What insurance do I need if I’m having a baby?

29 Jan 2020

You’ve painted the nursery, and stocked up on nappies, wipes and tiny onesies. You’ve spent weeks and weeks researching the best cots, prams and car seats. Baby is due any day now, so what’s next?

What happens if the toilet bursts and floods the nursery? How will you replace all the things you’ve bought for the little one? How will you afford to make repairs to your baby’s room?

Or, what happens if your washing machine breaks and needs replacing? Babies mean plenty more laundry for a family, so can you afford to get a new washing machine right away? Insurance might be the last thing on your mind when you’re expecting a bundle of joy but making sure you’ve got the right coverage can save you a lot of worry if you need to make a claim.

After making a big effort getting everything ready for the newest addition to your family, you’ll want to ensure that everything can be fixed or replaced as quickly and smoothly as possible.

What are my options?

Home and contents insurance can protect you against fire, flood, storm, theft and water damage, so you can afford to repair and replace whatever you need to keep your family safe and healthy. But all the work you’ve put in to get your living areas prepared means you might need extra coverage for your fixtures, fittings and belongings inside the home.

Baby wearing a white sun hat in a pram

There’s a couple of scenarios to help you identify any new, expensive items that might need coverage. For example, has anyone in your family handed down a valuable piece of heirloom jewellery for the baby? Have you splashed out and treated yourself to a new TV to watch during the night-time feeds? Have you bought a dishwasher to help with the extra housework? And what will you do if these items break or are stolen?

You’ll also need to consider whether you need to update your portable contents coverage. How will you replace the fancy stroller the in-laws bought you if it’s stolen from outside the café where you’re having a coffee with friends?

Key questions to answer

What is the best way to make sure all of my home and contents insurance is up to date?
Can I list any new, valuable items as specific items in my contents insurance so that I can cover their full value?
Will I need to update my portable contents insurance to cover any valuable items outside the home?
What documentation will I need if I have to make a claim?

If you’d like to learn more about portable contents insurance, you might like to read this: https://www.qbe.com/au/home-insurance/portable-contents-insurance. And for more on contents insurance, try this: https://www.qbe.com/au/home-insurance/contents-insurance

This advice is general in nature and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and may not be right for you. You must decide whether or not it is appropriate, in light of your own circumstances, to act on this advice. To decide if QBE’s products are right for you, please ensure you obtain and consider the Policy Wording or Product Disclosure Statements and Target Market Determinations, available online at QBE.com/au. Insurance issued and underwritten by QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (ABN 78 003 191 035, AFSL 239545).