Strata insurance questions, answered

The owners corporation (body corporate in some states) arranges it for the building and common property. In most states it is required by law, and the premium is paid from the levies every owner contributes.

Yes. A duplex, a few villa units or a handful of townhouses on one strata plan still have common property, such as a shared driveway, fences or roofs, and the rules in many states apply to small schemes too. They are quoted on the same online form. See strata insurance for a duplex for what each state says about two-lot schemes.

Generally no. Strata cover is for the building and what owners share. Some insurers offer limited cover for owners' contents as an optional extra, but your own furniture and belongings are usually a separate contents policy, and a landlord's are a landlord policy. Our guide to what strata insurance covers quotes a real policy on this.

Usually from a building valuation, which many states require every few years. It estimates the full cost to rebuild, including demolition, removal of debris and professional fees. That is a different figure from what the units would sell for, which includes the land. Our guide to how much strata insurance is shows what the sum insured does to a real quote.

Yes. A manager can quote a building online for its committee, the same way a committee member or an owner can, and come back to a saved quote later. We explain what a strata insurance broker does and how we are paid.

Anything here is general information only and does not take your circumstances into account. Read the PDS for any policy before deciding whether it suits the building.

In most states and territories, strata legislation requires the owners corporation to insure the building for its replacement value and to hold public liability cover. The rules, and the exemptions that apply to some small schemes, differ from state to state. More in what does strata insurance cover?

Not automatically in the policy quoted here. Flood, meaning water escaping from a river, creek, lake, dam or similar, is excluded unless the owners corporation adds the optional flood cover, which is limited to the lesser of $10,000,000, the Section 1 limit or the flood sublimit on the schedule (SCI-PPW-04/2026, page 31). More in what does strata insurance cover?

No, in the policy quoted here. Carpets, rugs and floating floors inside a lot are lot owners’ contents (page 23). Floating floors can be added back as an optional cover (page 31). More in what does strata insurance cover?

It depends on the state. In the policy quoted here, internal paintwork and wallpaper in lots in New South Wales and the ACT are not covered unless the optional lot owners’ wall coverings cover is added, and that cover is limited to the room where the damage happened (pages 22 and 31). More in what does strata insurance cover?

In the policy quoted here, yes: 21 days from the date a new policy is issued or a renewal starts, with a full refund of premium if no claim has been made, less any government taxes or duties (page 9). More in what does strata insurance cover?

Not your own. On a strata plan the owners corporation insures the buildings under one policy paid from levies. You insure your contents, and in the policy quoted here the carpets and floating floors inside your lot. More in townhouse and unit block insurance: who insures what

On a strata plan, fencing is part of the building the owners corporation insures in the policy quoted here (SCI-PPW-04/2026, page 21), and storm damage to fences and gates is named as covered (page 25). More in townhouse and unit block insurance: who insures what

Damage to a lift from an insured event such as fire sits under the building section. Breakdown is a separate section, machinery breakdown, which covers electrical, electronic and mechanical plant (page 44). More in townhouse and unit block insurance: who insures what

The cover has the same sections. What changes is the rating: the insurer classifies the building by the share of floor space used for residential and commercial purposes, and that sets the premium and the taxes and levies on it (SCI-PPW-04/2026, page 14). More in commercial strata insurance: shops, offices and mixed-use buildings

No. The owners corporation’s policy covers the building and common property. A business insures its own stock, equipment, loss of trade and public liability. More in commercial strata insurance: shops, offices and mixed-use buildings

Yes. In the policy quoted here the owners corporation must ensure any lot doing commercial cooking has its exhaust system professionally cleaned and its fire equipment maintained, with records kept, or a claim may be reduced or refused (pages 18 to 19). More in commercial strata insurance: shops, offices and mixed-use buildings

A committee member can be named in a claim over a decision made in the role. Office bearers liability insurance pays the loss and the defence costs for a wrongful act, subject to its exclusions, which include dishonest acts and conflicts of interest. More in office bearers liability insurance for strata committees

