Adam Weaver adam@allrisk.com.au
06-06-2017

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What are Existing Structures?

For an owner builder, the existing structures are any buildings on the property prior to the period of insurance. 

This means that existing structures could be:

• The home you're renovating; or
• Outbuildings or fencing you need to insure; or
• The work you've completed before taking on a new insurance policy with a new insurer

Should I Insure these Existing Structures

Most of the time, your regular home insurer won't agree to insure the home building you're renovating against damage for the period of the renovation. Some of these insurers say "no cover for damage caused by the renovation", some say "no cover at all", and some confusingly alternate between the two statements, depending on how deeply you question the insurer's call centre staff.

For peace of mind, we generally recommend that you insure the existing structure with the construction insurance (we can provide quotes for Standard Existing Structures as well as Deluxe Existing Structures).

Can I include the Existing Structure in the Contract Value

Unless you have a special agreement with the insurer, we'd strongly recommend against trying to include the Existing Structures sum insured in the regular Contract Value sum insured.

Insurers define Contract Works to be the work undertaken during the Period of Insurance, not works completed prior to the current period. If you're changing insurer, you have a new Period of Insurance, so the pre-existing work may or may not be insured. At worst, an insurer may refuse to pay for the pre-existing work (because it's not in the insured period), or at best may only agree to pay after negotiation. 

We'd recommend avoiding this trap and making sure that you insure the already-completed work as it should be insured, under the Existing Structures.

Existing Structures Cover Options

Our quotes provide two levels of cover: Standard Existing Structures and Deluxe Existing Structures.

Standard covers the existing structures against any damage caused by the project (i.e. caused by the work insured under the Contract Value sum).

Deluxe covers the existing structures against other damage - e.g. fire, storm, theft, malicious damage, earthquake, impact, flood, and other sudden and accidental damage neither intended or expected by you.

For more information about What Are Existing Structures, visit our website.

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• What does Insurable Interest mean? *
• Uberrima Fides *
• Estimating project cost *
• Avoid common pitfalls and traps *
• Public liability insurance *
• Claim advice *
• Abbreviations and acronyms for owner builders *
• Comparing apples and oranges and grapefruit *
• Selling an owner-built home *
• Choose your builder carefully *
• Fire doesn’t burn metal or does it? *
• Medical expenses *
• Protect yourself *
• Build from Lock Up *
• Research your path to success *
• Rumours and Fallacies *
• Things go wrong *
• Green and environmental materials *
• Insuring owner builders *
• Can I put my insurance on hold *
• How long can I insure? *
• Why you need owner builder public liability *
• Volunteers on Site *
• Minimum insurance requirements *
• Workers Compensation in NSW *
• How do I make a claim *
• How much insurance is enough *
• What are existing structures *
• Owner builder construction insurance cover *
• My tradesmen are fully insured, right? *
• Getting Insured *
• Home Warranty *
• Injury Claims *
• Renovators Insurance *
• Insure me if you can *

Table of Contents

• What does insurable interest mean?
• Uberrima Fides
• Estimating project cost
• Avoid common pitfalls and traps
• Public liability insurance
• Claim advice
• Abbreviations and acronyms for owner builders
• Comparing apples and oranges and grapefruit
• Selling an owner-built home
• Choose your builder carefully
• Fire doesn’t burn metal or does it
• Medical Expenses
• Protect yourself
• Build from lock up
• Research your path to success
• Rumours and fallacies
• Things go wrong
• Green and environmental materials
• Insuring owner builders
• Can I put my insurance on hold?
• How long can I insure?
• Why you need owner builder public liability?
• Volunteers on site
• Minimum insurance requirements
• Workers compensation in NSW
• How do I make a claim?
• How much insurance is enough?
• What are existing structures?
• Owner-builder construction insurance cover
• My tradesmen are fully insured, right?
• Getting insured
• Home warranty
• Injury claims
• Renovators insurance
• Insure me if you can
• Construction Insurance
• Construction Insurance Ontario
• Insurance During Construction
• Construction Works and Public Liability Insurance
• Construction Insurance Policy
• Course of Construction Insurance
• New Home Construction Insurance
• Construction Business Insurance
• Construction All Risk Insurance
• Construction Risk Insurance
• Building Construction Insurance
• Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance Australia
• Insurance for Construction Workers
• Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance NSW
• Construction Insurance Qld
• Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance New South Wales
• Construction Liability Insurance
• Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance Victoria
• House Construction Insurance
• Owner Builder Insurance Cost
• Owner Builder Insurance Cost Australia
• Owner Builder Insurance Cost NSW
• Owner Builder Insurance Cost Victoria
• Owner Builder Insurance Cost New South Wales
• How Much Does Owner Builder Insurance Cost
• How Much Does Owner Builder Insurance Cost Australia
• How Much Does Owner Builder Insurance Cost NSW
• How Much Does Owner Builder Insurance Cost New South Wales
• How Much Does Owner Builder Insurance Cost Victoria
• Best Owner Builder Insurance
• Best Owner Builder Insurance Australia