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Getting the contents insurance you need
Contents insurance gives you financial protection if your valuables are lost, damaged or stolen. We can help you choose the right kind of policy so that you can get the level of cover you need.
01
What contents insurance covers
Contents insurance generally covers things that aren't permanently attached to the structure of your house. Imagine if you could lift your house up, turn it upside down and shake it out – everything that falls out is contents. These items might include:
- Jewellery and clothing
- Sports equipment
- Furniture
- Electronic items such as TVs and DVD players
- Soft furnishings such as curtains, bedding, rugs, mats and runners
- Art
- Garden tools, and much more
Contents insurance also provides personal liability cover of up $1 million should you be liable for accidental damage to anyone else’s property anywhere in New Zealand.
02
Choose the right policy
The type of contents insurance policy you choose can affect the amount you receive when you claim. ASB offers two types of policy:
ASB Classic Contents Insurance
ASB Classic Contents Insurance provides comprehensive cover which pays replacement value on most items where the item is lost, destroyed or cannot be repaired.
Replacement value means you’ll receive brand new replacement items, regardless of how old your items were when they were lost or damaged.
ASB Basic Contents Insurance
ASB Basic Contents Insurance is an option if you are on a budget or don't have as much stuff to cover. It provides cover for contents worth between $10,000 and $30,000 with a mix of market value and replacement value.
On certain items, you may receive market value. This is what the items would cost to repair in the current market, given their age and condition immediately prior to the loss.
03
Valuing your contents
The combined value of your contents is likely to be more than you think.
Download our contents worksheet to help you work through the contents of your home.
04
Specify certain items
Most contents insurance policies have a limit on the amount you can claim for certain items, such as bicycles, jewellery or artwork. ASB Classic and Basic Contents Insurance have different specified item limits, so it's important to check the relevant policy documents. If you find that you need more cover for particular items than the policy automatically provides, let us know and we can specify it for the correct value. In some cases we may ask you have the item independently valued.
It’s important to keep receipts and take photographs of specified items because you may need these if you ever need to claim.
06
Keep your policy up-to-date
If the level of cover you need changes, let us know. This means that should the worst happen, you'll get the cover you expect.
Increase your cover when you buy new items
When you buy new items, you may need to increase the level of contents cover you have. Doing so means your policy is always up-to-date and your contents are covered at the right level.
Value and specify expensive items
If you have any valuable or antique items, make sure you specify them on your policy. Remember to update your specified items every two to three years as values are likely to have changed.
Keep records and take photos
It’s a good idea to keep a detailed record of your possessions. Store this information safely because providing receipts and photos at claim time will help us to process your claim more quickly and accurately. You can also register serial numbers for free using NZ Police’s Operation Snap website.
07
Insure when you're renting
It’s very important to get contents insurance when you are renting because your landlord’s insurance will not cover your belongings in the event of accidental damage or theft. There may also be situations where you could be held liable for damage to your landlord's property.
It’s also important to protect yourself from unexpected damage you may cause away from your home, where you could be personally liable for thousands of dollars. Having contents insurance will give you the peace of mind of having liability cover of up to $1 million should you be liable for accidental damage you may cause to anyone else’s property anywhere in New Zealand.
Let's talk about home insurance with ASB Landlord's Protection
Visit a branch
Visit us at one of our many branches across New Zealand to get your insurance sorted.
Other helpful guides
ASB general insurances are underwritten by IAG New Zealand Limited (IAG). For full details, refer to the relevant insurance policy document which is also available on request from any ASB branch or by calling 0800 200 252. The availability of insurance cover is subject to your application being approved. Exclusions apply. See further information regarding IAG’s financial strength rating. A minimum premium applies for all policies. Even if your policy qualifies for one or more discounts the total of these discounts cannot cause your premium to be less than the required minimum.
