Buildings insurance
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of your home – the bricks and mortar – and any permanent fittings or fixtures
Unlock a year of rewards with SuperSaveClub i
Price Promise - we price match and more
Compare trusted insurers in the UK
Buildings insurance is a type of home insurance that covers your home from damage by flood, fire, subsidence, storm or vandalism. It protects the structure of the building (the walls, roof, floors and extensions) and its fixtures (such as built-in wardrobes, bathroom suites and fitted kitchens).
Your buildings insurance company 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.
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.
Buildings insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but homeowners commonly have it because mortgage providers often require you to take out a policy when lending you money.
Either way, buildings insurance is a good idea because damage to your home can be very expensive to repair. Buildings insurance is a good idea when:
You’re a homeowner with or without a mortgage
You rent out a house or property to tenants
You won’t need buildings insurance if you own an apartment or rent.
The specific level of cover depends on the particulars of your insurance policy. Many buildings insurance policies will offer similar types of protection, while most will also have certain exclusions.
Fire damage
Floods and storms
Burglary and vandalism
Burst pipes and escape of water
Subsidence and ground heave, also known as swelling
Falling trees, branches and TV aerials
Frost damage to internal water pipes
General wear and tear of the property
Deliberate damage or negligence
Frost damage to outside pipes and brickwork
Storm damage to gates, fences and plants
Damage caused by pests, insects or birds
Poor design or faulty workmanship
There are specific exclusions to be aware of when taking out buildings insurance, including general wear and tear, pre-existing damage, gradual damage, and faulty design or poor workmanship.
The main exclusion amongst insurance providers is gradual wear and tear. This refers to the any expected deterioration of parts of the building over time.
With buildings, everything from pipes to roof tiles to flooring wears down due to constant exposure and usage. Insurance companies exclude this because it's seen as part of the inevitable life cycle of materials rather than a sudden, unforeseen event.
Wear and tear exclusions can specifically apply to your property's roof and common issues that occur from weather exposure and a lack of upkeep, including:
Cracked or broken tiles
Loose or dislodged shingles
Water seepage
Rust and corrosion
Exclusions like this vary depending on insurance providers, so it's important to check your policy documents to see what's covered and not covered.
Buildings insurance is not a legal requirement but, bearing in mind the investment we spend on our homes, it is a sensible idea. Whether or not you need home insurance will depend on your living situation:
If you own your house outright, buildings insurance protects your home from all sorts of problems
Buildings insurance will ensure you have financial protection if your building's structure is compromised. As the landlord, you're responsible for any repairs. Read our guide to landlord insurance.
If you own an apartment in a block of flats, an individual buildings insurance policy isn’t necessary
Renters don’t need buildings insurance, consider renters insurance instead
There are two types of home insurance cover: buildings insurance and contents insurance. You buy these separately or get both from the same company in a combined house insurance policy.
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of your home – the bricks and mortar – and any permanent fittings or fixtures
Contents cover protects the possessions in your home. Some policies also cover certain belongings out of the home
Combined policies offers maximum protection under one policy, making complete home insurance cover cheaper
There are quite a few variables that affect your buildings insurance premiums, including where you live and what type of home you live in.
However, the number of bedrooms it has is often a good yardstick. Here’s the average buildings insurance costs and then how that looks broken down by number of bedrooms:
Here are a few things you can do to get cheaper buildings insurance:
Asking for a higher excess tells insurers that you’re less likely to make small claims, so you get a lower premium. However, be careful not to increase your excess so much that it becomes unaffordable. If an event happens where you needs to claim for multiple incidents, you may need pay your excess more than once, which is something to keep in mind.
Paying for your insurance annually usually works out cheaper than paying monthly, so it’s worth doing if you can afford to.
If your property is undervalued, insurance payments may not cover the rebuild costs. Similarly, if the building is overvalued, your insurance premiums will be higher than they need to be and your insurer might reject your claim.
You can usually get a no-claims discount if you’ve gone several years without making a claim. Avoiding making small or frivolous claims can help you boost your discount and save on your insurance.
Over-insuring yourself is a common way that people end up over-spending on their insurance. By accurately calculating the rebuild value of your home and the value of its contents you can avoid making this mistake.
You should also take time when renewing your policy to make sure this value hasn't changed. Your home insurance cover won't change with inflation, so you will need to check that your policy still covers what it should.
