School building insurance funding programme
State schools can get help to cover the cost of repairs to school buildings damaged in an incident or unforeseen event through our school building insurance funding programme.
What the programme covers
The school building insurance funding programme covers repairs for unexpected damage to school buildings that are Crown-owned, or partly Crown-owned. Common causes of damage are:
- fire
- water, from unexpected flooding or plumbing failure
- earthquakes, including events that happen following an earthquake, such as fire, tsunami, or geothermal activity
- extreme weather like storms, heavy snow, gales, lightning strikes and floods
- lost or stolen keys (up to $50,000).
How we work out the funding
For buildings owned partly by the school or community, we cover the cost for the portion of the building that's Crown-owned. You’ll need to arrange separate insurance for your portion of the building.
Funding is calculated to replace a like-for-like reinstatement of the Crown-owned building. The funding will cover the highest cost of either:
- a replacement of what was there, or
- a reinstatement to meet the current building code.
It includes demolition costs and consultants' fees related to the reinstatement project.
We might decide not to fund your school for reinstatement in cases where it would not be considered a good investment decision. This could be because:
- your school has more property than needed for your roll, based on our property calculators
- if your region experiences a major event, we may reinstate property based on a managed network approach instead.
You might also be covered for costs needed to keep the school running for the period between the loss and reinstatement, such as:
- temporary services like toilets
- barriers or panels to provide safe access to the school
- temporary security patrol costs.
Calculate the repair costs
When calculating the total cost of repairs make sure it’s exclusive of GST, and the related documents include details of:
- any emergency repairs already done
- your project manager’s fees
- the cost of the reinstatement work.
For repairs valued over $10,000
If the repairs are valued at over $10,000, you’ll need to follow our procurement process for property projects and work with your property advisor.
A loss adjuster must be involved if:
- the total cost could go over $20,000
- a professional opinion could be needed
- it might be possible to recover costs from another party.
Your property advisor will engage them when necessary.