Only when the manager is acting as an officer or committee member. In the policy quoted here it does not cover a strata manager “when acting in their professional capacity” (SCI-PPW-04/2026, page 43). More in office bearers liability insurance for strata committees

It is generally not one of the covers strata legislation requires. Building insurance and public liability are. Whether to add it is the owners corporation’s decision. More in office bearers liability insurance for strata committees

On three Sydney buildings quoted by Strata Community Insurance in November 2026 it came to between $870 and $1,629 a lot for the year: $870 a lot on a six-unit block insured for $3.5 million, and $1,212 and $1,629 a lot on two duplexes. Smaller buildings cost more per lot. More in how much is strata insurance? Real quotes, line by line

The owners corporation pays the premium from the levies owners contribute, commonly in line with each lot’s entitlement. More in how much is strata insurance? Real quotes, line by line

An independent review in 2022 found broker commission is typically 20% of the premium, and that total payments to brokers and strata managers were typically 25% to 35% of base premium across the industry. Every quote on this site shows the commission in dollars. More in how much is strata insurance? Real quotes, line by line

That depends on how the lot is used and is a question for a tax adviser. An owner who rents out their lot commonly treats the levies that pay for it differently from an owner who lives there. More in how much is strata insurance? Real quotes, line by line

No law requires one. Some owners corporations deal with an insurer or underwriting agency directly, and many use a broker to present the building and handle claims. More in strata insurance brokers: what they do and how they are paid

An independent review of the industry found broker commission is typically 20% of the premium, sometimes with a broker fee on top. Quick Strata’s commission and broker fee are shown in dollars on each quote. More in strata insurance brokers: what they do and how they are paid

Not between insurers. Quotes on this site are priced by one insurer, Strata Community Insurance. What you can do is see every component of that price, including our commission, and set it beside any other quote your committee has. More in strata insurance brokers: what they do and how they are paid

Not generally. NSW passed laws in September 2024 that the NSW Government says ban agents from receiving a commission on insurance when they play no role in finding the best deal, and it has since strengthened disclosure. A wider prohibition was among the options in a March 2026 NSW review and has not been legislated. More in strata insurance commissions: what the reviews found and what has changed

The Trowbridge review found broker commission is typically 20% of the premium and that total payments to brokers and strata managers are typically 25% to 35% of base premium. The ACCC found commission was 16% of average strata insurance costs in northern Australia. More in strata insurance commissions: what the reviews found and what has changed

By commission from the insurer and a broker fee. Both are shown in dollars on every quote before you buy. More in strata insurance commissions: what the reviews found and what has changed

Two Sydney duplexes priced through Strata Community Insurance on 11 November 2026 came to $2,423.21 a year at a $1.1 million building sum insured and $3,258.28 at $1.5 million, each with $20 million liability cover and a $1,000 excess. The price depends on the building, its address, the sum insured and its claims history. More in duplex strata insurance: does a two-lot scheme need it?

It depends on the state and the building. In NSW a two-lot scheme can opt out of strata building insurance only when the two buildings are physically detached, no building is on common property and the owners vote unanimously. In Queensland an owner insures their own building on a standard format plan when it shares no wall with another. In Victoria a two-lot subdivision is exempt from the owners corporation insurance requirements. More in duplex strata insurance: does a two-lot scheme need it?

The owners corporation, which for a duplex is the two owners. The premium is shared between them through their levies, commonly in line with each lot’s entitlement. More in duplex strata insurance: does a two-lot scheme need it?

Where strata insurance is required, it includes public liability for the common property: at least $20 million in NSW and at least $10 million in Queensland. In Victoria a two-lot subdivision is exempt from the requirement, though the owners remain liable for what happens on shared property. More in duplex strata insurance: does a two-lot scheme need it?

No. A duplex where each home has its own Torrens title has no owners corporation and no strata plan, so each owner arranges their own home insurance. More in duplex strata insurance: does a two-lot scheme need it?

