Buildings, home contents & portable 
possessions

You’re covered for the sudden and unforeseen direct, physical loss of, or damage to, the whole or part of the insured property that’s stated on your policy schedule, by any cause that’s not specifically excluded, up to the sums insured stated on your policy schedule for each of these sections:

• Buildings.
• Home contents.
• Portable possessions.

You’re also covered for

• Alternative accommodation and loss of rent.
• Architect and professional fees.
• Bank cards, money and Kruger rands.
• Bereavement expenses.
• Insured items kept in a bank vault.
• Business contents.
• Damage that’s been done to a property that you bought, which occurs between signing the deed of sale, and the moment when the property is transferred into your name.
• Capital additions.
• Carpets, curtains and appliances.
• Data and documents.
• Environmental incidents.
• Fatal injury.
• Fridge and freezer contents.
• Fire extinguishing charges.
• Garden furniture and outdoor items.
• Garden restoration.
• Reasonable geyser replacement/repair costs.
• Replacement/repair of gifts.
• Hole-in-1 or bowling full-house.
• Identity theft.
• Inflation.
• Laundry.
• Locks, keys and remote controls.
• Loss of water by leakage.
• Marquee hire.
• Mechanical and electrical breakdown.
• Medical expenses for guests and domestic employees.
• The actions of mortgagees.
• New fixtures.
• New possessions.
• Property belonging to students, scholars and parents.
• Property of guests and domestic staff.
• Costs incurred to comply with building or other regulations.
• Water, sewerage, gas, electricity or telephone connections.
• The reinstatement of specified items.
• The removal of fallen trees.
• Hiring a security guard.
• Sets and pairs (but remember, we’ll either replace the individual item or settle the cash equivalent, we won’t replace the entire set or pair).
• Special alterations following personal injury.
• Storage and removal.
• Swimming pool and borehole machinery.
• Temporary removal of fixtures.
• The actions of tenants.
• Trauma counselling costs.
• Costs incurred to trace leaks.
• Veterinary expenses.
• The accidental death of, or bodily injury to, people other than members of your household or your domestic employees.
• The accidental loss of, or damage to, property that belongs to people other than members of your household or your domestic employees.
• Liability to domestic employees.

Loss or damage to property due to or caused by

• Mechanical or electrical faults or breakdown, wear and tear, gradual deterioration, or the use of unsuitable or defective materials or parts.
• Inherent defect, or defective design or workmanship.
• Misuse or deliberate acts by you, including demolition, alteration, cleaning, renovation, repair, restoration, re-framing, maintenance, redecoration, refurbishment, or a similar process.
• Rust, oxidation, corrosion, moth, vermin or insects, normal settlement, warping or shrinkage, rot, fungus, mold, rising damp or infestation.
• Weeds or roots.
• Dryness, humidity or exposure to light or extreme temperature (unless the loss is caused by fire).
• Chipping, scratching, disfiguration or discolouration.
• Pollution or contamination.
• Anything that happens gradually, including smoke and rising damp.
• Chewing scratching, tearing, denting, vomiting or fouling by your pets.
• Coastal or river erosion.
• Subsidence, landslip or ground heave unless stated otherwise on your policy schedule.
• Any building works.
• Theft, attempted theft, vandalism or malicious acts unless all the security requirements stated on your policy schedule are fully complied with.
• Theft or misappropriation by a tenant or subtenant, or by the family or servants of such tenant or subtenant.
• Storm, wind, water, hail and snow during renovation, addition or extension.
• Non-compliance with the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act.
• The theft of items from an unattended tent, trailer or caravan unless there’s forced and violent entry.
• Bursting of incorrect or overcharged ammunition in firearms or guns.
• The failure of items still within their manufacturer’s warranty period, or that you’d be compensated for under any other contract, legislation, guarantee or insurance.
• Consequential loss.
• Liability which is already covered by laws and/or other insurance contracts.
• Alterations and additions.
• Volume changes in any clay-based soil or in rock, caused by changes in its moisture or water content.
• Scratching, chipping, cracking, denting, biting, tearing or dirtying.
• Rise of the underground water table, or pressure caused by it.
• Defects in the design or construction of the building, or if the structure wouldn’t have been approved by the relevant local authority at the time of construction.
• Construction, alteration or repairs, or defective workmanship or materials.
• A lack of maintenance.
• Pre-existing damage.
• Retaining walls and the underpinning of foundations.
• Scorching.
• Sewerage/waste pipes.
• Thatch-roofed buildings.
• Theft and other intentional damage.
• Theft from unoccupied buildings.
• Vacant, abandoned and illegally-occupied properties.

As well as loss, or damage to

• Money.
• Jewellery, watches and other property taken from an unoccupied vehicle (unless these items are concealed and there’s forced entry).
• Any motorised wheelchair, golf trolley, golf cart, motorised scooter, or sit-in toy or miniature vehicle being used in circumstances where any road traffic legislation applies.
• Any quad bike.
• Firearms or guns (unless stored in a gun safe when not being carried on a person).
• Stamps, coins or collectables.
• Any watch or article of jewellery valued at more than R15,000, unless a professional valuation dated before the loss or damage is submitted.
• Property that’s more specifically insured elsewhere.

You’re also not covered for liability which arises from

• Any trade, business or profession.
• The ownership of any land or building, other than the land or building covered by this policy.
• The ownership, possession or use of lifts.
• The ownership or possession of animals, other than domestic cats and dogs.
• The ownership, possession or use of cars, aircraft and watercraft.
• The use of weapons and firearms.
• Damages and legal costs awarded against you by a court outside of South Africa.
• Any incident that causes damage to other people’s property, or injury to them, and where a claim for damage to the building itself wouldn’t have been covered.

• Average protector benefit.
• Mechanical breakdown: Electric stoves only.
• Riot and strike.
• Special replacement of geysers.
• Subsidence: Extended cover.