What type of insurance should I get?

Finding the right house insurance policy for your home depends on whether you own or rent a property. If you have a mortgage, your bank or building society will require you to have buildings insurance. If the house is rented, then buildings insurance will be the responsibility of your landlord, but you will need contents cover to protect your possessions. 

You can reduce the cost of home insurance by taking out a combined buildings and contents insurance policy with an insurer that offers a discount if you buy both types from them.

What is the difference between buildings and contents insurance? 

Buildings insurance provides cover for the structural elements of your home, such as the windows or roof, and covers the cost of repairs or rebuilding work.

Contents insurance, however, provides protection for your valuables, such as laptops or TVs, and covers your home contents against loss, theft or damage.

Both types of insurance usually cover loss or damage caused by:

• Theft or attempted theft

• Fire, explosion or vandalism

• Flood or water leakage

• Storm, lightning or fallen trees

How much buildings insurance cover do I need?

When looking for buildings insurance quotes, you will need cover for the rebuild value of your home rather than the market value. When running a quote, a rebuild amount will be suggested using data from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RCIS).

How much contents insurance cover do I need?

The amount of content cover you need will be based on the total value of your contents within your home. When running a quote, you might find it helpful to work out the value of the contents of each room in turn before adding them together for your grand total. We’ll ask you about the value of expensive single items in your home such as laptops, jewellery, bicycles and items worth more than £1,000, to ensure your possessions are adequately covered.