Home Insurance
Home insurance can help meet the cost of damage to your property or belongings after an insured event. Buildings and contents cover do different jobs, and the cover you need depends on what you own and what you are responsible for.
We’ll help you understand what a policy includes, its limits and what it leaves out. Compare those details alongside the premium and the excess you would pay towards a claim, rather than choosing on price alone.
Buildings insurance covers the structure and permanent fixtures against specified events. The amount needed is based on rebuilding, not the property’s selling price. Check what is included and whether you or someone else is responsible for arranging it.
Contents cover concerns belongings such as furniture, clothes and household items. Consider their replacement cost, and check limits for individual valuables. A landlord’s buildings policy does not normally cover a tenant’s own possessions.
Accidental damage, belongings away from home and other additions may need separate cover or an extra premium. Check their definitions, limits and excesses; the presence of an option does not mean it is included in every policy.
Start with an accurate picture of the property and the things you keep in it. Check the sum insured, any single-item limits and the excess for different claims. Too little cover can leave you paying part of a loss yourself. For valuable items, keep the evidence the insurer asks for, such as receipts or valuations.
Policies also set conditions about how the home is used. Tell the insurer about relevant changes, including building work or a period when the property will be empty. Insurance is not a substitute for maintenance: wear and tear and gradual damage are commonly excluded. Read the policy documents before the start date, and check any gaps before replacing existing cover.
Bring details of the property, its use, your belongings and any current policy, so the discussion starts with the cover you actually need.
Consider the insured events, limits, exclusions, excesses and total premium together. Check which optional benefits matter to you and which are already included.
Check the information recorded, the terms and the start date. Keep the policy and claims contact details somewhere you can find them.
The landlord normally arranges insurance for the building, while you consider cover for your own belongings. Check your tenancy and any responsibilities it gives you. Leaseholders should check the building arrangements through the lease or managing agent rather than assume a separate policy is needed.
Not necessarily. Some policies include limited accidental damage and others offer broader cover as an option. Check both buildings and contents sections, what counts as an accident and any exclusions or excess before relying on it.
Use the claims instructions and contact details in your policy. Keep evidence of the loss and check with the insurer before arranging non-emergency repairs or replacing items. The insurer decides the claim against the policy terms; an enquiry about cover is not a claims decision.
Cover depends on the policy. Check insured events, exclusions, limits and the excess payable on a claim.
