Home and Contents Insurance

Cover your home and belongings under one policy, backed by nearly 100 years of experience insuring Australian homes.

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What is home and contents insurance and how does it work?

Home and contents Insurance combines Building Insurance and Contents Insurance into one policy. That’s cover for your home and the things inside it if they’re damaged or destroyed by an insured event, such as flood, storm, fire, and theft.

To learn more about what is and isn’t covered, including limitations, read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

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WHY GIO

Why Choose GIO Home Building Insurance

With decade of experience, GIO understands the unique risks Australian homes face, from floods and storms to bushfires.

 

24/7 Claims

Lodge and track claims any time, from anywhere.

 

Guaranteed workmanship

We guarantee the quality of work on repairs we authorise.

 

Local knowledge and claims team

99 years insuring homes across NSW and Australia.

GIO Home and Contents Insurance Coverage options

We have three levels of coverage available, so you can choose the policy that suits your needs. 

Classic

Designed for homeowners seeking essential cover for their home and belongings.

Temporary accommodation when you have home cover

If your home is damaged and can’t be lived in due to an incident covered by your policy, we’ll cover the reasonable and necessary temporary accommodation costs for both you and your pets while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. Our maximum payout for any one incident is 10% of the home sum insured with Classic and Classic Extras cover and 15% of the home sum insured with Platinum cover. Further cover may be available during delays outside of your control when we have appointed a builder to rebuild or repair. Any payment for temporary accommodation is on top of your sum insured, so won't take away from how much you'll have available to rebuild or repair your home. Please read the PDS for details.

Theft or burglary

Theft or burglary occurs when someone enters the insured address without your consent and steals or intends to steal items. We don't cover loss or damage caused by anyone living or staying at the address or by anyone with consent to be at the property. See PDS for details.

Fire (including bushfire)

Fire is considered burning with flames and includes damage from heat, ash, soot and smoke that is the direct result of a fire within 100 metres of the insured address. Arcing, scorching and cigarette burns are not fire damage unless a fire spreads from the initial burn spot.

There is no cover for bushfire in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. See PDS for details.

Storm

Storm means a storm, cyclone or severe atmospheric disturbance. It can be accompanied by strong winds, rain, lightning, hail, snow or dust. Damage caused by the sea is not considered "storm damage" on its own but is covered if it happens at the same time as damage by the storm.

No bushfire, storm or flood cover in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. Actions or movements of the sea and storm surge are not covered (unless the storm surge damage occurs at the same time as damage caused by storm). Limits and exclusions apply. See PDS for details.

Flood

Flood means the covering of normally dry land by water that has escaped or been released from the normal confines of things like a lake, river, or other natural watercourse. It doesn't include high tides, waves and other movements of the sea, or storm surges, and we don't cover loss or damage to retaining walls, sea walls, garden borders and free-standing outdoor walls.

There is no cover for flood in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. Actions or movements of the sea and storm surge are not covered (unless the storm surge damage occurs at the same time as damage caused by storm). See PDS for details.

Environmental improvements (Home cover only)

This covers the purchase and installation of environmental improvements like a rainwater tank, solar system or compost equipment.

This only applies if loss or damage to your home caused by an insured event is covered, the assessed quote for the damage is more than 80% of your home sum insured, and your home doesn't already have the environmental improvements.

Accidental damage at home

This covers you if you lose, break or damage something accidentally at your home, for example by dropping, knocking over or spilling something without intent.

This cover can be applied to home or contents covers. See PDS for full details.

Motor burnout

Covers the cost to repair or replace electric motors, entire sealed units or pool pumps where the motor is equal to or less than 10 years old. More information is available in the PDS.

Safety net home protection

This provides a buffer if the cost of repairing or rebuilding exceeds the amount you insured your home for.

If your claim is covered we will pay up to a further percentage of the home sum insured towards either:

  • repair or rebuild of the home by our builder, when our builder is repairing or rebuilding
  • the amount of our builder’s assessed quote to repair or rebuild the home, when your claim is being settled on this basis
  • the amount of your builder’s assessed quote, when your claim is being settled on this basis.

See PDS for details.

Damage to gardens and plants (Home cover only)

If a claim is covered for loss or damage to your home, we'll pay the cost to replace trees, shrubs, plants, hedges or garden beds that are damaged by the same insured event, with ones that we consider are reasonably similar. This doesn't include damage to lawns, grass or pot plants and excludes damage caused by a storm, storm surge, flood or escape of liquid.

