Q's about contents insurance

[Indadhanu]

Ok, I've never had contents insurance (no need to worry about home and contents as we are renting). SO I don't really know what to look for...

I guess the obvious theft, fire, storm, flood which are the big 4 that scare me the most but...

Is there any 'tricks' an insurer has that might ever stop a claim? Do I need receipts for everything? Should I take photos? How do I keep them safe in a fire or somethig like that?

What generally stops a claim from going through? I don't want to ever be in a position where I THOUGHT I had contents but then find out after any event that I should have done xyz and so I'm not actually covered...?

Yes the floods and fire are scaring the crap out of me. Plus I think its a good thing to have anyway. But mostly the recent floods and fire, and losing absolutely everything with no contents insurance or anything like that is not really a great thought.

[squidipa]

leasha get a vid camera and record all u have. With real expensive items u may have to insure them under a specialty item, Like jewelry more than a certain price or if u own to many dvd's. check for serge protection and if they will cover loos of food like a full freezer of off off. MOST do that but it so is worth looking a round and reading all your policies. As another hint... when we rent we also ring insurance companies and found out there prices and they let us know if thats a high crime area or not.

You can get insurance on items u take form your house like mobiles and handbags sunglasses and jewelery for los of stones.. also check for accidental damage insurance to on your household items.

when choosing your cover amount think about how much to replace EVERY item even the little things like tea towels curtains hair brushes new for old. go around and add it all up pick one room a day and them that's sorta the amount ya want to insure for plus a little extra to cover new buying i that year.

just remember if u loose it all would be a shame not to replace it all cause u have not insured for enough.

DONT be afraid to be on the phone for 1 hour or hours asking all your questions and giving possible scenario's k

[C~Q]

Really think about how much everything would cost to replace, I kept mine down because I thought it would bump the price up but contents is so cheap - mine is $45 a month and thats for a bout $50K I think! We also have pet cover included which is $5 a month and covers the little fur ball if he breaks a leg or something (been there...paid $3000 ). It's so worth it. Ours also covers anything in the car whether the car is at the house or not.

[squidipa]

It's so worth it. Ours also covers anything in the car whether the car is at the house or not.

yes ours covers the pram and baby bag and carseats too so sorta the baby things are double covered hehe

[briggsy's girl]

definitely look for an insurer that has an "away from house" UNSPECIFIED amount of cover. so if you're out and your mobile gets nicked, pram gets damaged etc - the particular items don't need to have been itemised. some make you specify what you want covered away from the property - including their value. with DH being a truckie, the stuff he takes with him varies week to week, so we have a blanket amount that is covered away from home. it really does make life easier.

if you have big collections or unusuallly high valued collections (i have nearly 1000 DVD's, DH has car and truck collections, a massive collection of specialty alcohol) these can go under your general insurance, but it's a good idea to provide a list with values to your insurer. if you have something particularly valuable that is difficult to replace (our hall stand is nearly 200 years old and would be impossible to replace new for old), itemise it.

our insurance is due for renewal in the next 6 weeks i think, and i'll be shopping around. i'm happy enough with who we're with, but it doesn't feel like everything is covered the way it should be. i have family who, until last year, were in the insurance industry and are helping me to find the best cover (and to know what to tell them to make sure we're covered properly)

also, being that you're not on a huge income (hell, sometimes even if you are) - talk about fortnightly/monthly payments. for one, it makes budgeting soooo much easier - for another, i've never been without cover. if i don't make any adjustments to my policy when it's due for renewal, they just alter the payments each month to cover the new policy. i've been doing it this way for about 10 years, and never had my car or contents (and house for about six of those years) uninsured. i don't miss the money coming out cos its not a huge amount each month

[Pandora]

Some insurance companys will not insure you if they view you to be living in "shared accomodation". I know you guys arent but be prepared if the silly person on the phone deems you to be.
RACQ might be different though, I know RACV are one in Vic who will insure without asking discrimatory questions.

If you log on to one of their websites, there is often questionairees on their and even contents estimators tools, that go through room by room to help you put a proper value on your contents.

Clothing is one that people often understimate. I know someone whos house was cleaned out - they cam home and everything was gone, someone had just got a removalist can and taken everything. What they didnt take, were the hangers in the wardrobe. And the insurers based their clothing estimate on the number of hangers in there - so now I always have lots of spares.

Also remmeber you need to insure for how much it will cost to replace the item - which could be more than what you paid.

[Astrid]

if you have big collections or unusuallly high valued collections (i have nearly 1000 DVD's, DH has car and truck collections, a massive collection of specialty alcohol) these can go under your general insurance, but it's a good idea to provide a list with values to your insurer.

Check how much they do cover. I checked mine and they only cover $1000 for DVD's and CDs. So DH is debating whether to contact them and see how much is costs to get a higher coverage for those items.

Oh dear rayray, basing on hangers!! Most of my stuff is folded on shelves, hope they count that.

To be honest when I looked at insurance, I look at what is needed to cover replacing most of the stuff, not all of it. There is really some items that I just would not bother getting again. I know I would not replace all my clothes, dvd collections, books etc I would just want to buy what I need and what I really, really want again. I don't want to be paying a lot extra per year, just to replace items that I am hanging onto because I can't make the decision to get rid of them iykwim.