If you own a free standing home in Mount Pleasant, NSW 2519, you're likely no stranger to the question every homeowner eventually asks: am I paying too much for home insurance? This article breaks down a real home and contents insurance quote for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom brick veneer home in the suburb, and puts it into context against local, state, and national benchmarks — so you can make a more informed decision about your cover.
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Is This Quote Fair?
The quote in question comes in at $2,646 per year (or $259 per month) for combined home and contents cover, with a building sum insured of $1,101,000 and contents valued at $116,000. The building excess is set at $2,000, with a separate $1,000 excess applying to contents claims.
Our pricing analysis rates this quote as FAIR — around average. That's a reasonable outcome for a property of this size and age, though as we'll explore below, there's still room to shop around.
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How Mount Pleasant Compares
To understand whether this premium is genuinely competitive, it helps to look at what other homeowners in the area — and across the country — are paying.
According to Mount Pleasant suburb insurance data on CoverClub, based on a sample of 18 quotes in the 2519 postcode:
| Benchmark | Premium |
|---|---|
| Suburb average | $2,309/yr |
| Suburb median | $1,895/yr |
| Suburb 25th percentile | $1,465/yr |
| Suburb 75th percentile | $2,833/yr |
| This quote | $2,646/yr |
At $2,646, this quote sits comfortably within the upper half of the local range — above the suburb median of $1,895 but still below the 75th percentile of $2,833. In other words, roughly a quarter of comparable properties in the area are paying more, while the majority are paying less.
That said, the suburb average of $2,309 suggests there may be scope to find a more competitive premium with a bit of shopping around.
Zooming out, the picture looks even more favourable. The NSW state average sits at $3,801 per year, with a median of $3,410 — significantly higher than what's being paid here. This reflects the fact that many parts of New South Wales carry elevated risk profiles, particularly in flood-prone or bushfire-affected regions. Mount Pleasant, by contrast, appears to benefit from a relatively benign risk environment.
Nationally, the average home insurance premium across Australia is $2,965 per year, with a median of $2,716. This quote falls just below both figures, which is another encouraging sign. The Wollongong LGA average of $2,530 per year also provides useful local context — this quote is modestly above that benchmark, but not by a significant margin.
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Property Features That Affect Your Premium
Several characteristics of this property will have influenced the quoted premium, for better or worse.
Construction era and materials Built in 1969, this home falls into an age bracket that insurers treat with some caution. Older properties can carry higher risks associated with ageing plumbing, electrical wiring, and structural components. However, the brick veneer external walls are generally viewed favourably by insurers — brick construction offers solid fire resistance and durability compared to weatherboard or lightweight cladding alternatives.
Tiled roof The terracotta or concrete tile roof is another positive factor. Tiles are considered a robust roofing material that performs well against hail, wind, and fire, which can help moderate premiums compared to properties with metal sheeting or older fibrous cement roofing.
Slab foundation A concrete slab foundation is standard for homes of this era and is generally considered a neutral-to-positive risk factor. Slabs are less susceptible to subfloor moisture issues compared to raised timber stumped foundations.
Ducted climate control The presence of ducted air conditioning adds to the overall replacement value of the home, which is partly reflected in the building sum insured. Insurers factor in the cost of replacing these systems when calculating premiums.
No pool, no solar panels The absence of a swimming pool removes a common source of liability and maintenance-related claims. Similarly, no solar panels means one less system that could be damaged by storms or require specialist replacement — both of which can nudge premiums upward.
Building size and sum insured At 214 square metres, this is a generously sized family home. The building sum insured of $1,101,000 reflects the full cost of rebuilding in today's market — a figure that's worth reviewing regularly, particularly given ongoing construction cost inflation across New South Wales.
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Tips for Homeowners in Mount Pleasant
1. Review your sum insured annually Construction costs in the Wollongong region have risen considerably in recent years. Make sure your building sum insured keeps pace — being underinsured at claim time can leave you significantly out of pocket. Use a building cost calculator or speak to a local builder to sense-check your figure.
2. Shop around at renewal time A "fair" rating means this quote is in the right ballpark, but it doesn't mean it's the best available. Insurers price risk differently, and switching providers — or simply getting a few competing quotes — can yield meaningful savings. CoverClub makes it easy to compare quotes for your address in minutes.
3. Consider your excess settings This policy carries a $2,000 building excess and a $1,000 contents excess. Opting for a higher excess can reduce your annual premium, which may make sense if you're unlikely to make small claims. Conversely, a lower excess provides more protection if you're in a higher-risk period (for example, after a major storm season).
4. Bundle your building and contents cover This quote already combines home and contents insurance, which is a smart move. Many insurers offer discounts for bundling, and having a single policy simplifies the claims process significantly — particularly in the event of a major loss where both building and contents are affected.
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Start Comparing Today
Whether you're renewing an existing policy or taking out cover for the first time, it pays to understand how your premium stacks up. CoverClub provides transparent, data-driven insights to help Australian homeowners make smarter decisions about their insurance.
Get a quote for your property and see how your premium compares to others in Mount Pleasant and across New South Wales — it only takes a few minutes and could save you hundreds of dollars a year.