claim online via their website or app could speed up the lodgement process.

Take lots of photos and videos 

The insurer will assess the claim, but it’s good to have your own photos and videos as a record of the damage.  

Sometimes you might need to do some minimal repairs before your insurer has started their process (like boarding up a door or throwing out waterlogged carpet). Before you move anything, take photos and videos of the original damaged state. 

Start the claim

Ask your insurer to give you details about the key features of your insurance, including inclusions and exclusions, excesses, and sums insured.  

Your insurer will review your claim to see if your policy covers the event or circumstances you’re claiming for. 

Your insurer may be a subscriber to the Insurance Council of Australia’s General Insurance Code of Practice. This sets out what insurers should do when handling your claim and includes timeframes for making a decision and keeping you updated.

• If you make a claim, your insurer will respond within 10 business days. They will let you know within this timeframe if they need more information, and what that information is.
• They will tell you about the progress of your claim at least every 20 business days.
• The insurer will (except for a few circumstances) make a decision within 4 months of receiving the claim.

Get assessment and decision

The nature of your claim will determine how long it takes for your insurer to make a claim decision. For example, if your claim is more complex and needs specialist reports, the decision may take longer.   

If your home has been damaged or destroyed, the insurer may appoint a Loss Assessor or Loss Adjuster to assess your claim. They’ll tell you within 5 business days of appointing that person and let you know what their role is.   

Reports from specialists like a Hydrologist or Engineer may be needed to assess your claim. If your insurer engages an external expert, they’ll ask for the report to be provided in 12 weeks. If that timeframe is not met, the insurer will let you know and keep you updated.

If your claim is denied

If your claim is denied, the insurer must provide in writing:

• what part of your claim they did not accept
• the reasons for their decision
• your right to ask for copies of any reports they relied on to make their decision
• how you can complain about their decision

If you ask for copies of reports used to assess your claim, your insurer must send them to you within 10 business days.

Claims after a natural disaster

If your claim is because of a natural disaster, and was finalised within one month of the event, you have the right to ask for a review. You have 12 months from the date of finalisation of your claim to request this if you think the assessment of your loss was not complete or accurate.

You can do this even you have agreed to the settlement, including if you have agreed to a cash settlement.  

You can complain to your insurer if you are not satisfied with how your claim is progressing. See how to complain for the steps you can take.

Review the scope of works

If your claim is approved, and involves rebuilding or repairs, you will get a written report. This is known as a 'scope of works' or 'statement of works'.

This sets out the repair or rebuild work that will be done, and the products that will be used.

You should check:

• what will be repaired or replaced
• what won't be repaired or replaced
• the materials being used
• any dependencies on the work being done. For example, you may need to pay for repairs not covered by your policy before work covered by your insurance starts.

Contact your insurer if you need more detail or aren't happy with what's in the statement of works.

If you can't come to an agreement, you can ask for your claim to go to the insurer's internal complaints team.

Repair, rebuild, or cash settlement

To settle your claim, your insurer may offer to:

• handle the repairs or rebuild of your home
• offer you a cash settlement, or
• a combination of both.

Insurer managed repair or rebuild

If your insurer is managing the repair or rebuild, they will project-manage the work for you, including:

• notifying you of the construction schedule
• arranging trades such as builders, electricians, or plumbers
• managing local council approvals, if required.

Your insurer will manage communication between all parties and oversee the work. Your insurer is responsible for the quality of work and materials used by anyone directly authorised by them.

You can complain to your insurer about builders or other contractors if their conduct or work completed doesn’t meet your needs.

Cash settlement

By opting for a cash settlement, you are responsible for managing the repair or rebuild process yourself. This includes: 

• sourcing and managing contractors and  
• arranging building approvals, if required.  

While this allows you more choice in the process, there are risks with accepting a cash settlement. Before you accept a cash settlement, carefully consider what it covers, whether the amount will be enough to get the repairs done and whether you have the time to find your own repairers and manage the repair. 

 Learn more about how cash settlements work.

Need to review your home insurance? Learn more about choosing home insurance and how to avoid being underinsured.