Free tool
Contents insurance calculator
Work out what your household belongings are really worth.
Most people guess their contents number instead of counting, and the guesses run low. Go room by room through your home to build an accurate picture of what it would cost to replace everything at today's prices. Default values are based on NZ averages from industry valuation guides.
Running total
$102,350
Step 1 of 10
Kitchen
Kitchen
Adjust quantities and values to match your home.
Fridge/freezer
$1,800
Dishwasher
$1,600
Oven and cooktop
$1,500
Microwave
$400
Small appliances (kettle, toaster, coffee maker, food processor)
$1,200
Pots, pans, baking and utensils
$1,100
Crockery, cutlery and glassware
$1,800
Food in fridge, freezer and pantry
$900
Kitchen table and chairs or stools
$1,200
Why your contents are worth more than you think
Most people guess low. Way low. A typical three-bedroom NZ home has contents worth between $80,000 and $150,000 at replacement cost. Higher-quality households? Over $250,000.
Clothing and footwear alone can be $6,000 or more per adult. Carpet and curtains across a whole home run $10,000 to $15,000. Then there is the kitchen: crockery, cutlery, pots, small appliances. It adds up fast. And garages and sheds are full of things people forget to count.
What to include in your sum insured
Your contents insurance sum insured should cover the total replacement cost of everything you own inside your home, including items in garages, sheds and outbuildings. This includes furniture, whiteware, electronics, clothing, bedding, kitchenware, tools, sporting equipment, jewellery, and personal effects.
Carpet that is floating, glued, or tacked is typically covered under contents insurance. Carpet that is permanently fixed (nailed down) may fall under your home insurance instead. Check with your broker if you're unsure.
Items that need specifying on your policy
Most NZ contents policies have sub-limits on individual items. Under a typical policy, unspecified jewellery and watches are limited to $2,500 to $3,000 per item, and bicycles (including e-bikes) to around $3,000 per bike, with camera gear often capped at $3,000 to $5,000. If any of your belongings exceed these limits, they need to be listed as specified items on your policy to receive full cover. The sub-limits section of our guide to what contents insurance covers breaks these down in detail.
A broker goes through your contents total and flags anything that needs specifying. Quick conversation, but it can save you thousands at claim time.
Replacement value versus indemnity value
Under comprehensive cover, most contents are paid at replacement value, meaning you receive enough to buy a brand new equivalent. However, some categories are paid at indemnity (depreciated) value regardless. Clothing and footwear sit on that list at most insurers, and so does older tech: some wordings depreciate laptops, phones and tablets once they pass three years old, others only after five. Sports gear and bikes past a set age are often depreciated too.
If you have older electronics or bikes, the payout at claim time could be a lot less than what a new replacement costs. Check your policy's indemnity list, and raise it with your broker when you set your cover.
Keep a contents inventory before you need it
At claim time, insurers ask for reasonable proof that you own each item and what it is worth. Receipts work, but so do photos, bank statements, serial numbers and online order history. The easiest way to have all of that ready is a ten-minute inventory: film each room on your phone, open the drawers and wardrobes as you go, and photograph the serial numbers on your electronics.
Store the video and photos in the cloud, not just on the phone that might be stolen along with everything else. Redo it once a year when you review your sum insured. After a burglary or fire, that footage turns a stressful evidence hunt into a quick checklist.
Common questions about contents value
How much are my household contents worth?
A typical three-bedroom NZ home has contents worth between $80,000 and $150,000 at replacement cost. Higher-quality households can exceed $250,000. The only way to know your actual number is to go room by room and add everything up.
What are specified items?
Specified items are individual belongings listed separately on your policy with their own agreed value. Items like jewellery, watches, cameras, e-bikes, and drones worth more than your policy sub-limit, typically $2,500 to $3,000, need to be specified to receive full cover.
Does contents insurance pay full replacement cost?
Under comprehensive cover, most contents are paid at replacement value (new-for-old). However, most insurers pay indemnity (depreciated) value for clothing and footwear, and for older tech: some wordings depreciate devices over three years old, others over five. Sports gear and bikes past a set age are often depreciated too.
How often should I review my contents sum insured?
Review your sum insured at least once a year, ideally before your renewal. Any time you make a significant purchase (new furniture, electronics, jewellery, e-bike), update your sum insured and check whether the item needs specifying on your policy.
What happens if I'm underinsured?
If your sum insured is less than the total value of your contents, the payout after a total loss stops at your sum insured and the shortfall is yours to carry. A house fire or major burglary is exactly the wrong time to discover the gap. Getting your sum insured right is one of the most important things a broker helps with.
How do I keep a contents inventory for insurance?
Film each room on your phone, open drawers and wardrobes as you go, and photograph serial numbers on electronics and receipts for big purchases. Store it all in the cloud. Insurers ask for reasonable proof of ownership and value at claim time, and an inventory answers that in minutes.
Sub-limit and depreciation examples in this calculator reference publicly available New Zealand policy wordings. Sub-limits, benefits, and conditions vary between insurers, so check your own policy.