What is covered by my landlord insurance policy

Insurance is about protecting the investment you've worked hard for. You want to be sure you can get it back on track if the unexpected happens.

You can check how the cover works in these common situations, or call 1300 650 255, 8am - 7pm Monday to Friday or 9am - 2pm Saturday (Sydney time).

Is my property covered while my tenants are away on holidays?

Your building and contents will be covered while your property is unoccupied for up to 60 days. If you become aware your property will be unoccupied, you should make sure that during this time your tenants take all reasonable care to ensure that:

All windows and doors are securely locked
The home is under the supervision of a responsible person
Newspapers and mail are collected regularly
Lawns and gardens are kept in a tidy order.

However, call us to advise if your property will be unoccupied for more than 60 consecutive days and we'll advise you if your cover can continue.

Is my home covered during renovations?

You will need to inform us before the building work commences so we can advise you if your home will be covered and whether there is any change to your policy. Building renovation is defined as altering or moving all or part of any wall, floor, foundation, roof or structural component. It includes a new bathroom or kitchen, or extensions such as additional rooms, outdoor entertaining areas, or a second storey.

Am I covered for legal liability, and what is it?

Legal liability means your legal responsibility to pay compensation for causing the following incidents at the insured address:

Injury, illness or death to someone else
Loss or damage to property owned or controlled by someone else.

Legal liability cover is automatically included in all building and/or contents policies and covers you and anyone else covered by your policy, for up to $20 million.

Is my whole property covered?

If you have building cover, it covers residential building(s) on the site which includes structural improvements, fixtures and fittings including:	Building cover doesn’t include:
The basics Walls, doors, windows, fences, gates, decks, patios, balconies, paths and driveways Fixtures and fittings Permanently fixed domestic items, fixtures and fittings e.g. dishwashers installed in a cabinet, wall-mounted air conditioners Fixed wall and floor coverings other than carpets e.g. wallpaper and tiles (carpets are covered under Contents cover) Fixed wall and floor coverings e.g. carpets, wallpaper and tiles, Floorboards, including floating floorboards Fixed internal and external window coverings, including curtains, blinds, awnings and screens Equipment permanently connected to gas, plumbing, sewerage, drainage or electrical systems, or communication installations, in all instances for which you own or are legally responsible for e.g. light fittings, alarm systems, kitchen and bathroom fixtures Solar panels. Home office rooms Rooms within your main residential building(s) used as a home office. Other structures Structures such as garages, carports, sheds and other domestic outbuildings Permanently fixed swimming pools, saunas, spas and tennis courts, including their fixed fittings and fixed accessories Wharves, jetties and pontoons located within the insured site or where the structure begins or terminates on the insured site, provided that the wharf, jetty or pontoon is not publicly accessible by land, and, Tanks that store heating oil, gas or water.	Greenery and outdoor decorations lawn, landscaping, plants, shrubs, trees or potted plants, or Outdoor decorations, or water features Business, farming, or blocks over 40,000 square metres Buildings or structures used for business, trade, professional, occupational or commercial purposes (other than use as a home office, for tutoring or for ad hoc babysitting), Buildings or sites used for farming activity Buildings located on sites exceeding 40,000 square metres. Other Display homes, guest houses, boarding houses, houseboats, caravans, mobile homes (fixed or freestanding), or shipping containers Strata property Common property where the home is part of a strata, group, company or community title plan.

If you have building cover, it covers residential building(s) on the site which includes structural improvements, fixtures and fittings including:

Building cover doesn’t include:

The basics

Walls, doors, windows, fences, gates, decks, patios, balconies, paths and driveways

Fixtures and fittings

Permanently fixed domestic items, fixtures and fittings e.g. dishwashers installed in a cabinet, wall-mounted air conditioners
Fixed wall and floor coverings other than carpets e.g. wallpaper and tiles (carpets are covered under Contents cover)
Fixed wall and floor coverings e.g. carpets, wallpaper and tiles,
Floorboards, including floating floorboards
Fixed internal and external window coverings, including curtains, blinds, awnings and screens
Equipment permanently connected to gas, plumbing, sewerage, drainage or electrical systems, or communication installations, in all instances for which you own or are legally responsible for e.g. light fittings, alarm systems, kitchen and bathroom fixtures
Solar panels.

Home office rooms

Rooms within your main residential building(s) used as a home office.

Other structures

Structures such as garages, carports, sheds and other domestic outbuildings
Permanently fixed swimming pools, saunas, spas and tennis courts, including their fixed fittings and fixed accessories
Wharves, jetties and pontoons located within the insured site or where the structure begins or terminates on the insured site, provided that the wharf, jetty or pontoon is not publicly accessible by land, and,
Tanks that store heating oil, gas or water.

Greenery and outdoor decorations

lawn, landscaping, plants, shrubs, trees or potted plants, or
Outdoor decorations, or water features

Business, farming, or blocks over 40,000 square metres

Buildings or structures used for business, trade, professional, occupational or commercial purposes (other than use as a home office, for tutoring or for ad hoc babysitting),
Buildings or sites used for farming activity
Buildings located on sites exceeding 40,000 square metres.

Other

Display homes, guest houses, boarding houses, houseboats, caravans, mobile homes (fixed or freestanding), or shipping containers

Strata property

Common property where the home is part of a strata, group, company or community title plan.

Is all the furniture and contents I've provided covered?

If you have contents cover, it covers domestic items that you own or are legally responsible for and which you normally keep in a building at the site, up to your sum insured.

However, there are cover limits on artworks, TV, stereos, VCRs, DVD/Blu-ray players and records. Also contents which are outside - which are only covered in Quality Care, not Essential Care.

