Claims FAQs

If your property has been damaged during a natural disaster and you need to lodge a claim contact DSH Insurance as soon as possible.  Most people lodge their claim by phone as claims lodged by phone are processed faster on average.   You can lodge your claim by phone on 1300 552 662. Alternatively you can submit your claim online or email us at dsh@dva.gov.au.

If your home has been damaged during a natural disaster and that damage makes your home unfit to live in, DSH Insurance will pay reasonable temporary accommodation costs for you, your family and pets who normally live at the home. DSH Insurance will pay these costs for the time your home can’t be lived in or for up to 12 months whichever is less.

Experiencing a natural disaster can be traumatic and you may find it overwhelming. It is normal to feel unsettled and disrupted for a while however these events can often be distressing and difficult to overcome and you may find some additional support beneficial.

Open Arms provide free and confidential counselling services for current and ex-serving ADF members and their families. Open Arms can be contacted on their 24 hour help line on 1800 011 046.

If your contents are insured with DSH Insurance and you have suffered a large loss and urgently require funds to purchase essentials such as food, toiletries, clothing and other basic necessities, please let us know. We can assist by organising an emergency assistance payment under your contents claim.

Yes, DSH Insurance covers you for damage caused by flood, action of the sea or storm water if your property is inundated with water from one of these events.

A “Make Safe” is emergency repair work done to protect your property, prevent further damage and make the site safe. Make Safes are often carried out by Emergency Services or a DSH Insurance contractor and may include works like restoring or disconnecting unsafe power supply, securing damaged windows or doors, or fitting tarpaulins to a leaking roof.

Items such as carpet and curtains usually come under your contents policy, however if your home is tenanted they are covered under your DSH Insurance home building policy as Landlords Fixtures and Fittings.

Wet or damaged items such as mouldy carpets or curtains that pose a health risk can be moved to a safe area or discarded but ensure you photograph the items and keep a small sample before you dispose of them.

Dependant on the amount of damage you have, an assessor or a builder will often be appointed by DSH Insurance to inspect your damage and prepare a report. If your damage is minor, you may be asked to obtain quotes from your own contractor for DSH Insurance to consider or we may send one of ours.

Beware of companies or individuals door knocking and offering services to manage your claim for a percentage of any cash settlement or to do trades work. You should satisfy yourself that they are a legitimate service and exercise the same caution as you would with any unsolicited services.

Following significant disasters, assessors will prioritise claims with the most urgent cases being assessed first. Access to properties in the disaster area may be restricted for several days which may impact the assessor’s ability to attend. The assessor or builder will contact you and arrange a time to attend.

The Scope of Works is a document developed by an assessor and/or builder that identifies the damage to the property and details the repair works required under the claim. In larger more complex claims, the Scope of Works may be compiled by an industry specialist such as a Building Consultant or Structural Engineer.

The Scope of Works document is important in defining the loss and a copy will be provided to you for approval before it is forwarded to builders to compile quotes for the repair. It is not uncommon for a number of versions of the Scope of Works to be produced before all parties agree that it correctly captures the extent of the repairs required.

Sometimes further damage from the event may be identified whilst repairs are in progress. If this is the case, the additional work is added to the Scope of Works as a variation.

If there are items missing from the Scope of Works, you should let your assessor or claims manager know as soon as possible.

DSH Insurance makes an effort to support local trades wherever possible, however relying solely on local builders in disaster stricken areas will often significantly delay the recovery process. To ensure that homes are repaired quickly and to the best possible standard, DSH Insurance use appropriately licenced and qualified builders from our National Provider Network.

The time it takes for your repairs to be done will depend on the extent of damage. The majority of claims are usually completed within six months. Where there is major damage or complex repairs required, repairs may take up to 12 months.

Once your Scope of Work is agreed, ask your assessor or claims manager for a timeline.

DSH Insurance guarantees the quality of the workmanship and materials used in works carried out by our repairers. If the repairs are defective or incomplete then DSH Insurance is responsible for fixing this. If you have a complaint about the repairer’s conduct or service, DSH Insurance will address this with the repairer. If you use your own repairer, DSH Insurance cannot guarantee the work or service performed by that provider.

In some circumstances, DSH Insurance may consider cash settlements. This would typically be for the value for which DSH Insurance’s builder could complete the work.  If you accept a cash settlement, DSH Insurance does not guarantee the quality of the repairs carried out by your appointed repairer.

You may jeopardise any claim for similar damage in the future if you do not complete the repairs for which you have received cash settlement.

It is your responsibility to maintain your home in good condition.

Sometimes an assessor or repairer will identify that a lack of maintenance has contributed to the damage.  In these cases, you may be required to carry out the maintenance related repairs at your own cost before the insurance repairs can begin. Lack of maintenance may also result in reduction of the amount we pay for a claim or denial of a claim.

For example if a fence is blown down in a cyclone and inspection reveals that the timber fence posts were rotted, the damage to the fence may be declined as the lack of maintenance contributed to the damage.

DSH Insurance covers you for removal of trees and branches that have fallen during the storm and caused damage to your home. Your policy does not cover clean-up or removal of trees and branches from your property if they have not caused any damage.

If there has been storm damage to the pool filter, pump or chlorinator and because of this the surface/lining would have to be physically cleaned, DSH Insurance will pay for the cleaning of the pool surfaces and cleaning or replacement of pool water as necessary.

If your claim includes debris or contamination to your swimming pool please do not drain your pool without first speaking to a pool expert. If there is no damage to the pool, the policy will not cover cleaning or replacement of water.

If your contents are insured with DSH Insurance and food in your fridge/freezer has spoiled due to loss of power from the natural disaster, you can submit a claim for the loss of food. Make a list and take photos of the spoiled food items with prices to replace, safely dispose of the items and submit the list and images with your contents claim.

If there is damage to your property from a natural disaster and that damage has resulted in the home being unliveable due to the loss of power, DSH Insurance may consider the option of purchase or hire of a generator if it would be otherwise safe to stay there. Please ask your assessor or claims manager.