For the first time, Australian Homeowners can now purchase insurance against termite damage.
Rapid Solutions, an Australian owned insurance agency, has released TimberSecure®, a policy that covers the homeowner for up to $100,000 worth of termite timber damage to their home. For a one-off premium of just$360.00 (inclusive of all government charges), the home owner receives five years protection. That’s less than $1.40 per week.
Most, if not all, insurance policies specifically exclude structural damage caused by termites. This is a concern for homeowners especially considering that Australia has the most destructive termites in the world.
Archicentre (the building advisory service branch of the Royal Institute of Architects) estimates that termites cause over $780 million worth of damage to Australian homes per annum. That’s more than all the fire and storm damage combined. Archicentre estimate that about 650,000 homes were damaged by Termites in the last 5 years at a cost of about $3.9 billion. Research by Griffith University identifies that between 10% and 65% of houses have or will be infested by termites depending on the location. The research goes on to detail that the average cost of termite damage ranged from $18,000 to $60,000 per home.
Rapid Solutions’ TimberSecure policy is a ‘no-fault’ policy meaning that the homeowner is guaranteed of a quick repair to their home.
The policy is also ‘make good’, meaning that the area of damage will be repaired back to its original state, including for example, the replacement of timbers, plasterboard and painting. To obtain a policy homeowners are required to have their homes inspected by a pest manager insured and authorised by Rapid Solutions. They will inform the homeowner what must be carried out to prevent termites attacking or to eliminate termites from the house or grounds if they are found during the inspection. Once any recommended work is carried out the homeowners can take out a TimberSecure policy.
Following the issuing of the policy, homeowners are required to have regular inspections of their property to ensure termites haven’t gained entry to the home.
CEO of Rapid Solutions, Graham Hellier, said “We believe this policy is excellent value for the homeowner. At just $360 for five years of $100,000 worth of cover, it gives homeowners peace of mind knowing that their home is protected from the devastation that termites can cause.”
Homeowners can find more information regarding the new TimberSecure termite insurance policy by visiting www.timbersecure.com.au or contacting Termite Solutions. Click here to download a Timbersecure Brochure, or