Contents cover includes:	Contents cover doesn't include:
General household items Furniture, furnishing Kitchenware, manchester, linen Appliances (including unfixed dishwashers) Artwork Fixed wall and floor coverings e.g. carpets, wallpaper and tiles, Floorboards, including floating floorboards Fixed internal and external window coverings, including curtains, blinds, awnings and screens Televisions, stereos, VCRs, DVD/Blu-ray players and records Portable heaters and vacuum cleaners. Outdoor items Lawn mowers (including ride-on) Items designed for use outside which aren’t permanently fixed (Quality Care Only) e.g. above ground swimming pools, mobile BBQ, outdoor furniture. Structural additions and improvements Structural additions and improvements to a home which is part of a strata title plan, which are not otherwise insured under the body corporate or equivalent’s building insurance policy. These may include, but are not limited to internal walls and light fittings, and any fixtures and fittings installed by the insured (e.g.: towel rails, curtain rods).	General household items Clothing and personal effects, toys Jewellery, watches, unset stones and unattached charms Collections and collectibles Firearms Mobile phones, other portable electronic and communication equipment, tablets, desktop and portable computers, and their accessories, Navigational equipment Records or data, stored in a computer CDs, DVDs, Blue-ray discs and computer games, including game consoles and accessories Software and downloaded music, musical instruments Sporting equipment. Items stored at the property and not used by the tenant. Personal aids Wheelchairs, mobility scooters, or Personal portable medical equipment for example insulin pumps, hearing aids, dentures, prosthetics. Guests’ belongings Guests’ or visitors’ belongings. Vehicles Motorised vehicles, go-karts, mini-bikes, trail bikes, caravans or trailers Watercraft, aircraft, drones, micro-lights, hang gliders, and their parts and equipment (including model or toy aircraft) Unattached motor vehicle and marine pleasure craft accessories and parts. Greenery and animals Lawn, landscaping, plants, shrubs, trees Animals. Business items Trade stock and other contents relating to a business Property used in connection with a home office Tools and other equipment of trade. Other Any structure or property that’s included in the definition of building Bullion Any structure or property that is included in the definition of building (unless specified otherwise)

Contents cover includes:

Contents cover doesn't include:

General household items

Furniture, furnishing
Kitchenware, manchester, linen
Appliances (including unfixed dishwashers)
Artwork
Fixed wall and floor coverings e.g. carpets, wallpaper and tiles,
Floorboards, including floating floorboards
Fixed internal and external window coverings, including curtains, blinds, awnings and screens
Televisions, stereos, VCRs, DVD/Blu-ray players and records
Portable heaters and vacuum cleaners.

Outdoor items

Lawn mowers (including ride-on)
Items designed for use outside which aren’t permanently fixed (Quality Care Only) e.g. above ground swimming pools, mobile BBQ, outdoor furniture.

Structural additions and improvements

Structural additions and improvements to a home which is part of a strata title plan, which are not otherwise insured under the body corporate or equivalent’s building insurance policy. These may include, but are not limited to internal walls and light fittings, and
any fixtures and fittings installed by the insured (e.g.: towel rails, curtain rods).

General household items

Clothing and personal effects, toys
Jewellery, watches, unset stones and unattached charms
Collections and collectibles
Firearms
Mobile phones, other portable electronic and communication equipment, tablets, desktop and portable computers, and their accessories,
Navigational equipment
Records or data, stored in a computer
CDs, DVDs, Blue-ray discs and computer games, including game consoles and accessories
Software and downloaded music, musical instruments
Sporting equipment.
Items stored at the property and not used by the tenant.

Personal aids

Wheelchairs, mobility scooters, or
Personal portable medical equipment for example insulin pumps, hearing aids, dentures, prosthetics.

Guests’ belongings

Guests’ or visitors’ belongings.

Vehicles

Motorised vehicles, go-karts, mini-bikes, trail bikes, caravans or trailers
Watercraft, aircraft, drones, micro-lights, hang gliders, and their parts and equipment (including model or toy aircraft)
Unattached motor vehicle and marine pleasure craft accessories and parts.

Greenery and animals

Lawn, landscaping, plants, shrubs, trees
Animals.

Business items

Trade stock and other contents relating to a business
Property used in connection with a home office
Tools and other equipment of trade.

Other

Any structure or property that’s included in the definition of building
Bullion
Any structure or property that is included in the definition of building (unless specified otherwise)

Do I need to keep an inventory or proof of my contents?

As a landlord, it's particularly important to keep records of the furnishings and items you've provided for your tenants, and any documents that prove their value, in case you need to make a claim.

Who is covered by my policy?

Your policy covers anyone named as 'the insured' in your policy schedule or anyone who has an interest in the property.

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Things you should know

The information contained in this article is general information only and is not specific to any product.

It does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and so you should consider its appropriateness, having regard to your personal objectives, financial situation and needs to these factors before acting on it.

Terms, conditions and exclusions apply to any insurance product. Please read the disclosure documents for your selected product or service, including the Terms and Conditions or Product Disclosure Statement, before deciding.

Westpac Retail and Business Banking Financial Services Guide, Credit Guide and Privacy Statement (PDF 89KB)

Landlord Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (applicable to policies issued or renewed on or after 5 April 2021) (PDF 428KB)

Landlord Insurance Product Disclosure Statement and Supplementary Product Disclosure Statement (applicable to policies issued or renewed in the period between 1 July 2019 and 4 April 2021) (PDF 349KB)

Landlord Insurance is issued by Westpac General Insurance Limited ABN 99 003 719 319 (except workers compensation cover where applicable). Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 distributes the insurance, but does not guarantee the insurance. This information does not take into account your personal circumstances. Read the Product Disclosure Statement to see if this insurance is right for you.