If you own a free standing home in Atwell, WA 6164, you're likely paying close attention to the rising cost of home insurance. Atwell is a well-established southern suburb of Perth, sitting within the City of Cockburn — a largely residential area known for its family-friendly streets and solid brick housing stock. In this article, we analyse a real home and contents insurance quote for a large, seven-bedroom property in the suburb, break down what's driving the premium, and show you how it stacks up against local, state, and national benchmarks.
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Is This Quote Fair?
The quote in question comes in at $2,591 per year (or $248/month) for combined home and contents cover, with a building sum insured of $1,104,000 and contents valued at $131,000. Both the building and contents excess are set at $2,000.
Our price rating for this quote is Expensive (Above Average).
To put that into perspective, the suburb average annual premium in Atwell sits at just $1,552, with a median of $1,449. This quote is roughly 67% above the suburb average — a meaningful gap that warrants a closer look. Even against the 75th percentile of $2,047 for the area, this premium exceeds what three-quarters of comparable Atwell homeowners are paying.
That said, context matters enormously here. This is a seven-bedroom, 214 sqm home with a pool and solar panels — a significantly larger and more complex property than the typical Atwell dwelling. The building sum insured of over $1.1 million reflects the substantial replacement cost of a home of this size and specification. Comparing this quote directly to the suburb average — which likely includes much smaller homes — is a bit like comparing apples to oranges.
Still, it's worth shopping around. Even for a large home, there may be room to reduce the premium without compromising on cover.
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How Atwell Compares
Understanding where Atwell sits in the broader insurance landscape helps frame whether this quote is truly out of step.
| Benchmark | Average Premium | Median Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Atwell (6164) | $1,552/yr | $1,449/yr |
| LGA (Cockburn) | $1,739/yr | — |
| Western Australia | $2,811/yr | $2,127/yr |
| National | $5,347/yr | $2,764/yr |
(Based on 33 quotes sampled in Atwell. View full [Atwell suburb stats](https://coverclub.com.au/stats/WA/6164/atwell), [WA state stats](https://coverclub.com.au/stats/WA), and [national stats](https://coverclub.com.au/stats/national).)
A few things stand out from this comparison:
- Atwell is relatively affordable compared to both the WA state average and national figures. The suburb average of $1,552 is well below the WA average of $2,811 and dramatically below the national average of $5,347 — the latter heavily skewed by high-risk regions such as North Queensland and coastal flood zones.
- The LGA (Cockburn) average of $1,739 is modestly higher than Atwell's suburb average, suggesting Atwell benefits from slightly lower risk characteristics within the broader council area.
- At $2,591, this particular quote sits above the WA median of $2,127 but well below the WA average of $2,811 — and is a fraction of the national average. For a home of this size and value, that's not an unreasonable outcome, though there's clearly room to explore alternatives.
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Property Features That Affect Your Premium
Several characteristics of this property directly influence the cost of insurance. Here's how each one plays a role:
Size and Bedrooms
At 214 sqm with seven bedrooms and three bathrooms, this is a large home by any measure. More floor space and more rooms mean a higher rebuild cost — and the $1,104,000 building sum insured reflects that. Larger homes simply cost more to insure.
Double Brick Construction
The double brick external walls are actually a positive from an insurer's perspective. Double brick is widely regarded as one of the most durable and fire-resistant construction methods available in Australia. It tends to attract more favourable premiums compared to lightweight or timber-framed construction.
Tiled Roof
A tiled roof is considered a lower-risk roofing material by most insurers. Tiles are durable, fire-resistant, and long-lasting — all factors that can help keep premiums in check compared to metal or older roofing materials.
Slab Foundation
A concrete slab foundation is standard for Perth homes built in the 1990s and generally considered low-risk. It reduces the likelihood of subsidence or underfloor moisture issues that can drive up premiums.
Swimming Pool
The presence of a pool adds to the insured value of the property and can increase liability exposure. Pool equipment, fencing compliance, and potential damage scenarios all contribute to a slightly higher premium.
Solar Panels
Solar panels add replacement value to the property and are increasingly common in Perth. Some insurers include solar systems under building cover automatically, while others may require specific endorsement. It's worth confirming your panels are adequately covered under your policy.
Construction Year (1996)
At nearly 30 years old, this home is well-established but not aged. Homes from this era are generally well-built, but insurers may factor in the age of plumbing, electrical systems, and roofing when pricing the risk.
No Cyclone Risk
Atwell is not in a cyclone risk zone, which is a meaningful premium benefit. Properties in northern WA can face significant cyclone loadings — so Atwell homeowners benefit from the absence of that surcharge.
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Tips for Homeowners in Atwell
If you're looking to get better value on your home and contents insurance in Atwell, here are four practical steps worth considering:
- Review your sum insured regularly. Building costs have risen sharply in recent years. Make sure your $1.1M+ sum insured accurately reflects current rebuild costs — neither underinsuring nor significantly over-insuring. Use a building cost calculator or speak to a local builder for a rough estimate.
- Compare quotes annually. Loyalty doesn't always pay in insurance. With 33 quotes sampled in Atwell alone, there's a competitive market to tap into. Premiums can vary by hundreds of dollars for the same level of cover. Get a fresh quote at CoverClub to see what's available.
- Consider a higher excess to lower your premium. The current excess on this policy is $2,000 for both building and contents. If you have the financial buffer to absorb a higher excess in the event of a claim, increasing it further could meaningfully reduce your annual premium.
- Check your contents cover reflects reality. With $131,000 in contents cover, it's worth doing a room-by-room audit every year or two. Underinsurance is common — but so is paying for more contents cover than you actually need. Both scenarios cost you money.
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Compare Your Home Insurance Today
Whether you're renewing an existing policy or shopping for the first time, CoverClub makes it easy to compare home and contents insurance quotes for properties across Atwell and greater Perth. Our free comparison tool is tailored to Australian homeowners — no jargon, no pressure, just clear data to help you make a confident decision.
👉 Get a home insurance quote for your Atwell property and see how your premium stacks up against your neighbours.