Who Insures What in a Unit or Apartment
If you own a unit, townhouse or apartment in a strata scheme, the owners' corporation (body corporate) is legally required to hold building insurance covering the building structure and common property — you don't arrange or pay for this directly, though it's funded through your strata levies.
What Strata Insurance Covers
Strata building insurance typically covers the building's structure, common areas (lobbies, lifts, gardens, car parks), and often fixtures inside individual units that were part of the original build (kitchens, bathrooms) — but this varies by state and by the scheme's specific policy, so it's worth reading the scheme's certificate of currency.
What It Doesn't Cover — Why You Still Need Contents Insurance
Strata insurance does not cover anything you own inside your unit: furniture, electronics, clothing, or any renovations and improvements you've made beyond the original fit-out. This is exactly the gap a personal contents policy fills, and it's a genuinely common source of confusion — many unit owners assume they're fully covered by strata and are not.
A Few Things Worth Checking
- Ask your strata manager for the current certificate of currency to see exactly what the building policy covers
- If you've renovated your kitchen or bathroom beyond the original build, check whether that improvement is covered by strata or needs to be added to your own contents policy
- Strata schemes review their insurer periodically — a change can shift what's covered, so it's worth checking again after any renovation or major strata decision
This page is for educational purposes and isn't personalised financial advice. Premiums, terms and eligibility vary by insurer, state and individual circumstances — always check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before buying.