Have you splurged on furnishing your home? A lot of us have. Think about your sofa, dining table, chairs and bed. How much is all of that worth?
If something happens that damages or destroys our furniture, we have a lot to lose. Good news, then, that insurance can cover home furniture against the unexpected.
How do I insure my furniture?
There are a few different ways to insure your furniture. Which policy is right for you will depend on your living situation and the furniture you want to insure:
Can give your furniture the same protection as home insurance, against the same insured events, but minus the benefit of cover for your home itself. It can be a good choice if you're renting or in a less permanent living situation. If you only have a few things you want to insure, you can also cover furniture as part of a single item insurance policy.
Can give you the broadest possible protection by covering not only your furniture but also plenty of other things around it in your home, including the home itself.
You might not want to take out a home insurance policy if your main priority is to cover your furniture, but if you already have home insurance, check your policy to see if you already have cover. You might even take the time to compare other home insurance options.
An important note. Whichever policy you choose, you should consider adding accidental damage insurance to your policy. Usually an optional benefit rather than a standard feature, it can cover furniture that's damaged in an unforeseeable accident. Examples could include wine or coffee spills, child-related food stains and accidental burns.
Compare home furniture insurance and get a quote
Finder survey: What extra features would influence people in choosing a home & contents insurance policy?
Response
Female
Male
Temporary accommodation cover
30%
25%
High-value items cover
19.31%
21.43%
Removal of debris
19.31%
14.47%
None of the above
17.07%
19.17%
Flood cover
17.76%
13.16%
Preventative programs
8.1%
10.15%
Asbestos removal
6.72%
5.83%
Other
1.21%
1.32%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1113 Australians, December 2023
Why do I need home furniture insurance?
Between your bed and mattress, lounge or lounges, tables and chairs, wardrobes and cabinets, rugs and carpets and mirrors and lighting, the total value of your home furniture is likely higher than you'd guess.
Furniture is a common casualty when homes are damaged badly in fire, flood, storm and other events – and new and antique furniture doesn't come cheap.
Accidental scratches, spills and stains also happen. Cleaning, repair or replacement costs can be high when they do. Home furniture insurance (with accidental damage cover) can make those moments less painful.
Should I add "accidental damage" cover to my policy?
If you want to protect your furniture, you'll probably conclude, given sofas and other furniture are prone to accidents, that it's a good idea to add accidental damage cover for your policy. If you don't, you might be disappointed later on to learn that unsightly stain, scratch or chip isn't covered.
Which brands offer accidental damage cover?
Brand
Does it offer accidental damage?
Optional
Optional
Optional
Optional
How is home furniture insurance different to warranty?
Warranties and product care plans focus on failures and imperfections in the design, structure and features of the product itself – for example, a manufacturing defect in a bed frame.
A warranty generally won't cover any of the insured events a home and/or contents policy will, including water damage, fire damage, theft and so on.
A warranty only lasts for a finite period of time after purchase, whereas insurance will last as long as your policy is active.
Will my outdoor furniture be included?
Yes. As long as it lives at the insured address, outdoor furniture can be included in either a home and contents policy or a straight contents policy. This can include things like statues and ornaments.
You just have to remember to account for your outdoor furniture when you're setting up your policy. Again, you might need to specify the value of any very-high-value items that are worth more than the upper limits the insurer pays out in a standard policy.
When will my furniture be covered?
Here are some situations where home and/or contents policies will generally cover your furniture:
In insured events like fire, flood, escape of liquid from your plumbing system, impact damage (e.g. from a falling branch or tree) and theft.
If fixed glass in a piece of furniture gets smashed in an insured event (depending on what happened, you might need accidental damage cover).
If you stain your couch with food or drink (again, you may need accidental damage cover).
Many (but not all) insurers classify rugs, and often carpets, as furniture.
When won't home furniture insurance cover me?
Every insurance policy has exclusions. Here are some furniture-related things you may not be covered for:
Not all policies will cover "permanent" furniture like fittings, built-in wardrobes and kitchen cupboards (unless you're taking out landlord insurance), though others will.
You shouldn't assume your insurance will cover pet damage, which is an exclusion in lots of home and contents policies and may or may not be included in accidental damage insurance. If you have an unpredictable pet that could cause havoc, check the fine print and ask the insurer.
If you're working from home or running a business out of home, some policies will insure your (home) office furniture as a standard, while others won't. Let your insurer know about any furniture you use as part of your business, in case you need to insure it separately.
If you have items of furniture with values higher than the relevant maximum sums insured in your policy, you might need to designate their value in a specified contents policy. Before committing to anything, be sure to cross-check the relevant values against the policy's product disclosure statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Furniture insurance, usually part of home contents insurance, covers damage or loss to your furniture caused by fire, theft, vandalism or natural disasters. The specifics can vary depending on the cover you take out, so check your policy for details on exclusions and coverage limits.
Yes, you can claim on home contents insurance for a damaged or stolen sofa, provided the damage is caused by an insured event such as fire or theft. You may have cover for accidental damage, if included in your policy (often as an added extra). Keep in mind an excess is payable, and this could cancel out the financial benefit of the claim. Also note that making a claim can impact your premiums in the future.
Most home and contents insurance policies include insurance for your TV, up to a certain value. this provides protection against various insured events, including theft but not including accidental damage. Note that if you don't take out specified contents coverage on a high-value TV, the maximum amount the insurer will pay out will be the one in the general contents policy.
Here's the bottom line
Whether your furniture collection is brand-new or antique, home furniture insurance that reflects its true value will quickly pay for itself in peace of mind.
Jessica Prasida is a travel insurance expert for Finder. She lives and breathes travel, having worked as a travel agent and branch manager at STA Travel for over 4 years, then writing about travel insurance with Finder for another 5 years. Jess has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Tier 1 General Insurance qualification. See full bio
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