Bonny Hills is a relaxed coastal community on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, sitting just south of Port Macquarie. It's the kind of suburb where brick veneer homes with tiled roofs are a common sight — and where insuring your property properly is well worth thinking about. This article breaks down a real home and contents insurance quote for a four-bedroom free standing home in Bonny Hills (NSW 2445), and puts the numbers in context so you can judge whether you're getting a fair deal.
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Is This Quote Fair?
The annual premium on this quote comes in at $2,521 per year (or $267/month), covering a building sum insured of $848,000 and $80,000 in contents. The price rating for this quote is Fair — Around Average, which is a reasonable outcome for a property of this size and specification.
To understand what "fair" actually means here, it helps to look at the local data. Based on quotes collected for Bonny Hills (NSW 2445), the suburb average premium sits at $3,480/yr and the median is $2,901/yr. This quote, at $2,521, comes in below both the suburb average and median — landing between the 25th percentile ($1,529/yr) and the median. That's a solid position to be in.
It's worth noting that the building excess on this policy is $4,000, which is on the higher side. A higher excess typically lowers your premium, so part of the reason this quote looks competitive may be that trade-off. The contents excess of $1,000 is more standard.
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How Bonny Hills Compares
Putting this quote in a broader context really highlights how variable home insurance pricing can be across Australia.
| Benchmark | Premium |
|---|---|
| This Quote | $2,521/yr |
| Bonny Hills Suburb Average | $3,480/yr |
| Bonny Hills Suburb Median | $2,901/yr |
| Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA Average | $7,001/yr |
| NSW State Average | $9,528/yr |
| NSW State Median | $3,770/yr |
| National Average | $5,347/yr |
| National Median | $2,764/yr |
(Based on 47 quotes collected for the Bonny Hills area.)
A few things stand out here. The NSW state average of $9,528/yr is dramatically higher than this quote — but that figure is heavily skewed by high-value properties and flood or bushfire-prone areas elsewhere in the state. The median of $3,770/yr is a more useful comparison, and this quote still comes in well below it.
Compared to the national median of $2,764/yr, this quote is only marginally higher — which is impressive given the property's size (244 sqm) and the relatively high building sum insured of $848,000.
The Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA average of $7,001/yr is notably elevated, likely reflecting a mix of coastal flood exposure, bushfire risk in surrounding areas, and higher-value properties across the broader LGA. Bonny Hills itself appears to attract more moderate premiums within that context.
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Property Features That Affect Your Premium
Insurers assess a wide range of property characteristics when calculating your premium. Here's how the features of this particular home play into the pricing:
Brick Veneer Walls & Tiled Roof Brick veneer construction with a tiled roof is generally viewed favourably by insurers. Both materials offer good fire resistance and durability, which can help moderate your premium compared to homes with timber cladding or metal roofing in certain risk zones.
Slab Foundation A concrete slab foundation is a common and well-regarded choice in coastal NSW. It's generally considered lower risk than suspended timber floors in terms of moisture ingress and structural movement, which can positively influence pricing.
Timber & Laminate Flooring While attractive and practical, timber and laminate flooring can be more costly to replace than tiles or carpet. This is worth keeping in mind when reviewing your contents and building sum insured — underinsurance on flooring is a common oversight.
Solar Panels This property has solar panels installed, which adds a layer of complexity to the insured value. Solar systems can be expensive to repair or replace after storm damage or fire, and not all policies cover them automatically under the building sum insured. It's worth confirming with your insurer how your panels are covered.
2005 Construction A home built in 2005 benefits from relatively modern building standards, including improved cyclone and wind resistance requirements that were tightened in NSW following significant weather events in the early 2000s. This vintage is generally considered a lower risk than older homes.
Building Size: 244 sqm At 244 sqm, this is a well-sized family home. A building sum insured of $848,000 translates to roughly $3,475 per sqm — broadly in line with current construction costs in regional coastal NSW, though it's always worth reviewing this figure annually as building costs continue to rise.
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Tips for Homeowners in Bonny Hills
1. Review your building sum insured annually Construction costs in regional NSW have risen significantly in recent years. What was adequate coverage two or three years ago may now leave you underinsured. Use a building cost calculator or speak with a quantity surveyor to make sure your sum insured keeps pace with current rebuild costs.
2. Check how your solar panels are covered Solar panel systems are a meaningful asset and can be damaged by storms, hail, or fire. Confirm with your insurer whether your panels are included in the building sum insured or whether you need a separate endorsement. Don't assume — check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
3. Consider your excess carefully The $4,000 building excess on this policy is relatively high. While it reduces your premium, it also means you'll be out of pocket significantly before your insurer steps in. Think about whether you'd comfortably cover that amount in the event of a claim, particularly for mid-range damage scenarios.
4. Compare quotes at renewal time Insurance loyalty rarely pays off in Australia. Premiums can shift considerably from year to year, and the gap between the cheapest and most expensive quotes in Bonny Hills is substantial — the difference between the 25th percentile ($1,529/yr) and the 75th percentile ($3,487/yr) is nearly $2,000. Shopping around at renewal is one of the most effective ways to manage your insurance costs.
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Ready to Compare?
Whether you're renewing your existing policy or insuring a new home, it pays to see what's available in the market. Get a home insurance quote at CoverClub and see how your premium stacks up against other Bonny Hills homeowners. Comparing takes just a few minutes and could save you hundreds every year.