Yes. The owners corporation must insure the building for its full rebuilding cost and hold public liability cover of at least $20 million, plus voluntary workers cover and workers compensation where required. Only a two-lot scheme with physically detached buildings can opt out of building insurance, by unanimous resolution. More in strata insurance in NSW: what the law requires in 2026

At least three quotations from different providers for each type of insurance, or written reasons why not. Each must itemise the base premium, commission and broker fee, the taxes and levies, and who the commission and fee will be paid to (Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, section 166). More in strata insurance in NSW: what the law requires in 2026

Not generally. An agent cannot take a commission where the owners corporation obtained the quote and arranged the policy without the agent’s help. Otherwise a commission must be in the agency agreement or approved at a general meeting, and disclosed. More in strata insurance in NSW: what the law requires in 2026

The NSW Act does not require the building insurance to cover paint, wallpaper and temporary wall, floor and ceiling coverings (section 161). Some insurers offer it as an optional cover. More in strata insurance in NSW: what the law requires in 2026

Yes. A body corporate must insure the common property and body corporate assets for full replacement value, insure buildings on building format and volumetric format plans and on standard format plans with a shared wall, and hold public risk insurance of at least $10 million. More in body corporate insurance in Queensland: what the law requires

Not if it serves only your lot. The Standard Module excludes “mobile or fixed air-conditioning units servicing a particular lot” from the building the body corporate insures (section 195). More in body corporate insurance in Queensland: what the law requires

For an event affecting only one lot, the owner of that lot pays the excess unless the body corporate decides that is unreasonable. For an event affecting two or more lots, or a lot and common property, the body corporate pays unless it decides it is reasonable for an owner to pay or share it (Standard Module, section 203). More in body corporate insurance in Queensland: what the law requires

Yes. Body corporate insurance is the Queensland name for what other states call strata insurance or owners corporation insurance. More in body corporate insurance in Queensland: what the law requires

Yes, except for two-lot subdivisions and services-only owners corporations. An owners corporation must hold reinstatement and replacement insurance for buildings on common property and public liability insurance of at least $20 million, and in a multi-level building it must insure all lots (Owners Corporations Act 2006, sections 59 to 61). More in owners corporation insurance in Victoria: what the Act requires

In a multi-level building, yes: the owners corporation must insure all lots. For single dwellings side by side it depends on the plan and on whether the owners have resolved unanimously that each owner insures their own lot. Contents are never included. More in owners corporation insurance in Victoria: what the Act requires

Every five years, or earlier if it decides, for tiers one to four. Tier five, which is two-lot subdivisions and services-only owners corporations, is exempt (section 65). More in owners corporation insurance in Victoria: what the Act requires

It may levy the owner where the claim solely relates to that owner’s lot, or where the claim was caused by a culpable or wilful act or gross negligence of the owner, their tenant or a guest (section 23A). More in owners corporation insurance in Victoria: what the Act requires

A strata company must ensure the scheme’s insurable assets are insured to replacement value and hold public liability cover of at least $10 million. In a survey-strata scheme each owner insures the buildings on their own lot, and in a single tier scheme insuring a lot is at the owner’s discretion unless the strata company resolves to do it. More in strata insurance in WA: strata, survey-strata and single tier schemes

Yes. The Strata Titles Act 1985 says the owner of a lot in a survey-strata scheme is responsible for insuring the infrastructure on the lot. The strata company insures only the common property and its own liability. More in strata insurance in WA: strata, survey-strata and single tier schemes

No. The required cover is for fire, storm and tempest, lightning, explosion and earthquake, and the Act expressly excludes damage by sea, flood or erosion from what must be insured. More in strata insurance in WA: strata, survey-strata and single tier schemes

Yes. A strata corporation must keep all buildings and building improvements on the site insured to their replacement value, and hold public liability cover of at least $10 million and, in most cases, fidelity guarantee insurance. More in strata and community title insurance in South Australia

A strata corporation insures every building on the site. A community corporation insures the common property and, in a community strata scheme, the building divided by the plan. In a community scheme that is not a strata scheme, owners insure the buildings on their own lots. More in strata and community title insurance in South Australia

At least $50,000, or the highest total balance of its bank accounts at any time in the last three years if that is more. Corporations with no administrative or sinking funds are exempt. More in strata and community title insurance in South Australia