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We check for quotes from 83[2] home insurance providers in the UK, including:
Contents insurance is a type of home insurance policy that covers personal belongings and possessions in your house in the event of loss, damage, or theft.
This type of policy also protects your belongings from events outside your control, including fire, storms, floods, ground moving below your property (aka subsidence) and water leaks.
Contents insurance only offers protection for items within your home and can be purchased separately, but you can also combine contents and buildings insurance under one home insurance policy.
Contents insurance ensures you're covered against the cost of replacement if your items are damaged or stolen. If you rent, your landlord's insurance typically doesn't cover your personal belongings. So, if you value your possessions, consider getting contents insurance. While contents insurance isn't a legal requirement in the UK, it's highly recommended if you own or rent a property and have valuable items like electronics, jewellery, or furniture.
Even if you rent, your landlord's insurance typically doesn't cover your personal belongings. So, if you want to protect your possessions, consider getting contents insurance.
Not sure what type of contents insurance you need? We've got you covered! Depending on your living situation, the best policy for you will vary. Let's break it down:
Students: Living in student halls or a shared house? Get a tailored student policy that protects your belongings.
Renters/Tenants: If you're renting a flat or house you can protect your belongings even though you don't own your home. Standard contents insurance protects your furniture, gadgets, clothes, and more.
Shared housing: When you're sharing a house with flatmates you'll need content insurance specifically designed for shared living situations and the risks associated with them.
Homeowners (contents insurance only): If you already have buildings insurance but need separate contents cover, you're in the right place! You can get a separate policy to cover your belongings.
Homeowners (buildings & contents): Looking for a combined policy that covers both your building and its contents? You can explore your options by using our home insurance comparison tool.
Home contents insurance policies will cover pretty much everything you own, except the actual building itself. Household belongings are generally covered against unexpected events outside of your control, although exactly what you're covered against will be specified in each policy.
Any damage caused by theft, vandalism, fire and explosions, flooding and burst pipes, and storms to the following possessions:
Gadgets - such as mobile phones, laptops and cameras
Electrical items - such as televisions, desktops and games consoles
Money and financial documents - bonds and deeds, for instance
Furniture - sofas, chairs, tables
Furnishings - such as curtains and carpets
White goods
Clothing
Jewellery and watches
Artwork, ornaments, books
Sporting equipment and musical instruments
Any damage the building (you'll need buildings insurance for this)
Wear and tear or damage that happens naturally as the item ages
Mechanical or electrical breakdown
Deliberate damage caused by you or your family
Frost damage
Damage caused by children or pets
Spillages or stains
DIY incidents
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If you own your own house or flat, all of your contents are covered and a contents policy is quite straightforward. However, if you're renting, especially in a shared flat or house, there are a few key differences to consider with contents insurance:
Room-only cover: Many insurers offer "room-only" or "single-room" policies specifically for renters in shared housing. This type of policy covers belongings within your private room but may exclude communal areas unless specifically added.
Policy requirements: Some insurers may require you to secure your room (e.g., lock your door) to validate any claims. If you're in a house share, make sure your room has adequate security to meet these conditions.
Communal area cover: Check whether the policy covers items left in shared spaces (like a living room or kitchen). Typically, insurers will exclude communal areas unless you opt for extended coverage, so if you leave high-value items outside your room, they may not be protected.
Flatmate claims: In a shared house, each flatmate will usually need their own contents insurance policy, as most insurers do not cover shared items or other people’s belongings. If you share items, decide whether they need coverage and how to handle it.
Landlord’s insurance: Remember, your landlord’s insurance likely only covers the structure and fixtures, not your personal items. Ensure you have adequate contents insurance to protect your belongings, as the landlord’s policy won't cover them.
Find out more and compare renters insurance in minutes with us to get the best cover for your possessions.
There are two main types of contents insurance:
New for old, also known as 'as new', policies, will pay out for the full cost of repair of a damaged item, or for the equivalent new item. It is the more expensive type of cover because you can get back the full value of the items you claim for.
