Most homeowners assume their home is covered during a renovation. Most of the time, it’s not.
In this episode, Louise from Perway Construction Services shares a real situation that unfolded on a live renovation project — where a homeowner’s insurer declined to cover their existing home during construction. What followed was a complicated web of risk, cost, and liability that neither the builder nor the homeowner was prepared for.
To help unpack it all, Louise and Hugh are joined by Rashida Ditburner, WA State Manager for Master Builders Insurance Brokers — a specialist in construction insurance who works with builders every day to make sure the right protections are in place before something goes wrong.
In this episode they cover:
– Why your home insurer may drop coverage the moment a builder steps on site
– What contract works insurance does and doesn’t protect
– Home indemnity insurance — what it is, who pays for it, and why the $200K cap matters
– Public liability, workers compensation, and why builders carry the insurance limits they do
– The biggest insurance mistakes builders make at renewal time
– What to do when a claim actually happens
– Why underinsuring is one of the most costly mistakes in construction
Whether you’re planning a renovation, about to sign a building contract, or just want to understand what’s actually protecting your biggest asset — this episode will change how you think about insurance on your build.
Key Timestamps
07:38 What homeowners need to think about before construction starts
10:01 Why the insurance conversation needs to happen before contracts are signed
10:37 What insurers actually ask when extending cover to an existing structure
11:29 What is home indemnity insurance and who does it protect?
14:04 The $200K cap on home indemnity insurance in WA – and what happens when a second builder steps in
16:45 How Victoria and NSW handle warranty insurance differently
18:26 Eligibility reviews, rising costs and the pressure on builders to stay insurable
26:06 Owner builders – what insurance do you actually need?
27:26 The biggest insurance mistakes builders make at renewal time
31:17 What happens when something goes wrong – how to make a claim
35:33 Rashida on how brokers are helping builders navigate tighter eligibility limits
39:18 Why insurance is the backbone of every build
Listen on
Spotify// https://open.spotify.com/show/0eGpiuFZidHdOcFunXPo4q
Apple Podcast// https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/builders-beyond-borders/id1841312899
Youtube// https://www.youtube.com/@BuildersBeyondBordersPodcast
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Looking for a builder?
Perway Construction Services in Western Australia – https://www.perway.com.au
DJH Builders in Tasmania – https://djhbuilders.com.au
New Realm Homes in Victoria – https://newrealmhomes.com.au
Independent Building Solutions in Canberra – https://www.ibscanberra.com.au
Matt Auld Builder in Victoria – https://mabuilder.com.au
Wayne Prestone in Victoria – https://prestonbuilders.com.au
