Contents insurance calculator

Add up what it would cost to replace everything you own, room by room, so the sum insured on your contents policy is a real number rather than a guess.

Add up your contents

Type what each group would cost to replace new. Leave anything you don’t own blank.

Any of these worth a lot on their own?

Your replacement total

How to work out your contents sum insured

Your contents sum insured is the most an insurer will pay if you lose everything you own in your home. Most New Zealand contents policies replace items new, so the number to aim for is what it would cost to buy everything again today, not what you could sell it for. The easiest way to get there is to walk through your home one room at a time and put a replacement figure next to each group of things. Small items add up quickly: Tower’s own guide points out that furniture, kitchen gear and the clothes in your wardrobe can be around a third of the total (Tower, calculating your contents value, retrieved 6 October 2026).

A room-by-room checklist

Living room
Couches, chairs and tables, TV, speakers and consoles, Rugs, curtains and lamps, Books, games and art.
Kitchen and dining
Fridge, freezer and small appliances, Pots, pans, crockery and cutlery, Dining table and chairs, Food and pantry.
Bedrooms
Beds, mattresses and bedding, Drawers, wardrobes and mirrors, Clothing and shoes, Kids’ toys and furniture.
Bathroom and laundry
Washing machine and dryer, Towels and linen, Toiletries and cosmetics.
Home office and tech
Laptops, tablets and phones, Desk, chair and printer, Cameras and drones.
Garage and outdoor
Tools and lawnmower, Outdoor furniture and barbecue, Bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters.
Hobbies and sport
Sports and camping gear, Musical instruments, Collections.
Jewellery and valuables
Rings, watches and jewellery, Art and antiques.

Items you may need to list separately

Contents policies often limit how much they pay for any single item or set of items, so expensive things can need to be named on the policy to be fully covered. Tower lists new bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters, jewellery (including engagement and wedding rings), recreation equipment and big-ticket appliances as reasons to review your cover (Tower, calculating your contents value, retrieved 6 October 2026). Check the single-item limit in the policy wording before you rely on unspecified cover.

When to update the figure

Review it once a year and after any big purchase, a move, a new flatmate or a baby. Under-insuring is the common mistake: if your sum insured is lower than the real cost of replacing everything, a total loss leaves the difference with you. For what drives the price of cover, see

how much contents insurance costs in NZ

; renters can start with renters insurance in NZ, and the contents insurance guide covers the rest.

When you have your figure, get a Tower quote online and enter it as your contents value.

QuoteHub is a Tower partner. If you buy through this link, Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission from Tower. Buying online is not financial advice.

Read the contents insurance guide · free, no obligation.