Your guide to GIO optional covers

Optional covers are a way for you to get a particular cover that better suits your needs. They can be added to your policy for an additional premium.

By reviewing available optional covers and determining their suitability, you can help ensure that your policy is able to support you when you need it most. Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for additional details, limits and exclusions.

Choosing your level of cover

GIO Home Building Insurance, GIO Contents Insurance, and combined GIO Home and Contents Insurance each have three levels of cover available:

• Classic,
• Classic Extras, and
• Platinum.

The level of cover that’s best for you will depend on your circumstances. Some coverage types, such as Unspecified portable valuables, are optional with Classic but are automatically included with Classic Extras.

Explore GIO Home and Contents Insurance

Accidental damage at home cover

Accidents can happen without warning. When you have a GIO Home Insurance policy, we can help cover accidental loss and damage at the insured address, up to the sum insured under your policy if you have our Accidental damage at the home optional cover.*

When you have a GIO Contents Insurance policy with Accidental damage at the home optional cover, we cover some contents items for accidental loss. Like if you accidentally drop your engagement ring down the drain and can’t retrieve it up to the sum insured under your policy.

Motor burnout

This optional cover can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing burned-out or fused electric motors in your household equipment or appliances. If you have GIO Home Insurance, this includes built-in appliances that are part of your home, such as ducted heating systems or inbuilt ovens. If you have GIO Contents Insurance, it includes any appliances which are considered contents, like a fridge or washing machine.

Motor burnout is an optional cover with Classic policies and is automatically included with Classic Extras and GIO Platinum policies. Keep in mind this cover only applies to motors equal to or less than ten years old.

Available with GIO Contents cover only

Portable valuables cover

This optional cover is for portable valuables you usually carry while away from home, but a few limits and exclusions apply.

Items that can be covered under portable valuables cover can be either unspecified or specified: 

• Unspecified items are covered up to a set limit per item with a total value per claim. Read the PDS for details.
• Specified items are covered up to the sum you have chosen for each item, agreed upon by you and GIO, and listed on your certificate of insurance.

This optional cover is only available with contents and an extra premium will apply. If you want to learn more about this specific optional cover, our article on how to get portable valuables insurance could offer insight. You could also read the Product Disclosure Statement. 

Injury to pet dogs and cats

If a pet dog or cat is shown on your certificate of insurance and is accidentally injured during the period of insurance, we will pay up to $2,000 for any one incident for necessary veterinary treatment.* This optional cover is only available with contents and an extra premium will apply.

Available with GIO Home cover only

Safety net home protection

In certain situations, your chosen sum insured might not cover all the costs of repairs or replacement if your home is damaged in an insured event. That's where GIO’s safety net home protection can come in handy. With this cover, we'll pay you an extra percentage on top of your sum insured.

The sum insured is found on your certificate of insurance – we’ll pay up to the sum insured to replace or repair your home or your home and its contents if an insured event occurs. The sum insured is agreed upon by you and us before purchasing your insurance policy.

The extra amount we are able to pay and whether this cover is optional or automatically included with your GIO Home policy, depends on which level of cover you have:

• With our Classic policy, this cover is optional and available at an additional cost. If you choose it, we’ll pay up to a further 25% of your sum insured.
• With our Classic Extras policy, this cover is automatically included. We’ll pay up to a further 25% of your sum insured.
• With our Platinum policy, this cover is automatically included. We’ll pay up to a further 30% of your sum insured.

Excess-free glass cover

When you have home cover and your claim is for accidental breakage of glass only, we cover the cost – excess-free – to replace the following:

• fixed glass in windows, doors, skylights and shower screens
• mirrors fixed to the home, or
• other fixed glass (including glass tint if fitted).*

We’ll also cover the cost to repair or replace any window, door, or shower screen frame, but only if this is necessary to enable the glass to be replaced.

GIO Home Assist

GIO Home Assist provides you with selected trade services in the event of a home emergency. It is not a general maintenance or preventative service (which means it doesn’t cover painting, replacing light bulbs or tap washers) or a disaster response service (if you have damage from an insured event, please lodge a claim by calling us on 13 14 46, lodging online at gio.com.au or on the GIO App).

What do we consider a home emergency?

A home emergency is a sudden and unforeseen incident that occurs to the home (but not your contents) that requires the urgent attention of a:

• plumber
• electrician
• locksmith, or
• carpenter.

A maximum call-out period applies in addition to a limit on parts and materials. Please read the GIO Home Assist Terms and Conditions, and the Product Disclosure Statement for the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions before considering this optional cover.

Domestic workers compensation

Some of us are fortunate enough to employ a helping hand around the home. It can be comforting to know your legal liability to pay workers compensation may be covered should a work injury occur. With this optional cover, we offer cover if:

• the employee is injured while working for you, and 
• the incident causing the injury occurred in the period of insurance.*

This is only available in the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia. If you live in other states or territories and employ a domestic employee, you may need to arrange this cover with the WorkCover Authority or other insurance providers.

How to make sure you’re covered

You can add any or all the above optional covers for an extra premium when you’re taking out a GIO Home, Contents or Home and Contents Insurance quote. This will let you see how much extra you’ll need to pay per cover, and allow you to make an informed decision that suits your needs and budget.

Get a Home and Contents Insurance quote

Read more:

• How much should I insure my home for?
• Tips to reduce your home insurance premium
• What does GIO Home and Contents Insurance cover?

*Subject to the conditions, limits and exclusions of your policy. 

Insurance issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as GIO. Read the Product Disclosure Statement before buying this insurance. The Target Market Determination is also available. This advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situations or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it. 

The information is intended to be of a general nature only. Subject to any rights you may have under any law, we do not accept any legal responsibility for any loss or damage, including loss of business or profits or any other indirect loss, incurred as a result of reliance upon the information. Please make your own enquiries.