An indemnity insurance policy pays you what the item you claim for is worth now, not what you paid for it. This type of policy tends to be cheaper because the pay-out reflects depreciation or wear and tear, so you might not get back the full value, just the cost of replacing an item of the same age or condition as yours.
Home insurance in any form isn’t a legal requirement – but it is a good idea. Here are some people who could benefit from taking out a policy:
Homeowners with a mortgage are generally required to get buildings insurance, so a combined home insurance policy will protect your belongings too
Your landlord will likely have a buildings insurance policy in place already, but that won't protect your possessions in cases of burglary, fire, flooding or storm damage. Though you might want a specific renters’ insurance policy to cover your possessions
Lodgers have a slightly different legal status than regular renters, but you can still get lodgers’ insurance to ensure your possessions are insured
Living in halls with people you don't know may mean you're more likely to experience theft, accidental damage or loss of personal items. Specialist policies designed for students will provide peace of mind that your valuables are insured
People living in a flat share need separate policies for each member of the household
Buy-to-let owners need a different type of policy for properties they rent out called landlord contents insurance
The amount of contents insurance you need will differ depending on what you own and which items you would like to insure. Insurers often use three methods to work out how much cover you need:
Bedroom rated - this is where the cover is calculated based on the number of rooms in your home
Sum insured - is the cover based on the estimate of the total value of the things you own
Unlimited cover - this covers everything up to an unlimited amount (there may be limits for particularly expensive belongings)
A good way of figuring out how much cover you need yourself is to calculate how much it would cost to replace all of the possessions you would like to insure in your home.
This includes items you would like to take with you if you moved house. You can then find a policy offering your desired level of cover.
Remember to check the insurance provider's policy documents or the insurer's website to ensure you have the right level of cover.
Property type | Average cost of contents insurance |
|---|---|
Terraced house | £73.19[7] |
End of terrace house | £72.32[7] |
Semi-detached house | £78.48[7] |
Detached house | £110.98[7] |
Detached bungalow | £73.56[7] |
Semi-detached bungalow | £59.18[7] |
Type of flat | Average cost of contents insurance |
|---|---|
Converted flat/ apartment | £105.74[8] |
Converted flat/ apartment (self-contained) | £113.87[8] |
Purpose-built flat/ apartment | £81.83[8] |
Purpose-built flat/ apartment (self-contained) | £88.87[8] |
The top 10% of lowest-paying customers pay £46.42[9]. The cost of your policy can vary significantly based on factors like the value of your possessions, your location, and the level of cover you choose. However, it's possible to find affordable policies, especially for basic contents cover.
The average contents insurance policy for a student living in halls of residence is £73.44[10]. This covers essential items like laptops, phones, and clothing. Student accommodation often has shared communal areas, so it's crucial to have adequate insurance to protect your personal belongings.
Here are some ways to save money on your contents insurance policy:
If you're a student, you may be eligible for student discounts on contents insurance. Some insurance providers often offer home insurance policies that are designed for university students, while others offer it as an optional add-on to an existing home insurance policy.
If you're a first-year student living in university accommodation, you may already have contents insurance through your accommodation provider.
For high-value items like jewellery, art, or antiques, consider adding itemised cover to your policy. This provides specific coverage for these valuable items rather than a blanket policy. This will also come in handy should you ever need to make a claim on any specific items.
You can combine your home insurance policy for a better price. For example, you can combine your home insurance and contents insurance or contents insurance with your building insurance policy. If you also have both home and car insurance with the same provider, you may be eligible for a multi-policy discount.
Prices vary between insurance companies, so get a range of quotes from different insurers to see how much you could save. Be clear about the level of cover you need to get accurate quotes and once you’ve found the best deal, don't forget to shop around when it's time to renew insurance.
If you don’t need any added insurance extras like accidental damage cover, you could cut your cost by opting for basic cover only. But bear in mind that will limit the amount you can claim for.