Most Popular

Classic Extras

Designed for homeowners seeking broader cover with included covers like Accidental damage and Motor burnout.

Temporary accommodation when you have home cover

If your home is damaged and can’t be lived in due to an incident covered by your policy, we’ll cover the reasonable and necessary temporary accommodation costs for both you and your pets while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. Our maximum payout for any one incident is 10% of the home sum insured with Classic and Classic Extras cover and 15% of the home sum insured with Platinum cover. Further cover may be available during delays outside of your control when we have appointed a builder to rebuild or repair. Any payment for temporary accommodation is on top of your sum insured, so won't take away from how much you'll have available to rebuild or repair your home. Please read the PDS for details.

Theft or burglary

Theft or burglary occurs when someone enters the insured address without your consent and steals or intends to steal items. We don't cover loss or damage caused by anyone living or staying at the address or by anyone with consent to be at the property. See PDS for details.

Fire (including bushfire)

Fire is considered burning with flames and includes damage from heat, ash, soot and smoke that is the direct result of a fire within 100 metres of the insured address. Arcing, scorching and cigarette burns are not fire damage unless a fire spreads from the initial burn spot.

There is no cover for bushfire in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. See PDS for details.

Storm

Storm means a storm, cyclone or severe atmospheric disturbance. It can be accompanied by strong winds, rain, lightning, hail, snow or dust. Damage caused by the sea is not considered "storm damage" on its own but is covered if it happens at the same time as damage by the storm.

No bushfire, storm or flood cover in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. Actions or movements of the sea and storm surge are not covered (unless the storm surge damage occurs at the same time as damage caused by storm). Limits and exclusions apply. See PDS for details.

Environmental improvements (Home cover only)

This covers the purchase and installation of environmental improvements like a rainwater tank, solar system or compost equipment.

This only applies if loss or damage to your home caused by an insured event is covered, the assessed quote for the damage is more than 80% of your home sum insured, and your home doesn't already have the environmental improvements.

Accidental damage at home

This covers you if you lose, break or damage something accidentally at your home, for example by dropping, knocking over or spilling something without intent.

This cover can be applied to home or contents covers. See PDS for full details.

Motor burnout

Covers the cost to repair or replace electric motors, entire sealed units or pool pumps where the motor is equal to or less than 10 years old. More information is available in the PDS.

Safety net home protection

This provides a buffer if the cost of repairing or rebuilding exceeds the amount you insured your home for.

If your claim is covered we will pay up to a further percentage of the home sum insured towards either:

  • repair or rebuild of the home by our builder, when our builder is repairing or rebuilding
  • the amount of our builder’s assessed quote to repair or rebuild the home, when your claim is being settled on this basis
  • the amount of your builder’s assessed quote, when your claim is being settled on this basis.

See PDS for details.

Damage to gardens and plants (Home cover only)

If a claim is covered for loss or damage to your home, we'll pay the cost to replace trees, shrubs, plants, hedges or garden beds that are damaged by the same insured event, with ones that we consider are reasonably similar. This doesn't include damage to lawns, grass or pot plants and excludes damage caused by a storm, storm surge, flood or escape of liquid.

Cover for portable valuables (Contents cover only)

Provides cover for items normally carried with you away from home like your mobile phone, jewellery, camera, tablet or laptop.

Platinum

May suit homeowners looking for greater reassurance in their level of cover.

Temporary accommodation when you have home cover

If your home is damaged and can’t be lived in due to an incident covered by your policy, we’ll cover the reasonable and necessary temporary accommodation costs for both you and your pets while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. Our maximum payout for any one incident is 10% of the home sum insured with Classic and Classic Extras cover and 15% of the home sum insured with Platinum cover. Further cover may be available during delays outside of your control when we have appointed a builder to rebuild or repair. Any payment for temporary accommodation is on top of your sum insured, so won't take away from how much you'll have available to rebuild or repair your home. Please read the PDS for details.

Theft or burglary

Theft or burglary occurs when someone enters the insured address without your consent and steals or intends to steal items. We don't cover loss or damage caused by anyone living or staying at the address or by anyone with consent to be at the property. See PDS for details.

