Skip to main content

Things Go Wrong


Article on Things go wrong by adam

Adam Weaver adam@allrisk.com.au
04-02-2018

Things go Wrong

Disasters can strike even the most meticulous owner builder project. People often tell us that "nothing could go wrong" - but that's sadly not the case. 
Here are some examples of real claims just from the last 12 months (NB: details have been edited for brevity and to preserve anonymity):

Brickie on a Forklift

The brick delivery contractor was to deliver some bricks early in the morning, before our owner builder arrived to supervise. Neighbours reported that the delivery truck ran over part of the garden and side fence to start. To add insult to injury, the driver then clipped the corner of the house with his forklift, gouged the fence, then dropped the bricks in a jumble. 
Delivery company later admitted responsibility, but only offered $3,000 recompense (actual damages were $12,000). 
Moral: Even if you think the damage is someone else' fault, if you don't have your own insurance, you might not get anyone else to pay!

Apprentice with a Hose

The concreter had finished pouring the carport slab, and instructed his apprentice to stay there and regularly cool the concrete with water from the hose... just before an Easter long weekend.  
As far as we could tell, the apprentice abandoned the hose, and either forgot to turn off the water, or the clip holding the hose burst loose. Water poured into the house (sunken living room style) for three days straight. 
Needless to say, turning the living room into a makeshift swimming pool caused quite a bit of damage!
Moral: Even if you hire competent tradesmen, things can still go wrong... and they always seem to happen at the worst possible time.

Hail to a Roof

Who jumps up on a ladder to check a colourbond roof after a storm? Certainly not the average builder, and why would you? 
Six months after a major storm, our owner builder looked at his roof ... and discovered that it was entirely blanketed in small golf ball sized indentations. 
The entire roof had to be replaced at considerable cost and aggravation; since the rest of the house was almost at completion status.
Moral: Freak weather events are outside of anyone's control.

Insurance is Available

And it's very simple to arrange. Our online quote form takes around 90 seconds to complete, and will instantly e-mail you prices, an explanation of what is insured, and the full terms and conditions.
Luckily these three owner builders were insured with Allrisk, and their claims were settled quickly. Why take a chance on "not buying insurance" when it's so quick and simple? Let us show you what we can do for you today.

For more information about Things Go Wrong, visit our website.
Table of Contents Main Site
Social Platforms
Insights
Table of Contents


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Best Owner Builder Insurance Australia

All around Australia, many people use owner builder loans to acquire a house for their family. This is one of the popular options for Aussies especially those who are trying to save money. However, others choose this because they have enough time to do a construction project while others just do this because they have the skill for building and this is also what they do for a living. Whatever their reasons are, they all need insurance for this undertaking. Regardless of who will be doing the actual works, applicants must produce insurance first for the building along with other required documents for the local city council’s approval.     Some tips for a secure deal and quality service             Check for the best mortgage companies to work with Do a research about the different insurance companies in Australia Learn extensively about their products and terms. Ask them important questions. Select your company of choice, know ...

Insuring Owner Builders

Adam Weaver  adam@allrisk.com.au 21-01-2018 What is owner builder insurance? Owner builder insurance is  construction insurance  - covering a non-professional-builder working on his/her own residential building job against damage during the build, and for public liability. Construction insurance refers to protecting the  works  (the "contract works") against damage - e.g. fire , storm, earthquake, vandalism, theft of building materials, and other perils. Public liability insurance refers to protecting the  builder  (the "owner builder") against claims of personal injury or property damage - e.g. a visitor on site being injured, or the neighbouring property being accidentally damaged by the build. Other types of owner builder insurance Include  existing structures , your own  tools ,  volunteers'  loss of income following injury on site, and  workers compensation . These are all optional, and you s...

What Does Insurable Interest Mean?

Adam Weaver  adam@allrisk.com.au What is an insurable interest? A key term in insurance is "insurable interest" - it's a key requirement for you to be able to insure something.Yet this is one of the most misunderstood concepts, so let's look at what it means. Interest "Interest" means an asset or responsibility belonging to you (the policyholder). Something that affects you personally, and for which you're responsible. So your car, for example, or your home under construction. Or the building materials you've purchased and sitting on site . Think of these financially - if they were damaged, lost, or stolen, you would suffer a financial loss. You would have to pay to repair or replace the items. Intangibles can be interests too Another type of "interest" is more intangible - like legal liabilities or responsibilities. Like being sued for personal injury to a person or a worker in your care, or someone's...