What is buildings insurance?
Buildings insurance covers your home from damage by flood, fire, subsidence, storm or vandalism, protecting the structure of the building (the walls, roof, floors and extensions) and its fixtures (built-in wardrobes, bathroom suites and fitted kitchens).
Your insurer will also repair damage caused by leaky pipes or faulty electronics, as well as criminal or accidental damage. If necessary, they’ll even foot the bill to rebuild it completely. If you want your possessions protected too, however, you’ll need to take out contents insurance as well.
Your mortgage lender will require you to have buildings insurance because as soon as you exchange contracts on a property, you’re legally responsible for the building. If you own your home outright, buildings insurance protects your investment.
Who is buildings insurance for?
Property owners
Whether you have a mortgage or own the house outright, buildings insurance protects your home from all sorts of eventualities
Landlords
Buildings insurance covers your investment from structural problems, though you may need specific landlords’ insurance too
Flat owners
If you own an apartment in a larger block of flats, an individual buildings insurance policy isn’t necessary
Tenants
Renters need not worry about buildings insurance at all – that’s the responsibility of the owner, though you may want tenants’ contents insurance
What does buildings insurance cover?
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of the building as standard, though there’s plenty more you can include in your policy:
- Fire, flood, and storm damage
- Subsidence or heave
- Burst or frozen pipes
- Outbuildings
- Gardens, swimming pools, ponds and patios
- Accidental damage
- Alternative accommodation while repairs are made
How much should I
insure my building for?
You should insure your home for the full amount it would cost to rebuild from the foundations up at today’s prices – in case something like a gas explosion destroys it completely. The rebuild cost is usually less than a building’s market value, which includes the value of the land and factors like local amenities and transport links.
It’s hard to calculate the exact cost of rebuilding, so ensure your estimate is as accurate as possible. You don't want high premiums, but it would be disastrous if you aren't fully covered. A chartered surveyor can help – or you can use MoneySuperMarket’s own building value calculator.
Factors your home’s rebuild value could be affected by
The age of the property and whether it is listed; older materials are often more expensive
The materials used in your roof, walls and frame, which can affect the safety and stability of the structure
More rooms, doors and windows indicate a larger building and higher costs
Land with a higher risk of heave or subsidence means more risk of serious damage
Location: if the property is near a river there is a higher flood risk
Get cheaper buildings insurance
The average annual price of buildings insurance has risen slightly over the last few years. The average premium cost around £112 in March 2020, up from around £109 in November 2019, MoneySuperMarket data shows.
The best way to tackle rising buildings insurance premiums is to shop around and see if you can find a cheaper policy elsewhere, instead of auto-renewing. Here are our top tips on how to get cheaper buildings insurance:
Shop around
You could pay as little as £112* when you
search for cheaper buildings insurance
with MoneySuperMarket
Pay annually
It's cheaper to pay for your buildings
insurance annually, rather than
monthly, as you won’t pay interest
Build your no claims discount
A history of not claiming on your
buildings insurance is usually rewarded
with a discount on your premiums
*51% of people received a quote of £112 or less for buildings only insurance based on moneysupermarket.com data, March 2020.
Do you need buildings insurance?
Buildings insurance is not a legal requirement, but considering the amount of money we spend on our homes, insurance could be seen as a good idea - especially if you live somewhere at a high risk of flooding, crime or subsidence. Your mortgage lender might also require you to buy it.
Bear in mind that you should only get buildings insurance if you own your own property – and only then if your home isn’t part of a block of flats. If you are a tenant, your landlord is the one to buy insurance for the building.
What’s the difference between buildings insurance and contents insurance?
Buildings insurance and contents insurance are two sides of the home insurance coin. The former protects the structure of your property if it’s damaged by natural disasters or vandalism, and the latter protects your possessions.
As a rule of thumb, anything that can be carried out of a house is protected under contents insurance, which includes carpets, curtains, white goods, light fittings and furniture. Anything fixed to the structure of the house, including built-in wardrobes, plus things like your garage or conservatory, are covered by buildings insurance.
Do you need documents to get a buildings insurance quote?
No, you don’t need documents to get a quote. However you do need to know basic facts about the property you want to insure, including its age and the materials it is built from.
How do you calculate the rebuild cost?
You can calculate how much it would cost to total rebuild your home either by hiring a chartered surveyor, or by using MoneySuperMarket’s home insurance calculator to get an estimate.
The rebuild cost of a house is how much it would cost to construct it in the same way with the same materials from scratch at today’s prices, including labour. This is not the same as your house’s market value, which also includes the price of the land it’s built on, and local amenities and transport links.
How do you get a buildings insurance quote?
The simplest way to get a quote on buildings insurance is to give MoneySuperMarket a few details on your home. We will use your information to get quotes from a range of house insurance companies, which you can then search and choose the deal that suits you. You can also search for contents insurance at the same time, or even buy a policy which combines home and contents insurance.
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