Craigmore is a well-established residential suburb in Adelaide's northern corridor, sitting within the City of Playford roughly 27 kilometres from the CBD. It's a popular choice for families drawn to its affordable housing, green spaces, and access to local schools and shopping. For owners of a free standing home in this area, understanding what you should be paying for home and contents insurance — and why — can make a real difference to your household budget.
This article breaks down a recent insurance quote for a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom free standing home in Craigmore, comparing it against local, state, and national benchmarks so you can make a more informed decision.
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Is This Quote Fair?
The quote in question comes in at $993 per year (or about $97 per month) for combined home and contents cover, with a building sum insured of $374,000 and contents valued at $110,000. The building excess is set at $3,000, with a lower $600 excess applying to contents claims.
Our price rating for this quote is FAIR — Around Average.
That assessment holds up when you look at the numbers in context. The suburb average for Craigmore sits at $1,366 per year, and the median is $1,327 per year — meaning this quote comes in noticeably below both figures. It falls between the 25th percentile ($877/yr) and the 75th percentile ($1,782/yr), which places it solidly in the middle range of what Craigmore homeowners are paying.
In other words, this isn't a bargain-basement price, but it's also well below what many comparable properties in the area are being quoted. There's likely some room to shop around and potentially do better — but equally, this isn't an overpriced policy that should trigger alarm bells.
It's worth noting that the higher building excess of $3,000 may be contributing to the relatively competitive premium. Opting for a higher excess is a common way to reduce upfront costs, but it does mean a larger out-of-pocket expense if you ever need to make a building claim.
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How Craigmore Compares
To put this quote in broader perspective, here's how Craigmore stacks up against the rest of South Australia and the country:
| Benchmark | Average Premium | Median Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Craigmore (SA 5114) | $1,366/yr | $1,327/yr |
| LGA (Gawler area) | $1,589/yr | — |
| South Australia | $1,933/yr | $1,787/yr |
| National | $2,965/yr | $2,716/yr |
Craigmore is notably affordable by South Australian standards — the SA state average of $1,933 per year is around 42% higher than the suburb average. And compared to national figures, where the average sits at nearly $2,965 per year, Craigmore homeowners are paying less than half the typical Australian premium.
This reflects the suburb's relatively low exposure to extreme weather events (no cyclone risk), its inland location away from coastal flooding and storm surge zones, and the generally lower property values compared to capital city inner suburbs or high-risk coastal areas.
You can explore more detailed pricing data for the area at the Craigmore suburb stats page, which is based on real quotes collected from homeowners in the postcode.
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Property Features That Affect Your Premium
Several characteristics of this particular home influence how insurers assess and price the risk:
Brick Veneer Construction Brick veneer is one of the most common wall types across Adelaide's northern suburbs and is generally viewed favourably by insurers. It offers solid fire resistance and structural durability, which can help keep premiums in check compared to timber-framed or clad homes.
Tiled Roof Terracotta or concrete tile roofs are considered a low-to-moderate risk by most insurers. They're durable and widely understood by assessors, though they can be more expensive to repair than Colorbond if damaged by hail or falling debris.
Slab Foundation A concrete slab foundation is standard for homes built in South Australia during the 1990s. It's generally a neutral factor for insurers — neither a red flag nor a significant discount driver — though slab homes can be more costly to repair if subsidence or ground movement occurs.
Solar Panels The presence of rooftop solar panels is increasingly common and most insurers now include them under standard building cover. However, it's worth confirming with your insurer that the panels and inverter are explicitly covered under your policy, particularly for accidental damage or storm events.
Ducted Climate Control Ducted air conditioning systems are a significant fixed asset and are typically covered under building insurance. Given the cost to replace a full ducted system — often $8,000 to $15,000 or more — having adequate building sum insured is important.
1994 Construction Homes built in the early-to-mid 1990s are generally considered mid-aged by insurers. They're past the point of being "new" (which can attract discounts) but not yet in the category of older homes that may require significant maintenance or have outdated wiring and plumbing. This is a broadly neutral factor.
130 sqm Building Size At 130 square metres, this is a modest but practical home. Building sum insured is calculated on reconstruction cost — not market value — so it's important to ensure the $374,000 figure accurately reflects what it would cost to rebuild the home from scratch, including demolition, materials, and labour at current rates.
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Tips for Homeowners in Craigmore
1. Review your sum insured regularly Construction costs in South Australia have risen significantly in recent years. If your building sum insured hasn't been reviewed since the policy was first taken out, there's a real risk of being underinsured. Use a building cost calculator or speak with a quantity surveyor to validate your figure.
2. Check your solar panels are explicitly covered Don't assume solar panels are automatically included. Read your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully and confirm that both the panels and inverter are covered for storm damage, accidental breakage, and theft.
3. Consider whether your excess settings are right for you A $3,000 building excess is on the higher end. While it reduces your annual premium, ask yourself honestly: could you comfortably cover that amount out of pocket following a storm or fire? If not, it may be worth adjusting the excess upward on the premium slightly to lower your financial exposure.
4. Compare quotes before renewal Even a "fair" quote can be beaten. Insurers price risk differently, and the gap between the cheapest and most expensive quotes in Craigmore spans from $877 to $1,782 per year — a difference of over $900 annually. Shopping around at renewal time is one of the simplest ways to save.
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Compare Home Insurance Quotes in Craigmore
Whether you're reviewing an existing policy or shopping for cover on a new property, it pays to see what the market is offering. CoverClub makes it easy to compare home and contents insurance quotes tailored to your property and postcode. Get a quote today and find out if you're getting the best deal available in Craigmore.