Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance (when selling)

Organising Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance "when selling" up to 6 years after obtaining your Practical Completion or Occupancy Certificate from the council is compulsory in ACT, NSW, VIC and WA, for a new or renovated home built by a legal owner builder. This insurance policy must form part of your contract of sale. If you have a Defects Report and Supplementary Information, we can usually organise this for you within a full business day.

Defects Report: Before owner builder home warranty insurance can be organised, a post construction owner builder defects inspection and report (which we can help you organise), is required by the insurer of the completed work, to identify any building defects. A defects report is issued after an owner builder defects inspection has been carried out by a consultant who is acceptable to the insurer, and who has current Professional Indemnity Insurance. You can sell with those defects identified, or have then fixed and organise a follow up inspection, so that a 'defects free' report can be issued.

We can assist you in the following ways:

• Co-ordinate obtaining your Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance and Defects Report
• Organise your Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance where you are supplying the Defects Report
• Organise your Defects Report - click here

You can commence by preparing and sending us your Quote request now. We will provide you with a quick quote subject to receiving the required Supplementary Information and Insurer's approval, whist waiting for the Defects Report (if you do not have one) and to receive your Supplementary Information (see below). Simply Click on your preferred Online or PDF Quotation Form method.

After you have sold your property, we can help you with a Pre-purchase Inspection before you buy your next home, assistance with Owner Builder Courses, Construction and Public Liability Insurance if you plan to owner build again and access to energy saving and other lesser known Smart Products for your new home.

NOTE: When you have received your insurance quote, you can download the Owner Builder Home Owner Warranty Insurance Application Form below to proceed with the insurance.

Application Form: NSW OB Home Owner Warranty Insurance PDF Application Form: VIC & WA OB Home Owner Warranty Insurance PDF

Other Considerations

Owner Builder Home Warranty Insurance is required by law in ACT NSW, VIC and WA when selling a home in which you have carried out any Owner Builder works up to 6 years from the date your Local Council issued a Practical Completion or Occupancy Certificate. In Victoria, the period was changed from 7 to 6 years in July 2002. It must be organised and become part of the Contract of Sale for your home if it includes owner builder work which you have carried out. This insurance does not replace your responsibility for the work you have carried out as the owner builder, rather it is insurance to protect the prospective purchaser should you not be contactable or declared bankrupt.

How is the premium is calculated: The major part of the Premium is calculated on the present-day construction value of your owner builder works if they were to be built by a licensed builder, plus the period of time remaining between the present and the date when the Practical Completion or Occupancy Certificate was issued by your local council. The period of time is calculated in units of 12 months, or parts thereof. For example if there are 2 ½ years of home owner warranty liability, the period of time when calculating the premium will be three years.

Supplementary Information Required

When applying for insurance the insurer will require:

1. A copy of: For NSW - Office of Fair Trading "Owner Builder Permit". For VIC - Building Permit. For WA - Building License.
2. A copy of your Council Building Approval or Development Consent (or construction certificate) For NSW Only - (for all works requiring owner builder's warranty insurance)
3. A copy of the Electrical and Plumbing Compliance Certificates. These should be obtained from the electrician or plumber, clearly describing the work they carried out and that it was done in accordance with the BCA and relevant Australian Standards.
4. A copy of Termite Treatment Report (if applicable)
5. A copy of Waterproofing Certificates. This applies to any membranes which have been installed. (e.g. bathrooms, laundries, balconies, basements etc.)
6. A copy of For NSW - Council Final Inspection Certificate. For VIC - Final Inspection Certificate (if extension or renovation).
7. For VIC Only - A copy of your Certificate of Occupancy (if a new home)
8. For WA Only - A copy of your Exemption letter from the Minister (if required)
9. Description of the Swimming Pool in relation to your property, and the approximate area which compromises the pool on your land.
10. A copy of Certificate of Title / Council Rates Notice
11. A completed and signed 'Secondhand Materials Used' Declaration
12. The completed and signed Owner Builder's Home Warranty Insurance Application Form

Click here to Download PDF Supplementary Information list.

Note: Any defects, incomplete works or second-hand materials listed in the Defects Inspection Report will be excluded from this cover.

Typical Owner Builder projects: Any project where the value of the materials and labour for the owner building project exceeds $12,000, for example new home, an extension, a major renovation, building a garage, a pergola , deck, fence, or swimming pool.

Materials Used Declaration: When applying for this insurance, you will need to complete and sign the Materials Declaration Form in which any second hand or re-cycled materials used must be itemised. Click here to Download PDF Secondhand Materials Declaration Form.

Swimming Pools: Often the defects report can only be carried out by a consultant or engineer with expertise in swimming pools and who carries current professional indemnity insurance. It is important to keep and show the engineering drawings for a swimming pool which you have built.