How to Use This Checklist
Insurance terms, statutory schemes, worker classifications, thresholds, providers, and premiums can change and depend on your jurisdiction and project. Obtain current written advice and read the policy documents before starting work or committing money.
Keep in mind: No price bands or state-threshold table is included because a static generic figure can be mistaken for current or suitable cover. Confirm the position directly for your circumstances.
1. Home warranty or building-compensation schemes
Confirm whether an owner-builder scheme, exemption, resale obligation, or disclosure applies
Check current thresholds, eligibility, timing, providers, exclusions, and required evidence
Ask a qualified adviser how the scheme interacts with contractors and later sale
2. Contract works or construction insurance
Describe the site, existing structures, work, materials, temporary works, and construction period
Check storm, water, fire, theft, malicious damage, design, defective work, testing, and unoccupied-site exclusions
Confirm excesses, sublimits, security conditions, extensions, notifications, and when cover ends
3. Public liability
Discuss your activities, neighbouring property, visitors, deliveries, contractors, and site access
Confirm insured entities, limits, exclusions, contractual liability, cross-liability, and period of cover
Do not assume a contractor's policy covers your own responsibility
4. Workers compensation and workplace injury
Confirm whether anyone may be an employee, worker, deemed worker, or contractor under current law
Check payroll, principal-contractor, site-safety, notification, and insurance duties with the relevant authority
Verify contractor evidence without treating a certificate as proof of every obligation or exclusion
5. Existing property, contents, tools, plant, and materials
Tell the existing insurer about demolition, renovation, vacancy, storage, and construction activity
Confirm responsibility for hired plant, contractor tools, materials in transit or storage, and existing-property damage
Obtain written confirmation of changes, exclusions, cancellation, replacement cover, and handover arrangements
Documents to Retain
Written advice and quotations
Policy wording, product disclosure statement, schedule, endorsements, and certificates
Insured names, site address, declared activities, values, dates, limits, excesses, and exclusions
Correspondence about changes in scope, value, timing, occupancy, security, or incidents
Contractor and consultant evidence, including the entity and expiry date supplied
Claim and incident-notification instructions
Renewal, extension, handover, cancellation, and replacement-cover dates
Keep in mind: A certificate of currency is a useful record but does not contain the full policy terms. Verify the underlying cover and seek legal or insurance advice where appropriate.