Comparing quotes online is a great way to find a good deal on your home insurance. Even when it's time to renew your policy, it's worthwhile to double check whether you can get the same cover for cheaper elsewhere.
Buildings insurance isn't a legal requirement, but mortgage lenders typically ask you to take it out because it protects their interest. If you don't have buildings insurance, the cost of major repairs could bankrupt you and your mortgage provider would then lose out. Taking out insurance – even if you’ve paid off your mortgage – is a sensible option.
According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) research, claims for damage to homes from storms, heavy rain and frozen pipes reached £144 million between April and June 2024. Our own home insurance data revealed that the average settled claim amount for a fire between August 2023 and August 2024 was £16,102.88. These figures confirm that a good buildings insurance policy can offer financial security and peace of mind if you ever need to make a claim.
Yes, it's worth getting building insurance because it provides financial protection against unexpected and potentially devastating events, such as fires, floods, storms, or subsidence, which can cause significant damage to your property. Given that your home is often the most significant financial asset you'll ever own, having buildings insurance in place is a sensible choice.
Without this type of insurance, you could face overwhelming repair or rebuilding costs that can run hundreds of thousands of pounds. If you have a mortgage, banks will typically request that you take out buildings insurance before they agree to lend to you in order to help them protect their investment.
If you don't have buildings insurance, you would be solely responsible for the cost of repairs or even rebuilding your home following any damage. Buildings insurance offers a financial safety net and without this, you may be forced into bankruptcy and a lose your home.
When shopping around for a building insurance policy, there are a number of things to keep in mind that can help you get a decent deal on cover that meets your needs:
Each policy will have certain exclusions where you will not be allowed to claim. It's important to check your exclusions and cover limits with your provider and in the policy documents
Buildings insurance alone will only cover the structure to your home and not the contents. If you want extra protection for your belongings, consider getting contents cover as well
Excess is the amount that you volunteer to contribute towards each claim. A greater excess can reduce the cost of your policy but also means you will have to pay more to cover repairs
Providers have a limit for how long they will cover your home while it is unoccupied, with the standard length being up to 30 days.
Check how much public liability cover is included as standard with your policy. This valuable protection will cover your legal costs if anyone dies or is injured on your property, or if any property is damaged
Some providers have a helpline that you can use in case of emergencies for advice and assistance. This can be a valuable service that ensures you get fast emergency repairs when you need them
Damage caused by an unexpected event such as a fire, flood, or storm are usually covered as standard, but general wear and tear or accidental damage aren't included. Accidental damage can be added to your policy, while landlords looking to cover the same may be better served by landlord insurance.
Many building insurance policies include alternative accommodation cover, which temporarily rehouses you and your family if your property is unsafe to live in following an event such as a fire or flood
The sum insured for your home should cover 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.
When you get a buildings insurance quote, you will be asked for the rebuild cost figure. 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.
It’s hard to calculate the exact cost of rebuilding, so you need to ensure your estimate is as accurate as possible.
The rebuild value is the amount it would cost to rebuild your home if it was completely destroyed. When insuring your property, it is crucial that you submit the correct rebuild value. Otherwise, you will have to pay for a percentage of the rebuild costs yourself.
Older materials are often more expensive
Non-standard materials are often more costly or require a specialist builder
Local crime statistics often have an effect on your premiums
A higher subsidence risk means more chance of serious damage
If the property is near a river there is a higher flood risk
These indicate a larger building and higher costs
Listed buildings are especially expensive to insure
Below are some of the common extras you can add to your building insurance policy to get comprehensive cover:
Covers damage to your building or contents that is sudden and unexpected, such as drilling through a pipe while doing DIY.
Covers the cost of urgent repairs for incidents like a broken boiler, burst pipe, or blocked drain.
With alternative accommodation cover, you can claim for the cost of living elsewhere while your home is being repaired.
Covers legal fees if someone injures themselves on your property and makes a claim against you or you have a dispute with your neighbours.
Helps you to find the source of a water leak in your property.
Covers the cost if your keys are lost or stolen and you need to change the locks.
When it comes to buildings insurance there are many options available. A buildings insurance policy could cost you approximately £269.47vii on average. We’re here to help you find the best policy by comparing insurance quotes from trusted providers across the market. Here are just a few reasons why you should compare with MoneySuperMarket:
With 30 years' experience, we are trusted by our customers. We only work with insurance providers authorised and regulated by the FCA, ensuring that you get the cover you need.
