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Building Act 2004
90Complying residential building work insurance
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90 Complying residential building work insurance
(1) An insurance policy issued for insurable residential building work
complies with this section if—
(a) it is issued by an authorised insurer; and
(b) it provides for a total amount of insurance cover of at least the
amount prescribed under the regulations, or the cost of the work,
whichever is less, for each dwelling that forms part of the work;
and
(c) if the builder is not the owner of the land where the work is to
be carried out—it insures the owner and the owner’s successors
in title for the period beginning on the day the certifier for the
work issues a building commencement notice under section 37
for the work and ending at the end of the period prescribed under
the regulations after the day a certificate of occupancy is issued
for the work; and
(d) if the builder is the owner of the land where the work is to be
carried out—it insures the builder’s successors in title for the
period beginning on the day the title in the land is transferred to
someone else and ending at the end of the period prescribed
under the regulations after the day a certificate of occupancy is
issued for the work; and
(e) the whole of the premium payable for the period has been paid;
and
(f) it insures the owner (if the builder is not the owner) and the
owner’s successors in title against the risk of being unable to
enforce or recover under the contract under which the work has
been, is being or is to be carried out because of the insolvency,
disappearance or death of the builder; and
(g) it insures the owner (if the builder is not the owner) and the
owner’s successors in title against the risk of loss resulting from
a breach of a statutory warranty; and
(h) it insures the owner (if the owner is not the builder) and the
owner’s successors in title against the risk of loss resulting,
because of the builder’s negligence, from subsidence of the land;
and
(i) it provides that a claim under it may only be made within the
period prescribed under the regulations, or a stated longer period
after the claimant becomes aware of the existence of grounds for
the claim; and
(j) the form of the policy has been approved in writing by the
construction occupations registrar.
(2) However, if the owner is a developer, the insurance is taken to comply
with subsection (1) (c), (f), (g) or (h) if it insures the owner’s
successors in title, even though it does not insure the owner.
(3) To remove any doubt, an insurance policy issued in relation to
insurable residential building work may exclude claims other than
those in circumstances in which the builder is insolvent, dead or has
disappeared.
(4) For subsections (1) (f) and (3), a builder is taken to have disappeared
if the builder, after proper search and inquiry, cannot be found in
Australia.
developer, for insurable residential building work, means a person for
whom the work is done in a building or residential development
where 4 or more of the existing or proposed dwellings are or will be
owned by the person.
insolvent—a builder is taken to be insolvent if—
(a) for a builder who is an individual—the builder is bankrupt or
personally insolvent; or
(b) for a builder who is a corporation—the builder is being wound
up, has had a receiver or other controller appointed, has entered
into a deed of company arrangement with its creditors or is
otherwise under external administration under the
Corporations Act, chapter 5.
Note Bankrupt or personally insolvent—see the Legislation Act,
dictionary, pt 1.