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ARTICLE · 10 SEPTEMBER 2026

Decen­ni­al Insur­ance For New Apart­ment buildings

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The New South Wales Government has introduced Decennial Liability Insurance (DLI), a groundbreaking 10-year no-fault insurance policy for new apartment buildings that guarantees protection against serious defects even if developers or builders become insolvent. This legislative reform, passed through the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, fundamentally changes how apartment owners are protected from structural failures and serious defects.

AustraliaReal Estate and Construction
Mark Glynn
Mark Glynn
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The New South Wales Government continues to address the lack of confidence in the building industry, particularly in relation to strata living with the recently passed Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 laying the final piece of legislative groundwork required to bring Decennial Liability Insurance (DLI) to the market.

On 5 August 2026, the New South Wales Government passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 (NSW) (Building Amendment Bill) which provides clarity as to the defects to which a DLI policy, a 10 year no fault insurance policy for new apartment buildings, must respond.

A DLI policy must respond to a ​‘relevant defect’ as that term is defined in the Strata Scheme Management Act 2015 (NSW).

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Michael Byrnes, Partner
Phone: + 61 2 9233 5544
Email: [email protected]

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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