High-quality locks, burglar alarms, smoke alarms and joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme can all reduce your premiums. The safer your home, the less likely you may need to claim on an insurance policy. But check with insurers before installing expensive security that may not help reduce cost.
Most insurance policies include an 'excess', which is the amount you pay towards any claim. If you agree to increase the excess you will usually pay a lower upfront cost. But bear in mind that you will need to stump up the amount of the excess if you need to claim.
Insurers usually reward people who have not made any claims in the past with a cheaper policy premium. You may even be able to protect your no-claims discount after you’ve built it up.
Contents insurance is the perfect way to protect your possessions, but according to our recent data, 45% of renters have no insurance for their possessions at all. We also discovered that those who do have insurance are more likely to claim for accidents, compared to flooding or fire.
That’s why it’s important to choose the right policy, for example, one that includes accidental damage, and make sure you value your belongings accurately. The average cost of a contents insurance policy with MoneySuperMarket over the last 12 months costs just £8.46 a month, which is definitely cheaper than footing the bill for a repair or replacement on your much loved belongings.
David McDermottroe Home & Van Insurance Expert
You'll need to provide your insurer with an estimate value of all of your belongings. You can use the following methods to value your items:
Make an inventory: List all your possessions, including items in attics, basements, sheds, and garages. You can use an app to help
Estimate replacement costs: Consider how much it would cost to replace each item today, rather than the price you originally paid
Add up the total: Add up the total value of all your possessions, including a separate total for valuable items
Consider smaller items: Don't forget smaller items like crockery, cutlery, and kitchen utensils, which can add up to the overall value
If you're insuring your belongings, it's essential to make sure they're covered by your policy. Most contents insurance policies have a single item limit, usually between £1,000 to £1,500. Underinsuring your contents could cost you in the event of a claim.
Contents insurance protects your belongings from most major threats, but not everything will be covered as standard. If you want extra peace of mind, you should think about adding the following:
This is for when you accidentally break a possession, for instance knocking over an ornament while doing the dusting. It’s easily done, but could be long lamented if you don’t have the right cover for accidents.
This protects your possessions while you’re out and about, but you usually have to declare which items you want to cover, supplying your insurance company with details and values.
This will cover the costs if you need any assistance or repairs because of a domestic emergency, such as a burst pipe or broken boiler. Either can be a nightmare that you want sorted out as soon as possible.
If your children are away at university and they take their laptop or phone with them, you may be able to arrange affordable cover for their belongings.
You can add extra insurance cover for any valuable items you own if their value exceeds the limits of your policy. That usually means individual items worth £1,000 or more.
Legal expenses insurance can help you cover the cost of certain legal fees, such as boundary disputes and personal injury claims which can arise when you least expect it.
As with any insurance, there are a few key considerations before choosing your contents insurance policy:
Some policies may offer 'replacement of sets' cover, where an item from a matching set (e.g. kitchen units or furniture sets) is replaced if damaged. This type of cover helps you replace the whole set if the individual item cannot be repaired or replaced
Contents insurance policies don't offer cover that adjusts with inflation, so you should review your policy regularly to ensure you have the correct amount of cover for the changing value of your belongings
Some items fall into a grey area. Items that can be easily removed without damage (e.g. carpets) are covered by contents insurance, while permanent fixtures (e.g. fitted wardrobes) are covered by buildings insurance
When you make a claim on your contents insurance policy, you'll typically need to follow these steps:
Report the claim: Contact your insurer as soon as possible to report the incident. Provide details about the damage or loss and any relevant information and as much proof as possible, such as a police report number.
Gather evidence: Collect any evidence that supports your claim, such as photos, receipts, or repair estimates.
Complete the claim form: Your insurer will provide you with a claim form to complete. Be thorough and accurate in providing all the required information.
