Insurance search on a property | Queensland Building and Construction Commission

When you are buying a home, your solicitors can carry out a range of searches on the property. This generally includes a search of the QBCC records to find out whether the house is covered by home warranty insurance.

Apart from houses, other buildings that fall under the insurance scheme are duplexes, townhouses and low-rise units (up to 3 storeys above a car park).

You may only request a search if you are:

  • the registered owner of the land
  • the owner of a manufactured home 
  • a prospective purchaser of the land/manufactured home (if you are looking into purchasing, or have entered into a contract to purchase the property)
  • the agent of any of the above (e.g. the solicitors acting for a purchaser or an authorised search agent).

What the search tells you

We will tell you:

  • whether there is insurance cover in force under the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme for the property
  • if there is cover:
    • whether a claim has been made for this residence
    • any amount paid on the claim.

How to request a search

  1. Please supply us with copies of:

    • if you already own the home:
      • rates notice
      • contract of sale
      • settlement advice
      • title search (dated within the last 30 days)
    • if you already own the home it helps if you can provide this additional information:
      • the survey or registered plan
      • for unit developments of 3 storeys or less above a car park, a full copy of the building unit plan/survey plan/group title plan
      • documents that show the date the work was completed, if known
      • builder name, if known.
    • if you are considering buying the home, proof that the home is on the market, e.g. a:
      • copy of your offer
      • real estate listing.

  2. We will ask you to give us:

    • your current and original address (if you are on a corner block the address may change from when the land was first subdivided)
    • the current and original real property descriptions, i.e. the lot numbers from your plan (the lot and/or plan number sometimes changes, e.g. if the land has been subdivided).

    You can find this information on a survey or registered plan. It may also be on your rates notice.

    To lodge the request online you can:

    • Login or register for myQBCC.
    • Navigate to the Insurance tab.
    • From the drop down menu, click on Lodge an insurance search.
    • Click the button New insurance search request.
    • Complete the form.
    • Upload digital copies of your supporting documents.

    Lodge insurance search online

     

  3. You can pay the fee of $51.30 for each search request by credit or debit card.

    NOTE: The search is free if you currently own the home you want to do an insurance search on.

  1. Please supply us with copies of:

    • if you already own the home:
      • rates notice
      • contract of sale
      • settlement advice
      • title search (dated within the last 30 days)
    • if you already own the home it helps if you can provide this additional information:
      • the survey or registered plan
      • for unit developments of 3 storeys or less above a car park, a full copy of the building unit plan/survey plan/group title plan
      • documents that show the date the work was completed, if known
      • builder name, if known
    • if you are considering buying the home, proof that the home is on the market, e.g. a:
      • copy of your offer
      • real estate listing.

  2. Download and complete:

    Request an insurance search (PDF, 54.6KB)

    Please provide:

    • your current and original address (if you are on a corner block the address may change from when the land was first subdivided)
    • the current and original real property descriptions, i.e. the lot numbers from your plan (the lot and/or plan number sometimes changes, e.g. if the land has been subdivided).

    You can find this information on a survey or registered plan. It may also be on your rates notice.

  3. To lodge your request you need to provide us with:

    • the completed form
    • all supporting documentation
    • the application fee.

    You can lodge the request:

    • in person at a QBCC service centre and pay the fees by eftpos
    • by mail — add credit or debit card details to the application form and post it to us with all supporting documentation.

What happens next?

We will email you with an Insurance Request Search number. Quote that number if you are making any enquiries.

We aim to respond within 7 working days if you provide us with all the information.

Finding out information after insurance has expired

If your property or renovation was completed more than 6 and a half years ago, there is a good chance the Home Warranty policy will have expired and your search results will not show any information.

You can lodge a right to information request if you want to:

  • identify the builder of the property
  • find out what work has been done on the property
  • find out if any claims have been made on the property.

Related pages

Claim home warranty insurance
What work requires insurance

Related resources