Question: Does strata insurance cover the cost of repairing a damaged fence surrounding the common area storage cages in my apartment building after a break-in?
There was a break-in to my storage cage area in the basement of my apartment. The fence of the storage area has been cut open. Who covers the repairs or replacement of the fence (not the contents in the storage cage area)? Are the owners responsible for paying the strata insurance excess?
Answer: It depends on whether the storage cage fence is common property or part of the lot, according to the registered plan of subdivision.
The first step would be to confirm whether the storage cage and, in particular, the damaged fence, forms part of your individual lot or is common property. This is determined by reference to the registered plan of subdivision and the boundaries shown on that plan.
This distinction is important both in determining responsibility for the repair and in considering who is responsible for any insurance excess.
The owners corporation is responsible for the repair and maintenance of common property. Accordingly, if the storage cage fence is common property, responsibility for arranging its repair would ordinarily rest with the owners corporation.
In relation to the insurance excess, section 23A(3) of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 specifically deals with circumstances in which an owners corporation may levy an insurance excess against an individual lot owner.
Therefore, if the storage cage fence is common property, the excess would ordinarily be an owners corporation expense. Whereas, if it forms part of the lot, the excess may be levied against the lot owner.
We would therefore recommend reviewing the registered plan of subdivision before determining responsibility for the repair or allocating the insurance excess.
Any personal contents stored within the cage would generally need to be considered separately under the owner’s own contents insurance.
This information is of a general nature only and neither represents nor is intended to be personal advice on any particular matter. Shandit Pty Ltd T/as Strata Insurance Solutions strongly suggests that no person should act specifically on the basis of the information in this document, but should obtain appropriate professional advice based on their own personal circumstances and the specific coverage afforded under their policy wording. Shandit Pty Ltd T/As Strata Insurance Solutions is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 404246) of Insurance Advisernet Australia AFSL No 240549, ABN 15 003 886 687.
This post appears in the September 2026 edition of The VIC Strata Magazine.
Tyrone Shandiman
Strata Insurance Solutions
E: tshandiman@iaa.net.au
P: 1300 554 165
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