Fire (including bushfire)

Fire is considered burning with flames and includes damage from heat, ash, soot and smoke that is the direct result of a fire within 100 metres of the insured address. Arcing, scorching and cigarette burns are not fire damage unless a fire spreads from the initial burn spot.

There is no cover for bushfire in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. See PDS for details.

Storm

Storm means a storm, cyclone or severe atmospheric disturbance. It can be accompanied by strong winds, rain, lightning, hail, snow or dust. Damage caused by the sea is not considered "storm damage" on its own but is covered if it happens at the same time as damage by the storm.

No bushfire, storm or flood cover in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. Actions or movements of the sea and storm surge are not covered (unless the storm surge damage occurs at the same time as damage caused by storm). Limits and exclusions apply. See PDS for details.

Environmental improvements (Home cover only)

This covers the purchase and installation of environmental improvements like a rainwater tank, solar system or compost equipment.

This only applies if loss or damage to your home caused by an insured event is covered, the assessed quote for the damage is more than 80% of your home sum insured, and your home doesn't already have the environmental improvements.

Accidental damage at home

This covers you if you lose, break or damage something accidentally at your home, for example by dropping, knocking over or spilling something without intent.

This cover can be applied to home or contents covers. See PDS for full details.

Motor burnout

Covers the cost to repair or replace electric motors, entire sealed units or pool pumps where the motor is equal to or less than 10 years old. More information is available in the PDS.

Safety net home protection

This provides a buffer if the cost of repairing or rebuilding exceeds the amount you insured your home for.

If your claim is covered we will pay up to a further percentage of the home sum insured towards either:

  • repair or rebuild of the home by our builder, when our builder is repairing or rebuilding
  • the amount of our builder’s assessed quote to repair or rebuild the home, when your claim is being settled on this basis
  • the amount of your builder’s assessed quote, when your claim is being settled on this basis.

See PDS for details.

Damage to gardens and plants (Home cover only)

If a claim is covered for loss or damage to your home, we'll pay the cost to replace trees, shrubs, plants, hedges or garden beds that are damaged by the same insured event, with ones that we consider are reasonably similar. This doesn't include damage to lawns, grass or pot plants and excludes damage caused by a storm, storm surge, flood or escape of liquid.

Cover for portable valuables (Contents cover only)

Provides cover for items normally carried with you away from home like your mobile phone, jewellery, camera, tablet or laptop.

We don’t provide cover for bushfire, storm, storm surge, flood or tsunami in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. Read the relevant PDS for full details on limits, exclusions and conditions.

Add optional covers to your policy.

For an additional premium, our optional covers can help with everything from excess-free glass claims to providing emergency home assistance.

 

GIO Home Assist

Get help fast in the event of a home emergency. Plumbers, electricians, locksmiths or carpenters can be arranged when you need urgent attention at home.

T&Cs apply.

 

Excess-Free Glass Cover

Accidently broken windows, shower screens or skylights? We'll offer cover for the cost to replace glass without you paying an excess.^

 

Safety Net Home Protection

Rebuild costs exceeding your sum insured? With Safety Net Home Protection we pay a further percentage of your sum insured towards repairing or rebuilding the home.^

 

Accidental damage at home

This covers you if you lose, break or damage something accidentally at your home for example by dropping, knocking over or spilling something without intent.

Not sure how much to insure for?

Your ‘sum insured’ should be enough to rebuild your entire home, including sheds, patios, fencing and driveways. 

Use our calculators to help estimate your home's rebuild cost and provide you with an estimated sum insured for the replacement value of your contents.

Why combine home and contents insurance?

Combining your home and contents insurance may help reduce gaps in cover and simplifies your policy with one insurer, one premium, and one excess.

If you’re an owner-occupier

As an owner-occupier, you’re responsible for:

  • repairing or rebuilding the home, and
  • replacing your contents (including carpets).

A GIO Home and Contents combined policy can cover both risks under one policy, potentially reducing gaps in cover. 

Example: If a bushfire destroys your home structure and contents, you only need to make one claim and only one excess will apply (the highest of the two).

If you want to manage your policy easily

When you combine your home and contents insurance, you only have:

  • one insurer
  • one renewal date
  • one policy document, and
  • one excess per event.

This matters most after major events like:

  • fire, including bushfire
  • flood
  • storm, and
  • burglary with damage to the building.

Do I need home and contents Insurance?

