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What is Owner Builders Insurance?

Liability Insurance Contractor Insurance Owner Builders Insurance

If you’re about to embark on building your own home yourself or planning on an extension or renovation of an existing home without a registered builder, you’re considered an Owner Builder. You need to consider a specific sort of insurance to protect your physical build and materials, as well as your Public Liability exposure.

What sort of insurance does an Owner Builder need?

There are a couple of important aspects to the insurance you need to consider as an Owner Builder;

Construction (property) cover

This provides cover for a variety of insured perils like theft, vandalism, fire, storm and wind, water damage etc (and in some policies, accidental damage) to the physical building in progress (called the “contract works”) and the materials on-site. This can also include any minor and major plant and equipment if not insured separately, as well as your tools and other equipment related to the build.

Public Liability cover

This covers your liability exposure on-site as the property owner and principal contractor or project manager, for any claims of third party injury or property damage as a result of your negligence. As the Owner Builder, you are considered responsible for all sub-contractors and visitors on-site and each insurance company will have different guidelines around how this impacts your exposure and premium. As a general matter of good business practice, you should always ensure you obtain copies of all sub-contractors own Public Liability insurance as well as their workers compensation insurance Certificates of Currency.

Pre-Existing Property cover

If you’re renovating or extending an existing property that is insured under a standard Home and Contents insurance, you need to let your insurers know of your plans and the value of the extension or renovation.

All Home and Contents insurance policies have limits on the value of building works on the property that they won’t cover above (usually in the region of $70,000). At this point, you may also have issues with insuring your contents, especially if there will be openings to the roof or walls where security or weather-tightness is compromised.

If your Home and Contents policy won’t cover the build as it is over their limit, cover for the pre-existing structure (i.e. the original part of the house not being extended or renovated) needs to be arranged elsewhere.

Owner Builder Contract Works Insurance

Luckily there are insurers out there that combine all of the above into one policy, that will cover your build for damage from insured perils, your liability, and your pre-existing property if required, under the one policy.

Voluntary Workers

Voluntary Workers Insurance. Get protection in minutes. Protection for when the unexpected happens

Details Get a quote

Management Liability Insurance

Management Liability insurance is designed to provide protection to both the business and its directors or officers for claims of wrongful acts in the management of the business.

Details Get Quote

Public Liability Insurance

Public Liability insurance is there to provide protection if someone makes a claim against the insured, the business or its employees.

Details Get Quote

Owner Builder Insurance is important to get right as there are numerous considerations at play. Working with an experienced broker will mean getting the right mix and ensuring all aspects of your project are protected, giving you peace of mind so you can focus on the build.

General Advice Warning: This advice is general and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the advice is appropriate for you and your personal circumstances. Before you make any decision about whether to acquire a certain product, you should obtain and read the relevant product disclosure statement.

All information above has been provided by the author.

Laura Meyer, MeyerInsure, ABN 87 340 928 486, AFSL 233750

This article originally appeared on MeyerInsure - Blog and has been published here with permission.