Accidental damage cover is an optional extra you can add to your home and contents policy, typically for an additional premium, although there may be some home and contents cover which includes accidental damage as standard.
This policy add-on provides financial protection for accidental damage to your home and contents such as:
Nobody means to break the fine china, scratch the walls or permanently stain the carpet. However, no matter how careful we are, accidents can still happen. Accidental damage cover helps cover you against accidental loss and damage that may not be included in standard home insurance cover.
Make sure you check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for details of what is and isn’t covered under your specific policy.
Accidental damage is typically defined as loss of value or damage caused by an unforeseen and unintended event, not from a deliberate act or other defined event. Some examples of accidental damage in real life can include:
However, there will be some exclusions to your accidental damage coverage and not all items or events may be covered. Compare a range of home and contents policies with our free insurance comparison tool to look for a policy that includes the cover you need. You can also find this information by viewing these policies’ PDS.
If you’re considering adding this optional extra to your home and contents insurance policy, it’s important to check your PDS to see exactly what’s covered as inclusions and exclusions can often differ between policies and insurers.
The table below provides a snapshot of events and damage and whether they’re covered if you have an accidental damage cover add-on; keep in mind that your particular cover will vary based on your insurer and the terms of your policy. Note that a combined home and contents insurance policy with accidental damage cover will generally cover both your building and your contents as set out below.
| Event | Home insurance policy | Contents insurance policy |
| Accidental damage to the walls and fixtures | ✓ | ✗ |
| Accidental damage to furniture, rugs and carpet | ✓ | ✓ |
| Broken glass / ceramics | ✓ (may include windows, basins and glass cooktops) | ✓ (may include ornaments, lamps and crystalware) |
| Sports equipment | ✗ | ✗/ Optional extra |
| Damaged caused by removalists or renovations | ✗ | ✗ |
| Information accurate as of July 2022 but is subject to change. Coverage can differ between policies. Always read the PDS for coverage, exclusions, benefit limits, terms and conditions. | ||
There are some exclusions to home insurance and accidental damage, regardless of your level of cover. Insurance claims for the following scenarios likely won’t be accepted:
Check your PDS for the full list of inclusions and exclusions of your policy, as well as other terms and conditions in your contents or home insurance.
There are some exclusions to which items and possessions are covered. Common exclusions can include electronic devices like computers, mobile phones, media systems, remote control toys or models and sports equipment if the damage is sustained while in use.
Mishaps can happen at home, and when they do, it’s a relief to know you have the right insurance, which is why it’s important to consider accidental damage cover.
Adding accidental damage insurance cover to your home and contents policy will increase your premiums, as would adding any optional extra. Overall, the cost of your insurance will depend on a variety of factors. All of which should be weighed into your considerations.
Factors to increase your premiums may include the value of your belongings and the building, your address, whether your area is prone to natural disasters and more.
Under a regular home and contents policy, you might not be automatically covered for belongings you take with you outside, such as jewellery, a handbag or a laptop. However, you can cover these kinds of items with personal effects or portable contents cover.
Our free home and contents insurance comparison service provides the PDS of available policies, making it easy to see what exactly is covered under a specific accidental damage policy.
Not all of us are fortunate enough to have savings on hand to cover life’s little mishaps, so insuring yourself against loss and damage can be your security blanket. Using a tool like our home and contents insurance comparison service can help simplify the process of getting covered.
Our service is fast, free and simple. You can easily compare a range of policies side-by-side and weigh up their prices, benefits, features and more.
