Question 1

How can I pay for my Home Insurance?

Accepted Answer

There are a number of ways you can pay for your Home Insurance. These are online with your credit/debit card or BPAY (except for Strata Insurance policies), over the counter at your nearest Australian Post Office, through the mail, or by calling us.

Question 2

What happens if my payment is overdue?

Accepted Answer

If you pay your premium by instalments and an instalment is overdue we will let you know, and we can cancel your policy:

by giving you at least 14 days advance notice; or
without prior notice, once an instalment is 1 month (or more) overdue.

It’s always better to contact us if you have any issues meeting payments.

Question 3

My payment didn’t go through – what do I do?

Accepted Answer

If your payment hasn’t gone through, it may be because your credit/debit card details are incorrect. To check them, you’ll need to log into GIO Online Services. From there, you’ll see ‘My policy list’ displayed, from which you can select the policy you want to update/check your details for.

Select ‘Update my policy’, then ‘Change payment Details’. Here you’ll see your current details, and have the option to change them, if necessary.

If this isn’t the reason for your payment failing to go through, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can help you rectify the issue.

Question 4

How do I work out my sum insured?

Accepted Answer

It’s important that you choose the correct sum insured value, so that you will be covered adequately if you ever need to make a claim. It is your responsibility to make sure your home and contents are insured for their full 'new for old' replacement value. That means that if your home is damaged, or your contents are damaged beyond repair or stolen, you will be able to replace or repair your home or contents with new items or new materials regardless of age.

You must make sure your sum insured is accurate not only when you first insure your home and contents, but also each time you renew your policy. It’s also important to review it regularly, being mindful of items purchased recently, and update your sum insured accordingly.

To help you calculate the replacement value of your home and contents, use our Building Calculator and our Contents Calculator.

Question 5

What exactly are 'contents'?

Accepted Answer

Contents are household items that you own or are responsible for and use primarily for domestic purposes. That doesn’t include items permanently attached to your home or insured address (e.g. a unit you own and live in). Your contents can include, but are not limited to:

furniture;
furnishings;
clothing;
home computers and printers;
unfixed electrical goods and appliances not housed in a cabinet;
internal blinds;
drapes and curtains;
carpets and plants in pots; and
medical equipment and aids.

For more information about what is and isn't covered, or about what we consider contents insured in a unit, please read the Home and Contents PDS.

Question 6

How is the cost of Home Insurance (my premium) calculated?

Accepted Answer

Your premium is calculated based on your sum insured (the amount you insure your home and/or contents for) along with many other factors, including:

your circumstances
your home and its contents
the address of the insured home or unit;
the amount you insure your home or contents for (sum insured);
the type of insurance you have chosen (home, contents, or both);
the level of cover you have chosen (Classic, Classic Extras or Platinum);
any optional/additional covers you have chosen;
construction material and other characteristics of the home or unit;
the age of the oldest insured person on your policy;
how the home or unit is occupied; and
the standard excess you choose.

Collectively, these are called premium factors. We use these premium factors to estimate the likelihood of you making a claim. We also consider other factors such as the cost of claims we’ve paid to other customers, claims we expect to pay in the future, changes in taxes, duties or levies, and our cost of doing business.

For more detail, read our Home and Contents Insurance PED guide.

Question 7

What do ‘common contents’ mean when it comes to Strata Insurance?

Accepted Answer

Common contents, which are covered under Strata Insurance, refer to unfixed items that are contained within the common areas of your building. This includes appliances, equipment, furniture, fittings and works of art.

If you’d like some more information about contents in a common area, read the Strata Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) .

Question 8

What is Safety Net Home Protection?

Accepted Answer

Safety Net Home Protection – included in GIO Classic Extras and Platinum cover – provides a financial buffer if the cost of repairing or rebuilding exceeds your sum insured (i.e. 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 to:

repair or replace the home; or
pay you the amount quoted by a member of our builder supplier network to repair or replace the home.