Avoid auto renewing and easily compare tailored quotes for free from multiple trusted providers to find the cheapest home insurance for you.
Comparing quotes remains one of the best ways to save money and time. Storing your details allows you to refresh your quotes in seconds.
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
Keep up to date and find out all you need to know with our latest guides.
When you apply for a home insurance quote, insurers will ask you to provide your personal details and any existing policy documents, if applicable.
You will also be asked a number of questions about your house. Here are some things you will need to know:
Your home address and property type e.g. flat, terraced, or semi-detached house
Number of bedrooms
The structure of your home
Year the property was built
Whether the roof is flat or pitched
Details of any security alarms or systems
Total rebuild cost and value of the contents within your home
Buildings insurance and contents insurance are both important. The first protects the structure of your property if it’s damaged by natural disasters or vandalism, and the second protects your possessions.
As a rule of thumb, anything that can be carried out of a house is protected under contents, which means things like carpets, curtains, white goods, light fittings and furniture. Meanwhile anything fixed to the structure of the house, such as built-in wardrobes, plus things like your garage or conservatory, are covered by buildings insurance.
While your mortgage lender will almost certainly require you to buy buildings insurance, you don’t have to buy it from their preferred insurer. In fact, you’ll probably be able to find cheaper insurance by shopping around and comparing prices.
If you own a leasehold property, you might find that the building is already insured by a landlord who owns the freehold. If you’re not sure, your solicitor can advise you.
In certain blocks of flats where leaseholders have joined forces to buy a portion of the freehold, you might have to buy your own buildings cover.
Most buildings insurance policies do not cover rising damp.
If you want to extend or convert your house, or make significant renovations, you should let your insurer know before the work begins. You will probably be able to make changes to your policy, but it’s best to inform them first, in case anything goes wrong and your policy is invalidated.
Garages are considered separate structures for the purposes of buildings insurance, and you’ll have to list it as such when you apply. You should still be able to get cover, but it’s not wise to claim it as another ordinary room.
Buildings insurance is available to people who own listed buildings or those made from non-standard materials such as thatched roofs, though the chances are you'll have to pay a little extra due to the extra risk, and the extra rebuild costs.
This depends on the type of flooring in the property. In general, if the flooring is nailed or glued down, and would cause damage to the floor if removed, then it is covered by buildings insurance.
Flooring such as carpet or click lock flooring may not be included in your buildings insurance policy, but will be covered by contents insurance.
It's also worth noting that insurers will not pay out for general wear and tear to any flooring. You are only covered in the case of an event listed in your policy, such as a fire or vandalism.
Yes, water damage to your property caused by leaks or 'escape of water' is covered within most standard building insurance policies.
There are a number of things that can invalidate your buildings insurance, including:
Leaving your home unoccupied for too long without purchasing unoccupied house insurance
Not updating your personal details e.g. change of name or address
Failing to inform your insurer of any renovation changes to the property within your policy term e.g. extensions, loft conversions, or similar structural alterations
Using your home for business purposes without telling your insurer
Not reporting an incident, thinking it may be too small or irrelevant
Getting a lodger
Accidentally undervaluing your property rebuild cost
When filling out a quote, you'll be asked to provide an estimate of how much it would cost to rebuild your home. This amount should reflect today's rebuilding costs, not your home's market value. Since calculating the exact rebuild cost can be tricky, getting an accurate estimate can provide peace of mind.
A chartered surveyor can help – check out our guide to calculating rebuild costs for more information.
You work hard to earn your money, and we don’t think you should waste a penny of it paying over the odds on your household bills. That’s why at MoneySuperMarket, we’re on a mission to save Britain money.
Whip your credit score into shape with Credit Monitor
Super save over and over again with Energy Monitor
There are always more ways to save with MoneySuperMarket
So how do we make our money? In a nutshell, when you use us to buy something, we get a reward from the company you’re buying from.
You might be wondering if we work with all the companies in the market, or if our commercial relationships with our partners might make us feature one company above another. We’ve got nothing to hide, and we want to give you clear answers when it comes to questions like these, so we’ve pulled together everything you need to know on this page.
We aim to show you home insurance quotes from as many insurance companies as possible, so that you can find the right policy for you.
Unfortunately, we can’t promise to show quotes from every insurance provider, because not all companies want to be included on comparison websites.
We won’t offer you advice or make a recommendation, but we will provide you with all the information you need to help you decide which is the right policy for you.
You can find out more about how we work here.
Customer reviews