You may need home and contents insurance if you own the home you live in and want to cover your home building and belongings from insured events.

Are you a homeowner with a mortgage?

Most lenders require building insurance when you take out a mortgage. GIO Home and Contents Insurance offers cover for both your home building and what’s inside it in one policy.

Are you an owner‑occupier and have paid off your mortgage?

Even if your mortgage is paid off, repair and rebuild costs can be high. GIO Home and Contents Insurance can cover you for that and your belongings after insured events.

Are you a landlord?

If you rent out your property, GIO Landlord Insurance can help cover the building you own as well as fixtures and fittings. It can also help with costs if your investment property is damaged by insured events.

Are you renting?

Your landlord is responsible for their building’s insurance requirements. However, it’s up to you to get cover for your own belongings. For that, consider GIO Contents Insurance.

FAQS

People also ask

Important information

^Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. Read the PDS for more information.

*Discount is applied before government taxes and charges. Discount does not apply to GIO Roadside Assist, GIO Home Assist or Excess-free Glass optional covers, if applicable.

In the know

Know more about Home Insurance

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Storm surge

Storm surge means a rush of water onshore associated with a low pressure system and caused by strong winds pushing on the ocean’s surface. It does not include actions or movement of the sea. The Loss or damage caused by storm surge must happen at the same time as the other insured damage caused by storm.

Flood

Flood means the covering of normally dry land by water that has escaped or been released from the normal confines of things like a lake, river or other natural watercourse. It doesn't include high tides, waves and other movements of the sea, or storm surges, and we don't cover loss or damage to retaining walls, sea walls, garden borders and free-standing outdoor walls.

Storm

We do not cover loss or damage caused by actions or movements of the sea even if they occur during a storm, flood or storm surge.

Lightning

Lightning, including associated power surges, will be covered providing a qualified repairer gives written confirmation to show lightning as the cause of loss or damage and the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology has a record of lightning in the area.

Fire (including bushfire)

Fire is considered burning with flames and also includes damage from heat, ash, soot and smoke that is the direct result of a fire within 100 metres of the insured address. Arcing, scorching and cigarette burns are not fire damage unless a fire spreads from the initial burn spot.

If there is a bushfire in your area, we will also cover the extra costs of replacing water in any tank, container, pool, spa or other storage vessel that has been used to limit the spread of bushfires in your area, and the cost of cleaning any fire retardant off your home. The most we will pay under this extra costs cover is $1,000 for any one incident.

Earthquake and Tsunami

We cover damage caused in the first 72 hours after an earthquake or tsunami. A tsunami is not considered an action or movement of the sea.

Theft or burglary

Theft or burglary occurs when someone enters the insured address without your consent and steals or intends to steal items. We don't cover loss or damage caused by anyone living at the address.

Escape of liquid

This covers loss or damage caused by sudden and unexpected liquid escaping from certain appliances, fixed pipes, drains and more.

We also cover loss or damage caused by liquid escaping from these items that has occurred gradually when the loss or damage that was occurring wasn’t easily visible to a reasonable person in the circumstances.

We do not cover the cost of fixing the item from which the liquid escaped, or loss or damage caused by liquid from a portable container. Other exclusions apply. See the PDS for more details on what we do and don't cover.

Impact

We cover damage which occurs at the insured address when hit by an object such as a tree, car and even space debris. It doesn't cover trees being cut back, cut down or moved by you or for you.

Temporary accommodation for tenants and strata title owners

If you can't live in your home or unit while it's being repaired or rebuilt as a result of it being damaged by an insured event, we’ll pay your reasonable temporary accommodation costs for you and your pets that you normally keep at the insured address. If you're a tenant who needs to temporarily move out, then we’ll pay for any reasonable extra rent costs for temporary accommodation. The most we'll pay for any one incident under this cover is 10% of your general contents sum insured. Conditions and exclusions apply, see the PDS for details.

Contents in commercial storage (Contents cover only)

If you have contents in a secure commercial storage facility we'll cover them during the period of insurance for loss or damage by an insured event as long as the facility is lockable, only accessible by you or someone authorised by you, and is fully enclosed by walls (including doors), floor and roof. Please read the PDS for limits and exclusions.

Cover for contents while moving to a new address (Contents cover only)

If you have contents cover and you’re permanently moving to a new address in Australia, we’ll cover your contents while they are being moved, for loss or damage during the period of insurance caused by:

  • fire
  • flood
  • collision, overturning, accident, or theft of the vehicle carrying them.

