As a renter, you generally don’t need home insurance because your landlord should have insurance for the building you live in, and if you live in a unit, apartment or townhouse, the body corporate is legally required to have building insurance for the building. But you should consider getting contents insurance to protect your own possessions.

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For landlords, you can consider home or landlord insurance. Landlord insurance is designed to cover you for many of the same things as a home insurance policy, but with several additions to cover you against risks related to having tenants occupying your property.

HBF’s landlord insurance policies offer cover you for a range of insured events (such as burning out an electronic motor and deliberate acts of damage by a tenant). You can also add rent default and theft by a tenant and loss of rent cover as optional extras.

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If you have a recent and accurate estimate of the value of your home and contents, then you could consider insuring up to that particular sum.

If you don’t have an accurate idea of the above value, then you could consider insuring for a complete replacement.

You can lodge a claim with HBF by calling its 24/7 number 1300 559 867.

HBF says it normally gets back to those who make a claim with a plan within 48 hours.

HBF was established as the Metropolitan Hospital Benefit Fund in 1941 to help Western Australians cover the cost of hospital treatment. HBF is now an Australia-wide health fund that covers over 900,000 members, and also offers a variety of other insurance products.

HBF is a not-for-profit organisation and says it is Western Australia’s leading health insurer and one of the leading providers of home, car and travel insurance.