An affordable home insurance option available to current and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), as well as reservists, peacekeepers, widows and widowers.
Defense Service is the only brand we've seen that has no limit for legal liability claims.
Many of its benefits are generous, including 20% sum insured as standard.
Flexible payment options mean you can pay monthly or yearly at no extra cost - some brands charge more for monthly payments.
Cons
Defence Services policy documents aren't as clear or easy to read as some other brands.
Although Defence Services offer comprehensive cover, it's not very customisable.
While Defence Services underwrites its own home insurance, contents cover is offered by a third party.
How does DSH compare with other popular home insurance providers?
Features
Defense Services Home Insurance outperforms all other home insurers that we've compared when it comes to legal liability, specifically stating that there is no limit to the amount it will pay out, providing they are reasonable and pre-agreed.
It also offers 20% sum insured as standard, a benefit which is usually offered by insurers for an extra fee - if at all. Budget Direct and AAMI both offer sum insurance as an added extra, while NRMA and Youi don't offer the benefit.
Finder Score - Home and Contents Insurance
Each month, we get crunching on most every home insurance product in Australia to see how they stack up. We rank over 50 products on 16 different features, including price. We end up with a single score out of 10 that helps you compare home insurance a bit faster.
Defence Services offers comprehensive cover but unfortunately it isn't very customisable and there are no additional cover options available.
How to make a claim
You can lodge a claim with Defence Services Home Insurance online via its website. Alternatively, you can call 1300 552 662 or email dsh@dva.gov.au.
DSH insurance complaints information
The Defence Services Home Insurance Scheme is considered a medium-sized financial institution and, according to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), it was the subject of 11 home insurance complaints. This is within the realm of other medium-sized insurers including AIG (7 complaints), Assetinsure (9) and Blue Zebra (24).
FAQs
Defence Services home insurance is home insurance offered only to current and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), as well as reservists, peacekeepers, widows and widowers. It is considered comprehensive and well-priced home insurance.
Defence Services underwrites its own home insurance but its contents insurance is underwritten by QBE.
You can contact SDH insurance online via its website, by calling 1300 552 662, or by writing to GPO Box 9998, Brisbane QLD 4001.
Nicola Middlemiss is a contributing writer at Finder, with a special interest in personal finance and insurance. Formerly a business and finance journalist, Nicola has written thousands of articles helping Australians better understand insurance and grow their personal wealth. She has contributed to a wide range of publications, including Domain, the Educator, Financy, Fundraising and Philanthropy, Insurance Business, MoneyMag, Mortgage Professional, Yahoo Finance, Your Investment Property, and Wealth Professional. Nicola has a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Leeds. See full bio
Nicola's expertise
Nicola has written 241 Finder guides across topics including:
Personal finance
Personal insurance, including car, health, home, life, pet and travel insurance
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