NSW builder insurance check: verify the HBC certificate
Short answer
Use the free official HBC Check to look up a NSW property's Home Building Compensation insurance by certificate number, builder name, licence number or address. Match the result to your project. HBC cover is generally required for residential work over A$20,000 including GST, unless exempt. The builder must provide the certificate before taking payment or starting work.
Check the cover for your property
A builder’s eligibility letter is different from insurance for your job. Check the property record, then check the builder’s licence and company records.
Home Building Compensation (HBC) cover (often called “home warranty insurance”) is the safety net if your builder can’t finish or fix the work. The mistake homeowners make is accepting a vague letter instead of the actual certificate.
When it is required
HBC insurance is required for residential building work over A$20,000 (contract price including GST), unless exempt. Check your project’s requirements with SIRA’s HBC Assist tool. The builder must hold eligibility and issue a certificate of insurance for your specific job before taking a deposit or starting.
What it covers, and its limits
It is a last-resort cover. If the builder dies, disappears, becomes insolvent, or has their licence suspended for failing to comply with a money order, HBC can pay toward completing the work or fixing major defects, within a capped amount and defined time periods. It is not a general warranty and it does not replace checking the builder first; it is what you fall back on when the checks turn out to have missed something.
How to verify it
- Ask for the certificate for your job, not a generic eligibility letter. Eligibility means the builder can get cover; a certificate means cover exists for your contract.
- Check it names your address, the builder, and the contract value. A mismatch (or a certificate for a different job) is worthless to you.
- Look up the certificate in the official HBC Check. Search by certificate number, contractor name or licence number, company name, or property address. Compare the insured address and contractor details with your certificate and contract.
- Confirm it before any money changes hands. Where HBC cover is required, the certificate must precede the deposit and the start of work.
Why insurance is the floor, not the check
An HBC certificate records cover for a specific project. Check the builder’s current licence and linked company records separately, with their source dates. BuilderVet does not predict insolvency or certify that a builder is safe. Start at the builder directory.
See SIRA’s current insurance requirements for the threshold, exemptions and certificate requirements.
Related questions
- When is HBC insurance required in NSW?
- For residential building work where the contract price is more than A$20,000 (including GST), unless exempt. Use SIRA’s HBC Assist tool to confirm your project’s requirements; licence and other checks still apply.
- What does HBC insurance actually cover?
- It is a last-resort cover: if the builder dies, disappears, becomes insolvent, or has their licence suspended for failing to comply with a money order, it can pay toward completing the work or fixing major defects, subject to limits and time periods.
- Can a builder take my deposit before giving me the certificate?
- For work that requires HBC cover, the certificate must be provided before the builder takes any deposit or other payment, and before work starts. A request for money without it is a serious red flag.
Put the records beside your quote
Search the exact business on your quote. Read the source dates and gaps before you decide.
Updated 13 Oct 2026