Damage to gardens and plants (Home cover only)

If a claim is covered for loss or damage to your home, we'll pay the cost to replace trees, shrubs, plants, hedges or garden beds that are damaged by the same insured event, with ones that we consider are reasonably similar. This doesn't include damage to lawns, grass or pot plants and excludes damage caused by a storm, storm surge, flood or escape of liquid.

Flood

‘Flood’ means the covering of normally dry land by water that has escaped or been released from the normal confines of a lake, dam, river etc. We do not cover loss or damage to retaining walls, sea walls, garden borders and free standing outdoor walls. Please check the PDS for more information on what constitutes a ‘flood’.

Safety net home protection

This provides a buffer if the cost of repairing or rebuilding exceeds the amount you insured your home for.

If your claim is covered we will pay up to a further percentage of the home sum insured towards either:

  • repair or rebuild of the home by our builder, when our builder is repairing or rebuilding
  • the amount of our builder’s assessed quote to repair or rebuild the home, when your claim is being settled on this basis
  • the amount of your builder’s assessed quote, when your claim is being settled on this basis.

See PDS for details.

Excess-free Glass cover (Home cover only)

You can add Excess-Free Glass cover to cover accidental breakage of fixed glass in windows, doors, skylights, shower screens as well as mirrors fixed to your home and other fixed glass. We cover the cost to replace that glass without you having to pay an excess. See PDS for details.

Accidental damage at home

This covers you if you lose, break or damage something accidentally at your home, for example by dropping, knocking over or spilling something without intent.

This cover can be applied to home or contents covers. See PDS for full details.

Motor burnout

Covers the cost to repair or replace electric motors, entire sealed units or pool pumps where the motor is equal to or less than 10 years old. More information is available in the PDS.

Fire (including bushfire)

Fire is considered burning with flames and includes damage from heat, ash, soot and smoke that is the direct result of a fire within 100 metres of the insured address. Arcing, scorching and cigarette burns are not fire damage unless a fire spreads from the initial burn spot.

There is no cover for bushfire in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. See PDS for details.

Flood

Flood means the covering of normally dry land by water that has escaped or been released from the normal confines of things like a lake, river, or other natural watercourse. It doesn't include high tides, waves and other movements of the sea, or storm surges, and we don't cover loss or damage to retaining walls, sea walls, garden borders and free-standing outdoor walls.

There is no cover for flood in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. Actions or movements of the sea and storm surge are not covered (unless the storm surge damage occurs at the same time as damage caused by storm). See PDS for details.

Storm

Storm means a storm, cyclone or severe atmospheric disturbance. It can be accompanied by strong winds, rain, lightning, hail, snow or dust. Damage caused by the sea is not considered "storm damage" on its own but is covered if it happens at the same time as damage by the storm.

No bushfire, storm or flood cover in the first 72 hours of your policy. Very limited exceptions apply. Actions or movements of the sea and storm surge are not covered (unless the storm surge damage occurs at the same time as damage caused by storm). Limits and exclusions apply. See PDS for details.

Theft or burglary

Theft or burglary occurs when someone enters the insured address without your consent and steals or intends to steal items. We don't cover loss or damage caused by anyone living or staying at the address or by anyone with consent to be at the property. See PDS for details.

Temporary accommodation when you have home cover

If your home is damaged and can’t be lived in due to an incident covered by your policy, we’ll cover the reasonable and necessary temporary accommodation costs for both you and your pets while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. Our maximum payout for any one incident is 10% of the home sum insured with Classic and Classic Extras cover and 15% of the home sum insured with Platinum cover. Further cover may be available during delays outside of your control when we have appointed a builder to rebuild or repair. Any payment for temporary accommodation is on top of your sum insured, so won't take away from how much you'll have available to rebuild or repair your home. Please read the PDS for details.

Cover for portable valuables (Contents cover only)

Provides cover for items normally carried with you away from home like your mobile phone, jewellery, camera, tablet or laptop.

Environmental improvements (Home cover only)

This covers the purchase and installation of environmental improvements like a rainwater tank, solar system or compost equipment.

This only applies if loss or damage to your home caused by an insured event is covered, the assessed quote for the damage is more than 80% of your home sum insured, and your home doesn't already have the environmental improvements.