WA: What are the insurance options for survey strata owners?

Question: We can no longer cover our survey strata scheme under a joint policy. What insurance options are available to individual lot owners?

We own 1 lot in a duplex of seven duplexes built around 2000. Each duplex has a common wall between the two lots. Four of the duplexes are two-storey.

Our strata manager informed us that, because we are survey strata, we can no longer be jointly insured and each owner will need separate property insurance.

We are getting the common areas valued so that the strata manager can get quotes for insuring just the common areas.

How do owners get a quote for their unit’s insurance? It doesn’t appear to be as easy as freestanding houses or regular strata.

1. Some insurers won’t insure individual units in groups of more than five.
2. Some insurers won’t insure the common area because two of the seven duplexes are holiday rentals.
3. One quote was high because the lot was not owner-occupied.
4. Some brokers don’t respond or return calls.

Answer: Survey strata insurance is challenging, but a CHU policy, a sympathetic home insurer, or a scheme-wide strata policy are all worth exploring with a specialist strata insurance broker.

It can certainly be challenging to secure insurance for survey-strata properties, but a few options available may help in your situation:

1. CHU’s Policy Option: CHU has an arrangement where the common areas are insured under one policy, and then separate policies are arranged for the individual dwellings. It may be worth reaching out to see if this option is available for your scheme.
2. Home Insurers: Some home insurers may be willing to cover your unit once they understand that it is on a survey-strata and you cannot get insurance under a standard strata policy. It’s often necessary to escalate the enquiry to a manager or someone with a higher level of delegation. If you clearly explain the situation, some insurers may reconsider their stance and provide cover.
3. Strata Insurers for the Entire Scheme: In some cases, a strata insurer may consider covering all lots under one policy, but this would generally require all lot owners to participate. If this is an avenue you’d like to explore, discuss this with your strata insurance broker. They can approach insurers willing to provide this type of cover.

Given the complexities involved, I’d recommend speaking with an insurance broker who specialises in strata and survey-strata properties. They can guide you through the process and help find the most suitable solution.

This post appears in the June 2026 edition of The WA Strata Magazine.

Tyrone Shandiman
Strata Insurance Solutions
E: tshandiman@iaa.net.au
P: 1300 554 165

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. Shandit Pty Ltd T/As Strata Insurance Solutions is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 404246) of Insurance Advisenent Australia AFSL No 240549, ABN 15 003 886 687.