Home Insurance Guide

Home insurance excess: how it works in South Africa

Written by Chloe Adams Managing Editor Reviewed by Nomsa Dlamini RE5 qualified · 12 years in short-term insurance Updated 26 July 2026 Our editorial standards →

What is home insurance excess?

Home insurance excess is the amount you pay towards a buildings or contents claim before your insurer pays the balance. Excesses often differ by claim type - a burst geyser, power surge, storm, subsidence or theft may each carry its own excess. A higher voluntary excess usually lowers your premium, while some perils have their own set excess you cannot change.

Key takeaways

Excess is your share of a home claim; the insurer pays the rest.
Buildings and contents claims can carry different excesses.
Specific perils - geyser, power surge, subsidence, storm, theft - often have their own excess.
A higher voluntary excess usually lowers your premium.
Choose an excess you could afford to pay when you actually need to claim.

What is home insurance excess?

Your excess is the first amount you pay towards a home insurance claim. When you claim, you pay the excess and your insurer pays the balance up to the sum insured.

Example: a storm damages your roof and the repair costs R40,000. If your excess is R3,000, you pay R3,000 and your insurer pays R37,000. If a claim would cost less than the excess, it is not worth claiming.

Excess on buildings vs contents claims

Buildings and contents are usually rated and excessed separately. A structural claim (roof, walls, geyser) carries the buildings excess, while a theft or damage claim on your belongings carries the contents excess. If a single event damages both, you may face an excess on each part.

Excess by claim type

Many home policies set specific excesses for higher-risk perils, for example:

Geyser - burst or damaged geysers often have their own excess.
Power surge - electrical surge damage (common with load-shedding) may carry a set excess.
Subsidence & landslip - usually a higher excess where covered.
Storm & water damage - may have its own excess.
Theft & break-in - a contents excess applies, sometimes higher without approved security.

How excess affects your premium

As with car cover, a higher voluntary excess lowers your monthly premium because you carry more of any claim, while a lower excess raises it. Peril-specific excesses (like geyser or subsidence) are usually fixed by the insurer. Pick a voluntary excess that reduces your premium but that you could still pay at claim time.

How to manage your home insurance excess

Choose a voluntary excess you could comfortably afford in an emergency.
Check the peril-specific excesses (geyser, power surge, subsidence) before you buy.
Meet your policy's security requirements to avoid a higher theft excess.
For small losses close to the excess, consider paying yourself to protect your claims record.
Compare quotes - insurers set different basic and peril excesses for the same cover.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my geyser claim have a different excess?

Geysers fail often and are a common claim, so many insurers set a specific geyser excess that can differ from your standard excess. Check your schedule so you know what you would pay for a burst geyser.

Does home insurance excess apply to both buildings and contents?

Yes. Buildings and contents usually have their own excesses. If one event damages both the structure and your belongings, an excess may apply to each part of the claim.

Can I lower my home insurance excess?

You can usually lower your voluntary excess, but that raises your premium. Peril-specific excesses (like geyser or subsidence) are typically fixed by the insurer. The best approach is to balance an affordable excess against a premium you are happy with, and to compare quotes.

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