What Type of Insurance Do I Need for One Side of a NSW Duplex?

jellykingdom on 30/11/2021 - 08:21
Last edited 30/11/2021 - 08:53

We're moving into a duplex soon (one side for us, and the other is already owned and occupied) but I honestly can't work out the situation with the home insurance. Hoping someone with some experience can help. I plan to also ring around insurance companies today and try to piece it together but figure first hand knowledge is also useful

  • Do we need any strata/body corporate type arrangement? Since we share a common wall
  • I punched the details into Compare the Meerkat yesterday, and it asks for the replacement value of the home. That is already a bit of a difficult one but am I supposed to allow for 2x my property value, i.e replace their place too? Or 1.5x since we have common wall
  • Anything i should be aware of that isn't obvious?

The place is 2014 build, so from what i could gather >2011 means it needs a specific $$$ value nominated for replacement value

Home & Garden Home Insurance Insurance

Comments

  • elgrande on 30/11/2021 - 08:25

    Standard building insurance, property type = duplex.

  • SmiTTy on 30/11/2021 - 08:34

    Depends on the duplex.

    If it's Torrens title (usually the case) then treat it standard ie your own stand alone insurance. When you get a quote online, some companies will have duplex to select and that'll be easy. Otherwise you may need to give them a call but it's standard enough they will be able to offer it to you.

    If it's strata, I guess you'll need to arrange with your neighbour to get the insurance together. I don't have any experience in this but I have inspected duplexes that were strata'd

    As for replacement value, I would just estimate rebuild of your own place. Go through their estimator tool and use a figure in the range they provide.

    • jellykingdom on 30/11/2021 - 08:53

      Torrens Title, not strata

  • try2bhelpful on 30/11/2021 - 08:43

    When we had a one of a pair we just had standard house insurance. You, also, need to have a look at how the duplex is built. Some of the older style ones had a common roof. Just get a lot of quotes and ring up and ask “what if” questions.

    • jellykingdom on 30/11/2021 - 08:53

      Yeah thats the plan. And yes common roof

      • try2bhelpful on 30/11/2021 - 09:13

        So the dividing wall doesn’t go all the way up? If it doesn’t keep in mind that someone going into the roof cavity, on one side, can come down the access hatch on your side.

        • jellykingdom on 30/11/2021 - 09:19

          Hmmmm i will need to check that to be honest. From a cost/structural point of view it seems weird that it might go the whole way up, but you make a good point

          Could probably make the hatchway lockable. I realise it wouldn't really stop anyone, but they would then need to bust a hole in the ceiling so it would need to be done with intent

          • try2bhelpful on 30/11/2021 - 10:19
            +1

            @jellykingdom: It would be best if it did go all the way up. If one side gets a fire in the roof it will spread to the other side. We had a common roof, with our first place, and it was things like that we were concerned about. It wouldn’t surprise me if that caused your insurance premium to go up.

  • payless69 on 30/11/2021 - 08:53
    -1

    u got no location so asking is pointless.

    • jellykingdom on 30/11/2021 - 08:53

      Fair. Updated for NSW

      • payless69 on 30/11/2021 - 09:08
        -1

        It is a toss up and more and more people put their money aside rather than feeding greedy foreign firms not paying out when they should.
        I live in a timber house in a sh*thole social state where scums get rewarded. So I just insure the building and play ABC classic when I am not at home. Had break ins before but the usual burglar can't think straight when lectured with classic music so the damage was way under the excess.
        Comminsure still has delayed a payout for nearly 5 years. Do I reccomend them??

  • Euphemistic on 30/11/2021 - 09:22
    -2

    Did you consider asking an insurance company? Then read the PDS of the policy they recommend and go from there.

    • jellykingdom on 30/11/2021 - 09:24
      +1

      See my comment (the 2nd line of my post) where i said i'm going to ring around today but am also asking the group for first hand experience

  • Hellfire on 30/11/2021 - 10:37
    +1

    Just regular home insurance is all you need. There are some problems that can arise if your attached neighbour doesn't have insurance. Your insurance company is only liable for your half of shared property. If a storm ripped your roof off then they would only pay half the overall cost to replace it. If your neighbour doesn't have insurance and won't pay then you are stuck in a nasty situation. Your insurance company won't assist in obtaining that money so you may need to go down the legal route yourself.

  • altomic on 30/11/2021 - 18:33

    Is it for the left unit or the right unit?

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