For example:

if your sum insured is $400,000 and you have a 25% Safety Net, you’ll be covered for an additional $100,000 (or $500,000 in total); or
if your sum insured is $400,000 and you have a 30% Safety Net, you’ll be covered for an additional $120,000 (or $520,000 in total).

Question 9

Does GIO cover short term holiday rentals, like Airbnb?

Accepted Answer

The legal liability cover included with GIO Home and Contents Insurance does not extend to liability connected with business activities, such as leasing out rooms through short term rental services like Airbnb. So, for incidents related to that activity — eg, an Airbnb guest injuring themselves while staying at your property — your liability is not covered.
Your legal liability for other incidents is still covered, as long as they’re not connected to you leasing out your room. That is, injury or property damage that may occur to non-paying visitors and guests is still covered — even if it occurs in the room you’re leasing out, but is not related to that activity. For example, if a non-paying visitor happens to injure themselves in the room you usually lease out, your liability would be covered.

Insured events that are not caused by this business activity or a paying guest would still be covered. All other business activity limits & exclusions also apply when using your property for short term rentals.

For more information, please refer to the Home and Contents Insurance PDS.

Question 10

Does GIO Home Insurance cover my holiday home?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you have a holiday home that is only for your personal use and is unoccupied for a majority of the time, you can still insure your property with GIO Home and Contents Insurance. If you make a claim, you will likely need to pay an unoccupied excess.

We will apply the unoccupied excess to each incident covered by your policy (unless the policy states that no excess applies to your claim) if, at the time of the incident, the home or unit has been unoccupied for more than 60 continuous days.

A period of inoccupancy starts when the home or unit becomes unoccupied and comes to an end when you, or someone nominated by you, has occupied the home or unit for at least 2 consecutive nights.

Question 11

Am I covered while my property is being renovated?

Accepted Answer

Our Home and Contents Insurance policies only apply to completed buildings that are being lived in, so we do not cover new buildings during construction. If you are renovating your home or unit, we will not cover any damage or loss that is caused by, arises from or involves those building extensions, alterations or renovations. In particular, we don’t cover:

damage caused by cracking, collapse, subsidence or damage to your home and contents caused fully or partially by the building work;
damage caused by a storm, flood or water entering your home or unit through openings in the walls, roof or other unfinished parts of your home or unit, whether or not they are temporarily covered at the time of the damage;
damage caused by storm or flood to any part that is not fully built;
theft or damage by someone who enters or leaves through an unlockable part of your home or unit;
and malicious damage or vandalism to unfinished parts of your home.

We also don’t cover legal liability caused by or resulting from building, alteration, extension or renovation work, if the total cost of the work is more than $50,000.

Please contact us if you’re commencing building works or renovations at your home, including demolition.

Question 12

Do you cover damage caused by insects, including termites?

Accepted Answer

No, GIO Home and Contents Insurance does not cover loss or damage caused by insects, vermin, or rodents – including termites. If you’d like more information, please refer to the Home and Contents PDS.

Question 13

What happens if an insured item is not at my home when it’s damaged/lost?

Accepted Answer

There are a few reasons your belongings may be damaged or lost while they’re away from home for which we will cover you:

while they’re in transit within Australia, for example, during a relocation to your new permanent address
while they’re in commercial storage
or while they’ve been temporarily removed from your property for up 180 days.

If you’re referring to items that you normally carry with you when you’re away from home – such as your mobile phone, jewellery, camera, bike, or laptop – then these are referred to as ‘Portable Valuables’. Portable Valuables aren’t always automatically covered, but you can add optional cover to your policy for an extra premium.

Question 14

Are my carpets covered?

Accepted Answer

Carpet is covered under GIO Contents Insurance, but not under GIO Home Building Insurance.

