4 surprising things you didn’t know are covered by home insurance

From renovations and home assistance services to pet coverage for your dog or cat, here’s why home insurance is a necessity for any homeowner.

Your home is probably the most expensive thing you’ll purchase in life. It’s also where you store your valuable possessions, cherished keepsakes and memories. It makes sense then, to ensure that it is well protected from unexpected events such as theft or damage. This is where home insurance can help to safeguard your biggest asset by offering comprehensive coverage and for a wider variety of scenarios. We take a look at some surprising things you may not have known are covered by home insurance.

Building, home contents, and renovations

You’ve maximised the space in your new built-to-order (BTO) flat using storage hacks, but have you considered that some of your appliances and the cost of your renovations may require coverage under unforeseen circumstances? That’s where home insurance comes in.

A plan like FWD Home insurance, for example, would allow you to make claims under three separate categories: Building¹, renovations, and home contents. In these instances, the cost of your renovations, domestic appliances, and electronic devices — even collectible figurines — could be covered, so long as they have been impacted by insured events.²

Home assistance

Did you know home insurance covers you for the following services?

• Electrical services
• Plumbing services
• Locksmith services
• Air-conditioning services

However, be sure to take note of the parameters of what’s covered and what isn’t. In the case of FWD Home insurance, you can claim up to S$100 for each home assistance service four times per policy year, with some caveats. The cost of repairs will be covered in the event of a blackout or power failure — so long as the electrical failures are caused only by a burnt fuse inside the main electrical circuit board, or if there is a malfunction of the power supply socket and wall switch failure.

Regardless, having home assistance services as part of your insurance plan could save you on hidden costs in the long run, so it’s important to consider whether you’re sufficiently protected in these areas.

Pet coverage

What happens if your pet dog or cat is stolen or passes on as the result of an insured event — such as theft by forcible entry? That’s where the cover for pet dogs and cats comes into play. The optional add-on to your home insurance plan would also ensure that:

• You are reimbursed up to S$1,000 for medical expenses incurred as a result of the injury suffered by your pet dog and/or cat due to the insured event.
• Accommodation expenses of up to S$5,000 are covered for your pet dog or cat to place them in a pet hotel, so long as your home is damaged by an insured event.

In such instances, you must present proof of ownership of your pet, as well as ensure your dog or cat is licensed and registered with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

Personal accidents

What’s home insurance for if it doesn’t cover the very people living in the household? Should you or any members of the same household become permanently disabled or die as a result of the insured events, a plan like FWD Home insurance would reimburse you for up to 100% of the personal accident sum insured — including for modifications made to the home in order to accommodate total or permanent injuries.

In addition to insuring your home and loved ones, it’s important not to neglect the basic safety essentials — think a fire extinguisher, first-aid kit and torchlight, among others. By putting adequate safeguards in place, you would be able to have greater peace of mind in the comforts of your home.

Find out more about FWD Home insurance or get a quote starting as low as S$31³.