How building and contents insurance covers fixtures and fittings

By AAMI 24 January 2025

Understanding the difference between fixtures and fittings can make life a whole lot easier when figuring out your home insurance policy (and may also make your date night run more smoothly!).

What are fixtures?

Fixtures are what we describe as items that are permanently attached to the property. Basically, it’s anything you couldn’t (or wouldn’t!) take with you when moving out.

With AAMI Building Insurance, we also cover uninstalled building fittings, fixtures, and materials to be used for the building. However, only when kept in a locked and secured building at the insured address.

How do I insure my fixtures?

Your fixtures should automatically be covered by your building insurance (or home and contents insurance, since that covers both the building and the stuff inside it). With AAMI’s Building Insurance, for example, you’re covered for all sorts of fixtures, including:

permanently housed, connected and wired electrical appliances, like split system air conditioners
permanently fixed outdoor items, such as solar panels and clothes lines, and
anything permanently attached to the floor, ceiling or walls.

Explore AAMI Building Insurance

What are fittings?

Fittings are what we describe as typically freestanding household items, such as furniture, white goods, carpets, rugs, internal blinds or curtains.

How do I insure my fittings?

Fittings are counted as contents, which means you’ll need to insure them under contents or as part of a home and contents insurance policy. AAMI Contents Insurance covers off the items listed above, plus other contents items like your couch, clothes, coffee machine, and more.

Explore AAMI Contents Insurance

Understanding fixtures and fittings within your insurance policy

Understanding what counts as a fixture or fitting can get confusing. Product Disclosure Statements come in handy here, as they fully list what’s included in a contents or building insurance policy. You can also avoid the confusion with a combined home and contents insurance policy, which should cover the whole shebang.

At the end of the day, only you know what will work for your needs and give you the most peace of mind.

Insurance is issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 AFSL 230859 (AAI) trading as AAMI. Any advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situation or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it. Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before you make any decision regarding this product. The Target Market Determination is also available.

This information applies to new policies or renewal policies starting on or after 24 January 2025.