Motor
In some circumstances Apia may send you an SMS requesting an excess payment.
Reports about misleading or deceptive car insurance schemes are becoming more common in Australia.
If you decide to engage a third party, you should always ask for their:
- Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) number to check it against ASIC’s database
- Financial Services Guide
- Fee for assisting in the lodgement of your claim, and
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) credentials.
If you suspect you’ve responded to a fraudulent email or been a victim of fraud, contact us immediately.
Home
Apia will never send an SMS message requesting an excess payment to progress your home claim. If you receive such a message, please delete it immediately.
Third party claims representatives (also called claimant intermediaries) often visit communities after weather events, such as hailstorms, cyclones, and floods.
To learn more, visit:
View your PDS and Certificate of Insurance in our Document Hub to find out what is and isn’t covered under your policy.
Yes. You can pay your excess by logging into your account and selecting the relevant claim in My Claim Manager.
Contact the claims team to discuss your payment options.
For more information visit: Customers In Need Of Extra Support | Apia
Log into your Apia account to view claim updates, message your claims manager, chat live with our online claims specialists, and upload documents and photos. If you don’t have an account yet, registering only takes a moment.
A home claim assessment determines the outcome of your claim after loss or damage to your home and/or contents.
Once you’ve lodged your claim, we’ll let you know what the next steps are for your claim. In some instances, we’ll organise for an assessor or builder to contact you to arrange a time to attend your property and inspect the damage or loss.
We’ll let you know the outcome of your claim as soon as we can. If we require additional information, we’ll let you know. If your claim is covered, we can then discuss repairs or settlement depending on the circumstances of your claim. You can track your claim online
Managing damage
We need to confirm what’s been lost or damaged so we can repair or replace items covered by your policy. You can provide proof of loss or damage by:
- taking photos of damage
- giving details of a police report (for theft)
- proof of ownership documents (receipts, manuals etc).
We may ask for extra documents for higher-value items.
You can add these documents quickly and easily to your claim online.
When lodging a claim, just provide us with an estimated cost of how much food has spoiled. Claims involving food spoilage only are excess free. Policy limits for a food spoilage claims can be found in your PDS.
Please tell us about any new damage the next time we speak. You don’t need to contact us straight away.
Just make a note of the problem and take photos.
If a different part of your home is damaged by another event, please lodge a new claim online.
Repairs
Your claims manager will let you know if you need to complete any maintenance before repairs can start. As outlined in your policy documents maintaining your property is your responsibility.
If we accept your claim, we'll cover the reasonable and necessary costs to demolish, remove and dispose of any damaged parts of your home.
We may also cover removal and disposal of the debris which caused damage to your home, based on your policy benefits and related limits. This may include removing trees or parts of trees where they’ve caused insured damage to your home.
You can find more information, including the applicable limits in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or speak with our claims team.
Yes. You can use a builder from our supplier network or select your own builder to repair or rebuild your home.
If you choose to use your own builder, we’ll cash settle your claim.
Please keep in mind:
- the quoted amount can be lower than the cost to repair or replace the item, as we’re able to secure discounted rates through our supplier network.
- our guarantee on the workmanship will not apply to repairs organised by you.
To learn more, refer to the PDS.
My cover
It depends. If your home isn’t safe to stay in, your temporary accommodation benefit may cover reasonable and necessary costs while it can’t be lived in.
It’s important to check your policy documents to understand your temporary accommodation benefit.
These documents, along with your Certificate of Insurance, explain your benefit limit and if any exclusions apply.
Our network of repairers and suppliers will restore your home to the condition it was in prior to the loss or damage for which you’re claiming. After assessing your home, we will create a scope of work.
A Scope of Work is a detailed summary of the work that will be undertaken to repair or rebuild your home.
After you’ve signed your Scope of Work, our builder will confirm the start and estimated completion dates. Your Claims Manager will also keep you up-to-date on the progress.
After frequent unpredictable flooding in recent years, it’s important that we provide you with flood cover even if it seems unlikely a flood will occur at your address.
First, make sure everyone is safe and out of danger. Then call us to make a claim.
If you have an Apia Home Insurance policy and can’t live in your home after an insured event, you may be entitled cover for reasonable and necessary temporary accommodation costs for the time it takes to repair or rebuild your home so it can be lived in again.
Cash settlements
A cash settlement is the money we may offer to settle your claim. This amount could cover some or all of your claim.
If you accept a cash settlement, we’ll pay you the amount it would cost us to repair the damage or replace any items, or the amount of a quote assessed and approved by us. You’ll be paid or direct deposit into your bank account, or if available, you can choose to be paid with a voucher, store credit or store value card.
Please keep in mind:
- the quoted amount can be lower than the cost to repair or replace the item, as we’re able to secure discounted rates through our supplier network.
- our guarantee on the workmanship will not apply to repairs organised by you.
For more information, please speak with your claims manager.
Your cash settlement is based on relevant repair, replacement, or rebuilding costs. Please see your PDS for more details. If this cost is greater than the sum insured on your Certificate of Insurance, the cash settlement will be your sum insured amount minus any required taxes or charges.
If you've been cash settled for your repairs and find further damage, you believe is related to the claimed event, we may need to review your claim. Call us to discuss.
If you have a mortgage, please contact your lender before accepting a cash settlement to discuss the payment. For more information, please refer to the ABA fact sheet [65.4 KB].
Keep in mind when an item is repaired by Apia, the repair work is guaranteed by us. If you choose to repair or replace the item yourself, we can’t guarantee this work.
You should consider obtaining legal or financial advice prior to accepting a cash settlement.
Yes. You can choose a cash settlement for your claim subject to the terms of your policy and policy limits. If this applies to you, the cash settlement amount will be based on the assessed quote less any applicable deductions.
Documents
A scope of work is a detailed summary of the work that will be undertaken to repair or rebuild your home. This includes the repairs that will be made in each room and the materials used. The scope of work will be updated as needed.
Your assessor, builder or claims manager will explain your scope of work and provide you with a copy for your consideration. Remember, your repairs or rebuild cannot commence until you have signed your scope of work.
A Confirmation of Transaction is a summary of the activities that relate to your claim, such as a cash settlement, repair or replacement. If you’d like a copy, please contact your claims manager and they’ll give you a copy when your claim is finalised.