Our Contents Insurance policy can cover up to $2,000 per carpet or rug that is hand knotted or hand-woven under Classic Cover, $5,000 under Classic Extras Cover, or up to your general contents sum insured under Platinum Cover.

The cover applies if your carpet is damaged due to an insured event, such as fire (including bushfire), flood or vandalism. View the PDS for more information.

Question 15

What’s the difference between Home Insurance and Contents Insurance?

Accepted Answer

The difference is in whether or not structures and items are attached or not attached to the physical building you are insuring. Home Insurance covers your home, garages, carports, outbuildings, gates and fences, along with any permanently attached fixtures like solar panels, walls, ceilings, and floor coverings for loss or damage caused by a range of insured events at your insured address.

Whereas, Contents Insurance covers only for the loss or damage to the contents in your home caused by insured events. ‘Contents’ are household items that you own or are responsible for and use primarily for domestic purposes. These include things like furniture, furnishings, clothing, unfixed electrical goods, and appliances.

Question 16

How do I compare Home and Contents Insurance?

Accepted Answer

Ultimately, the level of cover you choose, and with who, is up to you. Comparing Home and Contents Insurance should be based on what you need cover for, like home, contents, combined home and contents, strata, or landlord insurance. To compare Home and Contents Insurance, you can:

Check what is automatically covered in each policy you’re considering;
Review any optional/additional covers available;
Get a quote for the policy or policies you’re looking at; and
Compare the quote and what it includes against other quotes you may have received.

Question 17

Does GIO Home and Contents Insurance cover damage caused by pets?

Accepted Answer

No. While coverage is included for damage caused by animals - with some limitations and exclusions, as outlined in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) - that coverage does not extend to damage caused by animals you own or for which you are responsible.

Question 18

How do I update my policy/cover?

Accepted Answer

GIO customers can easily update their policy/cover by logging into GIO Online Services. From there, you’ll see a list of your policies; simply select the policy you want to update and then choose the ‘Update my policy’ tab.

You’ll see various options to choose from for what you can update.

View a video explanation of how to update your policy online.

Question 19

How do I update my address/contact details?

Accepted Answer

You can update your address/contact details easily by logging into GIO Online Services. From there, you’ll see a list of your policies under the heading ‘My policy list’. Select the policy you want to update your address/contact details for, click on ‘Update my policy’ tab, then edit the relevant field.

View a video explanation of how to update your details online.

Question 20

Can I add contents to my home insurance policy?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can. To do so, please contact us.

It’s important that you do so as soon as possible, to make sure that your sum insured (the amount you are covered for) is accurate should you need to make a claim.

Question 21

Can I renew my home insurance online?

Accepted Answer

There are several ways to pay for the renewal of your Home Insurance, including conveniently online with your Visa/MasterCard/American Express card, through your online account, and via BPAY. This applies to all Home and Contents Insurance policies (including Home Building Insurance, Contents Insurance, and Landlord Insurance), except Strata Insurance.

You can also pay for your renewal by visiting your nearest Australia Post Office, through the mail, or over the phone.

Question 22

How do I cancel my policy?

Accepted Answer

We're sorry you're thinking of leaving. To discuss your situation further or to cancel your policy, call us on 13 10 10.

If you do cancel, you may qualify for a refund of the unexpired portion of the premium less any non-refundable government charges. Minimum refunds apply.

Question 23

What is GIO Home Assist?

Accepted Answer

If you have a home emergency at your insured address, we will dispatch a tradesperson for a period of up to two (2) hours to provide assistance (this is referred to as an emergency call-out).

Question 24

What is a home emergency?

Accepted Answer

A home emergency is a sudden and unforeseen incident that occurs to your home (but not your contents) and that requires the urgent attention of a tradesperson.

Question 25

Why can’t I get GIO Home Assist in my area?

Accepted Answer

Some geographical limitations apply to availability of cover. That is, there are certain areas of Australia in which it is not currently available.

Question 26

What types of trades are cover by GIO Home Assist?

