Bharat Griha Raksha
Protect The Home You Have Built
Bharat Griha Raksha is the standard home insurance policy every general insurer in India must offer. It pays to rebuild your house or flat and replace household contents damaged by fire, storms, floods, earthquakes and other listed events. Owners can insure the structure and contents; tenants can insure contents alone. Because the wording is identical across insurers, a broker's value lies in setting the rebuild value correctly and choosing sensible add-ons for jewellery and valuables.
Reviewed by Vinay Jain, Principal Officer (IRDAI Reg. No. 954) · Last reviewed
What Bharat Griha Raksha Covers
Building On Rebuild Cost
The structure is insured for what it costs to rebuild today, based on its area and current construction rates.
Natural Disasters Included
Flood, cyclone, earthquake, landslide and subsidence are standard perils, which matters in coastal and seismic zones.
Household Contents
Furniture, appliances, clothing and kitchen items are covered, with a default contents amount available without a detailed list.
Jewellery And Valuables
Jewellery, silver, curios and art can be added as an optional cover when declared with values.
Alternative Accommodation
Rent for a temporary home is payable, within the policy limits, while your damaged home is being repaired.
Same Wording Everywhere
IRDAI fixed the wording for all insurers, so comparing premium and service is simple and transparent.
What is Bharat Griha Raksha?
Bharat Griha Raksha is the standard home insurance policy that IRDAI requires every general insurer to offer. It covers the structure of your house or flat and your household contents against fire and a defined list of natural and man-made perils, on the same wording whichever insurer you choose.
It came into force on 1 April 2021 alongside the Bharat products for businesses, and it is the base fire cover for homes on our fire insurance range. Many families first meet it when a home loan lender asks for property cover, but it is useful long after the loan is repaid.
What the policy covers
- Fire, lightning, explosion and implosion, including from gas cylinders
- Storm, cyclone, typhoon, hurricane, tornado, flood and inundation
- Earthquake, subsidence, landslide and rockslide
- Riot, strike, malicious damage and, where opted, terrorism
- Impact by vehicles, falling trees or aircraft
- Bursting or overflowing of water tanks and pipes
- Theft within a short period after, and because of, one of these events
The wording also pays reasonable costs of debris removal, architects' fees for rebuilding, and rent for alternative accommodation while the home cannot be lived in, each within the limits stated.
Owners and tenants
An owner can insure both the building and contents. A tenant has no insurable interest in the structure, so insures only the contents. Owners of flats should also check what the apartment association or society has insured, because the common structure is often on the society's policy. Our page on housing society insurance explains how the two fit together.
How the sum insured is decided
Building
The building is insured for its cost of reconstruction, not its market price. Market price includes land, which cannot burn down. The policy works this out from the carpet or built-up area and a per-square-foot construction rate that you and the insurer agree. When the building value is fixed on this agreed basis, the wording is designed so that your claim is not reduced for underinsurance, and it also allows for an automatic escalation of the building value during the policy period. Read the schedule to confirm the area and rate are right.
Contents
General contents can be covered up to a default amount set as a share of the building sum insured, subject to a cap, without listing each item. If your furniture, electronics and appliances are worth more, declare a higher value. Jewellery, silver, curios, paintings and similar items are not part of general contents and must be declared under the optional valuables cover.
What is not covered
- Burglary and house-breaking not linked to an insured peril. This needs separate burglary insurance or a householder's package.
- Electrical or mechanical breakdown of appliances.
- Wear and tear, seepage over time, termites and poor maintenance.
- Cash, documents and undeclared valuables.
- Homes left unoccupied beyond the period stated in the wording, unless the insurer agrees.
- War, nuclear perils and deliberate damage by the insured.
Add-ons you can choose
- Jewellery and valuables, declared with values and supporting bills or valuation reports
- Curios, works of art and silverware
- Personal accident cover for the owner and spouse, where the insurer offers it with the policy
- Terrorism damage
For a wider package that also covers burglary, appliance breakdown and liability, see our home insurance (householder's policy) page.
How MILES helps
- We calculate a realistic reconstruction value from your area and local building costs, so you are not over- or under-insured.
- We check how your flat's cover interacts with your society's building policy and remove overlaps.
- We compare Griha Raksha premiums and add-on terms across insurers, including multi-year options where available.
- After a flood, fire or storm, we guide you through photographs, documents and the survey so the claim moves quickly.
What we need for a quote
- Full address and pin code of the home
- Whether you own or rent, and whether it is an independent house or a flat
- Built-up or carpet area and type of construction
- Estimated value of general contents
- A list of jewellery or valuables you want covered, with approximate values
- Your lender's name, if the home is mortgaged
Cover, exclusions and premiums depend on the insurer’s policy wording and underwriting. MILES Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd. is an IRDAI-licensed direct broker (Life & General, Reg. No. 954); the insurance is issued by the insurer. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation.