A simple home maintenance checklist
Use this simple checklist to keep your home well-maintained and help prevent unnecessary damage from severe weather events.
Use this simple checklist to keep your home well-maintained and help prevent unnecessary damage from severe weather events.
4-minute read
Are you a DIY guru? Or do you struggle to work out which type of screwdriver to use? Either way, keeping on top of general home repairs and maintenance is an important part of owning a home.
It may also be a necessary part of any home and contents insurance cover as, while the cover can provide a level of protection against the damage caused by certain events such as storms, fires and floods, it may not cover damage caused by general wear and tear or neglect. So if your home isn’t in a good state of repair, you may encounter problems when making a claim as the damage has occurred from poor maintenance and upkeep, which could have been prevented.
So, if you're not sure what routine maintenance is required for your home, we've put together some tips that could help you create a home repairs and maintenance checklist.
Whatever the season, there’s always something to do when it comes to looking after your home. Regularly maintaining your property could help avoid any unexpected breakdowns or an expensive repair due to unnecessary neglect.
Keeping on top of potential sources of water damage is important, as your home insurance may not cover all types of water leaks and damage. Whether it's a small damp patch or a large area of mould, both indicate a potential problem that might be resolved if it's detected early. Here are some things you might want to consider as a starting point:
You have a responsibility to ensure your home remains safe and secure. Your home insurance is unlikely to cover damage or theft that's caused by neglect.
It's a surprising statistic, but electrical appliances and faults cause almost 40% of house fires. By making frequent checks of your appliances and equipment to look for signs of wear and tear, you could minimise the risk of this happening to you.
Damage caused to your home by insects like termites is generally considered “preventable damage” by insurers. This means it's your responsibility to monitor and treat your home to avoid infestations from pests and insects.
Don’t forget to look after the external parts of your home too. Your building insurance policy typically covers your home, garage and other lockable buildings on the property, so it’s up to you to ensure they are appropriately maintained and secure.
No one wants to see water running through their home, whether it's from a flood or defective plumbing. But water damage is, unfortunately, a frequent reason for claims made on home and contents insurance policies. Often accidental or sudden in nature, water damage can occur from liquid that bursts, leaks or overflows from an appliance or plumbing in your home.
As a homeowner, you’re responsible for maintaining appliances, plumbing pipes and hoses around your home. Plumbing issues in the form of cracked or leaking pipes can also cause water damage. If a water leak is due to damage that's gradually occurred over time, your insurer may consider this is neglect and consequently not cover it under your home insurance policy. You should always read the Product Disclosure Statement for your home and contents insurance policies to see what's covered and what's not.
If you suffer damage to your property, your first thought is probably to clear up any mess as soon as possible. However, if you think you'll need to make a claim on your home insurance, make sure you take photos of the damage and its source (if you know it) before you start cleaning.
This could help you prove the extent of the damage to your insurer. It may also make it easier for your insurer to validate your claim and get the claims process underway.
Depending on the extent and scope of the damage, a claim may involve an assessor or repairer visiting your house. Based on their assessment, if your damage claim is accepted by the insurer, they will work with you to discuss the relevant repairs, replacement goods or payment.
Even with the best preparation, you can’t prevent insurable events from occurring, especially if they're due to extreme weather. But keeping up with a regular maintenance schedule may provide some comfort that, if you do experience an event where your home is damaged, or your belongings are stolen, it's less likely that your home and contents insurance claim may be declined due to neglect.
We suggest you always read the PDS from your home and contents insurance provider to understand your level of insurance cover and your responsibilities under the policy.
Take a look to see if Westpac offers a home insurance product, issued by Allianz, that could be a good choice for your situation.
This information is general in nature and has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. The information is not advice, recommendation or opinion on any products or services provided by Westpac or third parties. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness for the information to your own circumstances and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice. For more information on any specific products or services distributed or provided by Westpac, you may wish to read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. To see some of the events covered and not covered, please refer to our Key Fact Sheets (KFS).
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