Accepted Answer

In the event of a home emergency, GIO Home Assist will be able to dispatch a plumber, an electrician, a locksmith, and/or a carpenter.

Question 27

Can I use my own trades person?

Accepted Answer

No. As part of the agreement, only a qualified GIO Home Assist Tradesperson can be used.

Question 28

How many times can I request an emergency call-out?

Accepted Answer

You are entitled to receive three emergency call-outs during the period of insurance. Additionally, if it is determined that two tradespersons are required to attend to your single home emergency, then two emergency call-outs will be deducted from your entitlement.

Question 29

Is a GIO Home Assist call-out considered a claim

Accepted Answer

No, a GIO Home Assist call-out is not identified as a claim under your policy. Therefore, there is no excess payable for GIO Home Assist.

Question 30

What are the hours of operation for a call-out?

Accepted Answer

GIO Home Assist can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our support team will be able to assess the emergency. Assistance will be provided as quickly as possible, but during certain hours there may be limited availability. The response time will depend on a variety of factors including severity, location, and the level of demand.

Question 31

What is Excess-Free Glass cover?

Accepted Answer

This optional cover will apply in addition to the additional cover ‘Accidental breakage of glass’ which is included in the Home cover only and offers repair or replacement following accidental breakage of:

- fixed glass in windows, doors, skylights and shower screens in your home

- mirrors fixed to your home.

When you have this option and the claim is only for the accidental breakage of the glass mentioned above, we cover the cost to replace it without you having to pay an excess.

Refer to the PDS for more information.

Question 32

Does this also cover the glass frame?

Accepted Answer

We will also cover the frame of any window, door or shower screen, but only if necessary to enable the glass to be replaced.

Refer to the PDS for more information

Question 33

Does it cover if I have a scratch on one of my windows?

Accepted Answer

No, chips and scratches (and any breakage that does not extend through the entire thickness of the damaged item) are excluded.

Refer to the PDS for more information

Question 34

I thought I already had cover for glass breakage under my policy.

Accepted Answer

Yes, accidental glass breakage is automatically covered under your policy. However, when you make a claim, you will need to pay the applicable excess. When you have Excess-Free Glass cover and the breakage relates to the type of fixed glass listed in the optional cover (see question 1 and the PDS), you do not pay an excess when you make a claim.

Refer to the PDS for more information

Question 35

Does this cover any of my contents that contain glass, such as vases, drinking glasses, and TV screen?

Accepted Answer

No. Accidental breakage of glass in or of any contents is excluded under Excess-Free glass cover. It is only available with Home cover.

Refer to the PDS for more information

Question 36

How do I know if I have this cover?

Accepted Answer

If you take out the Excess-Free Glass optional cover, it will appear on your Certificate of Insurance. You will need to pay extra for this optional cover.

Refer to the PDS for more information

Question 37

How do I make a claim?

Accepted Answer

Making a claim can be done online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Question 38

I have damage to my roof and windows from a recent storm. Can I make a claim under Excess-free Glass Cover?

Accepted Answer

No. You can only claim under Excess-free glass cover when the only damage is the accidental breakage of glass listed in the optional cover. You will need to lodge a claim for storm damage, in relation to both the roof and windows. You will need to pay any excess that applies to your policy.

Question 39

I have chosen a higher excess on my building policy in return for a lower premium, but the excess I have chosen is higher than what I think it might cost me to fix a broken window. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

You can take out the Excess-Free Glass cover as part of your Building Insurance. If you have this optional cover and a window in your home is accidentally broken (and that’s the only damage), you can claim under this option and no excess applies. Refer to the PDS for the type of fixed glass that is covered.

Remember you can only claim for the window if there was no damage before you added on the optional cover.

Refer to the PDS for more information

Remember you can only claim for the window if there was no damage before you added on the optional cover.

Refer to the PDS for more information

Home & Contents FAQs

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GIO Home Assist

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