what have you claimed on house contents insurance and what excess do you have to lower premiums plea

re normal house and contents insurance
NOT landlords insurance
i'd like to know please ways you have found to lower premiums
eg would you do a $1000 excess on building to lower premiums and really be having the insurance mainly for protection in very major claims like flood, storm, fire,

and my second question is what sort of things have you claimed on on your bulding insurance or house and contents insurance. I once knew someone who really knew about insurance and found alot more things than i ever have to semi regularly claim on insurance.

while i've really only made one claim in decades, and really i just have it to protect me in the event of something very major and expensive so maybe its worth increasing the building insurance to 1000 excess and having it $200 cheaper per year.

Comments and experiences appreciated please.

 

I've set our excess to $1100. We've claimed on my wife's lost engagement ring and contents of car which was broken into last year. The excess depends on your circumstances.

Those are the only claims we've had since we had contents insurance.

 

I have only had to make one claim (thankfully) when Melbourne had that huge amount of rain. Flooded the shed and knocked down the fence, house didn't have any damage.

 

I like a high excess generally about 1500, for the ppor we have had two bathroom plumbing leaks in about 11 years and have had to make a claim for those.
Making lots of small claims only means higher premiums so you end up paying for these anyway.

 

I take the higher excess option on all my policies. Never made a claim on anything. The money I save on premiums each year can cover a small damage or loss out of my own pocket if needed. So I end up in a better position in the end as if something small happens I just pay for it and it doesn't mark my record.

 

My $5000 bike that was loaded on top my car when I drove into the garage.

My family had been robbed maybe 5 times in different houses over the years and have claimed each time with large losses of goods.

 

Like many here, I only really want insurance to cover me for major events (like whole house fire/flood/ect). The costs that can't be absorbed.
If there was insurance products that had excesses of 5-10k (and obviously premiums to match), I would seriously consider it (wheres Brett C when you need him?).

 

Claimed for the TV before. Golfball to the plasma screen.
Had to pay the $80 to be inspectd by TV repair.
Was reimbursed the $80 after it was found to be "non repairable accident"
No excess, maybe due to value ($1500 replacement)

 

Never had to claim on PPOR before and we always take the highest excess as well

 

Mine is $500. I'd never made a claim ever but two years ago a storm wiped out the entire (falling over) patio plus the Solar hot water and the TV antenna. Insurers replaced it all, mind you, I went on a very steep insurance learning curve as they subbie everything out and one of the blokes quoting told me the bloke who contacted him implied it was his house and I was his missus, at home, much to my shock, coupled with the shock I got seeing him wandering about on my now destroyed patio unannounced.
Anyway, the final cost was well over 20 K.

 

We should all be congratulated for having insurances. It is estimated that over 70% people do not.