Assessment and valuation: Your insurer may send a loss adjuster to assess the damage and value your belongings. They will determine the replacement cost or repair cost, based on the market value of your items. Once the claim is processed and approved, your insurer will typically pay the claim amount directly to you or the repairer.
It's important to note that you'll usually need to pay an excess, which is a fixed amount you contribute towards each claim. This amount is typically stated in your policy documents. Additionally, your insurer may have specific guidelines for valuing items, such as using valuation services for high-value items like jewellery or antiques.
By following these steps and providing the necessary documentation, you can streamline the claims process.
Whatever cover you’re looking for, the easiest way to find the best policy is by comparing quotes online. You can compare policies in one simple search on MoneySuperMarket.
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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
We do our best to make home insurance comparison easy. So, we go away and do all the hard work – we take the information you provide us, and we bring together all the quotes from our providers that are relevant to you. We then allow you to compare policies on price, excess, Defaqto ratings, brand, the amount you’d be covered for, and you’ll also be able to see if any add-ons are included as standard with each policy. Our quotes will take you through to the provider website, but you can always call the numbers provided if you’d prefer to speak to someone about the policy you’re interested in.
Compare quotes from 83[2] trusted insurers in minutes
Contents insurance does cover theft as standard, but most policies will cost more if you also want theft cover for your belongings when you take them out of the house. Likewise, high-value items may need to be itemised on your policy to ensure they are covered.
Contents insurance does cover mobile phones, but if your phone is worth more than a certain value, often £1,000, you’ll have to inform your insurer that you need it covered specifically.
For electronic items you use a lot, including those you carry with you when you leave the house, you might want to consider taking out a more specialised gadget policy.
It does, but if it's worth more than the single-item limit listed in the small print, often around £1,000, you will need to inform your insurer that you own it. Bikes aren’t usually covered by contents insurance when you have them outside the home. You need a separate out-of-home policy add-on for that.
The single-item limit is the most an insurer will pay to replace any individual items that hasn’t been specifically listed. The limit will depend on your provider and will be specified in your home insurance policy, but it's often around £1,000. If you need to cover anything worth more than that, you should mention it as a high-risk item.
As well as there being a cover limit for your items, there are other exclusions that may affect your claims. For example, some providers also have a maximum claim limit for all valuable items. So, if several items are stolen or damaged at once, you may not be able to reclaim their full value.
High-risk items are your most valuable possessions, the ones which cost the most to replace. You need to let your insurer know about each one, and you'll be able to specify items when comparing quotes for home insurance.
Your home office equipment is likely to be covered under your contents policy, but it's always worth double checking the fine print to make sure.
Most insurers let you do this, but you’ll need to get in touch with them if you’ve made a major purchase. If you claim without telling them, then it may prove hard to claim the money back for any items.
Some home insurance policies will cover the contents of your garden and outbuildings - like a garage or shed - as standard. However, many won’t, and which means you may have to pay extra. Make sure you check before you buy a policy.
You might do, especially for high-value items. It’s a good idea to keep the receipts for everything you have when you take out insurance.
Yes, the cost of your policy will likely increase if you make a claim on your insurance, as you will lose your no claims discount. The more claims you make, the higher the risk you are to insurers. Therefore, you're more likely to pay more next time you renew.
When it comes to claiming on your contents insurance, think about if it's cheaper to just pay for a repair or replacement yourself first. If your excess makes up the majority of your claim, it's unlikely to be worth claiming for, as you might end up paying more in the long run.
Most home insurance policies won't cover you for any damage caused by damp and condensation.
When you get a quote, you will agree to a list of assumptions, and one of them is that your home is in good condition, and isn't subject to any risks such as damp.
If you do not declare that your home has damp issues or inform your insurance provider if your home develops damp during your policy term, your insurer will not pay out if you need to make a claim.
Yes, to get a no claims discount (NCD) you will need to keep your policy in place for least one year. After this point, many insurers will offer you a lower price on your insurance. For every year you have home insurance and don't make a claim, you should receive an extra discount on your next quote.
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