Bertram is a modern residential suburb in the City of Kwinana, sitting roughly 40 kilometres south of Perth's CBD. It's a relatively young area, characterised by contemporary family homes on manageable blocks — exactly the kind of property that tends to attract competitive home insurance pricing. This article breaks down a real building insurance quote for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom free standing home in Bertram, and puts it into context against local, state, and national benchmarks.
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Is This Quote Fair?
The annual premium for this property comes in at $1,198 per year (or $117 per month), and it has been rated CHEAP — below the average for comparable cover. That's a strong result for any homeowner.
To put it plainly: this quote is not just marginally below average — it sits well beneath both the Western Australian state average and the national figure. For a building-only policy with a $412,000 sum insured and a $2,000 building excess, this represents genuinely good value. The excess level is moderate; opting for a higher excess is one of the most common levers insurers use to reduce premiums, so it's worth noting this quote doesn't rely on an unusually high excess to achieve its low price.
For homeowners paying monthly, $117 is a manageable outlay — though it's worth remembering that paying annually typically saves you the instalment loading that most insurers apply.
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How Bertram Compares
Understanding where your premium sits relative to broader benchmarks is one of the most useful things you can do as a homeowner. Here's how this quote stacks up:
| Benchmark | Premium |
|---|---|
| This Quote | $1,198/yr |
| LGA Average (Serpentine-Jarrahdale) | $1,466/yr |
| WA State Average | $2,144/yr |
| WA State Median | $1,944/yr |
| National Average | $2,965/yr |
| National Median | $2,716/yr |
The savings here are significant. This quote is $268 below the LGA average, $946 below the WA state average, and a remarkable $1,767 below the national average. Even compared to the more conservative national median of $2,716, this homeowner is saving well over $1,500 annually.
It's worth noting that suburb-level data for Bertram is still being compiled as more quotes flow through the CoverClub platform — so the LGA (Serpentine-Jarrahdale) average of $1,466 is the closest local benchmark available right now. Even against that figure, this quote performs strongly.
Western Australia as a whole tends to attract lower premiums than states like Queensland or New South Wales, largely because WA's south-west metropolitan corridor faces fewer catastrophic weather risks — no cyclones, lower flood exposure in suburban Perth, and relatively low bushfire risk in established urban areas like Bertram. That said, WA premiums have still been rising in line with national trends, driven by inflation in building costs and reinsurance pressures.
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Property Features That Affect Your Premium
Several characteristics of this property work in the homeowner's favour when it comes to pricing:
Double Brick Construction This is arguably the most premium-friendly feature of the property. Double brick walls are highly regarded by insurers for their durability, fire resistance, and structural integrity. Compared to lightweight timber or clad construction, double brick homes are statistically less susceptible to certain types of damage, which translates directly into lower risk assessments — and lower premiums.
Tiled Roof Concrete or terracotta tiles are considered a solid roofing material by insurers. While they can crack under significant hail impact, they perform well against fire and general weathering. Combined with double brick walls, this home presents a robust construction profile.
Slab Foundation A concrete slab foundation is standard for homes of this era in WA's southern suburbs. It's a low-risk foundation type from an insurer's perspective, with minimal exposure to subsidence or movement compared to older pier-and-beam styles.
Built in 2011 At around 14 years old, this home sits in a sweet spot for insurers. It's modern enough to meet contemporary building codes (which improved significantly in the 2000s), but not so new that replacement costs are at a premium. Homes built post-2000 in WA generally benefit from improved structural standards introduced after the 1990s building boom.
Solar Panels The presence of solar panels does add a small element of complexity to a building policy — panels need to be covered for damage from storms, hail, or fire. However, this is typically factored into the sum insured rather than dramatically inflating the premium.
Ducted Climate Control Ducted air conditioning is a fixed building asset and is generally included within the building sum insured. It doesn't significantly impact the premium but is an important inclusion to verify when setting your sum insured amount.
No Pool The absence of a swimming pool removes one of the more common liability and maintenance risk factors that can nudge premiums upward.
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Tips for Homeowners in Bertram
1. Review Your Sum Insured Annually Building costs in WA have risen sharply over the past few years due to labour shortages and material price inflation. A sum insured of $412,000 for a 139 sqm double brick home is worth revisiting each year to ensure it reflects current rebuild costs — not just the original purchase price or an outdated estimate. Underinsurance is one of the most common and costly mistakes homeowners make.
2. Compare Before You Renew Even if your current premium looks competitive, insurers frequently adjust their pricing models. What's cheap today may not be the best deal at renewal. Use a comparison platform like CoverClub to benchmark your renewal quote against the broader market before you commit.
3. Consider Your Excess Carefully This policy carries a $2,000 building excess. While a higher excess reduces your premium, make sure it's an amount you could comfortably cover in the event of a claim. If a $2,000 outlay would cause financial stress, it may be worth paying a slightly higher premium for a lower excess.
4. Don't Overlook Contents Cover This quote covers the building only. If you haven't arranged a separate contents policy, your furniture, appliances, electronics, and personal belongings have no protection. For a three-bedroom home, the cost of replacing contents can easily reach $50,000–$80,000 or more. A combined building and contents policy is worth exploring for comprehensive protection.
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Ready to Find a Better Deal?
Whether you're a first-time buyer in Bertram or a long-time homeowner coming up for renewal, comparing quotes is the single most effective way to make sure you're not overpaying. CoverClub makes it easy to see how your current premium stacks up and find cover that suits your property and budget. Get a quote today and see what the market is offering for homes like yours.