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It’s easy to assume that insurance will step in when something goes wrong in your home. In reality, insurers assess a range of factors when determining a claim – one of those being whether the property has been properly maintained.
Under Queensland legislation, owners in a body corporate are required to keep their lot in good condition. This isn’t just a general expectation, it’s a legal obligation. So, when maintenance is overlooked, it doesn’t just affect your property – it can also impact how an insurer views and responds to your claim.
When Small Problems Become Big Costs
What starts as a minor issue – a leaking shower or a rusting pergola, can quickly develop into something far more serious.
In a body corporate, units are often connected through shared walls, plumbing, and other infrastructure, so a problem in one lot – like a leak or structural fault, can quickly extend beyond the originating property, creating costly repairs across multiple lots.
When this happens, responsibility doesn’t automatically fall on the body corporate. If the damage can be traced back to a lack of maintenance within a lot, the owner may be held liable for the resulting repairs.
How Neglected Maintenance Affects Insurance
Failing to maintain your lot doesn’t just increase the risk of damage, it can also affect whether an insurance claim is approved.
Insurers look closely at the cause of any damage, and expect the underlying issue to be addressed before covering resultant damage. If damage occurs due to neglected maintenance, such as a known leak, failing waterproofing, or blocked drains that haven’t been fixed, the insurer may view it as gradual deterioration rather than a sudden, accidental event.
In these cases, claims can be denied, leaving the lot owner responsible for both rectifying the underlying problem and repairing any residual damage.
Maintenance vs Insurable Events
It’s important to distinguish between what insurance covers and what maintenance is intended to prevent.
Insurance is designed to respond to sudden and accidental events, not damage caused by neglect or poor upkeep. If a problem arises from a failure to maintain your lot, the cost of fixing both the root cause and any resulting damage usually falls on the owner or body corporate.
Staying Ahead with Proactive Maintenance
Proactive maintenance is more than a legal obligation. It protects your property, your neighbour’s property, and your financial interests in the complex.
By addressing minor issues promptly, lot owners reduce the risk of damage escalating, protect themselves from insurance claim disputes, and avoid potential recovery action from the body corporate.
Regular inspections, timely repairs, and keeping records of maintenance work ensure that any issues are dealt with before they become problems.
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