Collection: Contents Insurance Calculator NZ — Value Your Contents Room by Room
Estimate how much your household contents are worth, room by room, so you can set a realistic sum insured for a New Zealand contents insurance policy. Replacement (new-for-old) values, not what you paid.
Typical NZ range $8,000–$30,000
Typical $4,000–$15,000
Clothing and shoes add up fast — $5,000–$25,000
Kids' rooms, guest room, office
Often under-insured — count every device
Items over your policy's single-item limit usually need to be specified
New-for-old policies pay today's replacement price, not what you paid.
Estimated contents value—
Suggested sum insured—
That's about—
Biggest category—
General information only — not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are estimates from the inputs you enter. Confirm with your adviser, accountant, lender or insurer.
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Prices exclude GST. Illustrative tools only — not legal, tax or financial advice.
Why people under-insure contents in NZ
Most of us guess a round number when we take out a policy and never update it. Insurers' own research consistently finds households under-estimate by tens of thousands of dollars, because the value is in the boring stuff — clothing, linen, kitchenware, tools — not the TV. Walk through each room with your phone camera, then use the figures above. Renters need contents cover too: the landlord's policy covers the building, not your belongings.
Landlords: chattels are a separate question
If you rent out a furnished or part-furnished property, the whiteware, curtains, heat pump and furniture you own are your chattels and sit under landlord insurance, not the tenant's contents policy. Keep a dated chattels list with photos and receipts — it's what an insurer and the Tenancy Tribunal both ask for.
Assumptions and sources
Values
Replacement (new-for-old) cost today, not purchase price.
Buffer
Optional 10–20% uplift, rounded up to the nearest $1,000.
Single-item limits
Policy-specific; typically $2,000–$3,000 per item unless specified — check your policy wording.
Sources
Insurance Council of NZ consumer guidance (icnz.org.nz); insurer policy documents.
Last reviewed 6 September 2026. Rates and thresholds change — check the linked sources before relying on a figure.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I insure my contents for in NZ?
Add up the replacement cost of everything you would need to buy again if your home and its contents were destroyed — furniture, appliances, clothing, technology, tools, sports gear. For a typical NZ family home this is commonly $60,000–$120,000; a one-bedroom flat might be $20,000–$40,000. Use a room-by-room estimate rather than a guess.
How do I calculate my contents insurance?
Go room by room and estimate what it would cost to replace each item new today. Group small items (crockery, linen, clothing) into a single figure per room. Add 10–20% if most figures are rough. The total is your suggested sum insured; your insurer's policy wording sets any limits on individual items.
What is the average value of contents in a 3-bedroom house?
There is no official NZ figure, but insurer calculators and claims data suggest $80,000–$130,000 replacement value is common for a three-bedroom family home once clothing, appliances and technology are counted.
Do renters need contents insurance in NZ?
Yes. The landlord's insurance covers the building and the landlord's own chattels, not a tenant's belongings. Contents policies for renters also usually include liability cover for accidental damage to the rental.
