Compare Contents Insurance Quotes From £45.90

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We gather quotes from the leading home insurance providers in the UK, including:

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What is contents insurance?

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)
Water leaks

Contents insurance only offers protection for items within your home and does not cover the building itself.

Buildings insurance: 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)

What are my options for insuring possessions?

What cover you need will depend on:

Your living situation
What you want insured
Whether you need cover away from your home

Standalone contents insurance: This is useful if you’re renting a property or you’re a university student as you won’t need buildings insurance

Combined buildings and contents insurance: If you’re a home-owner it usually works out cheaper to have a combined policy from the same insurer rather than separate buildings and contents cover

Bicycle and e-bike insurance: Your contents insurance may not cover your bike away from your home. You’re also likely to need separate cover if you have a high-value bike

Appliance insurance: Covers your home’s white goods and other household appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, and fridge freezers, if they stop working

What items are covered?

✔ 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
What's not covered

✖ 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
What events are covered?

✔ Fire damage
✔ Flood damage (including burst pipes)
✔ Storm damage
✔ Theft
✔ Vandalism
What events aren’t covered?

✖ Any damage to the building (you'll need buildings insurance for this)
✖ Frost damage
✖ DIY incidents

Your postcode

If there is a high risk of burglary in your area it could push up prices
Your claims history

If you’ve made a number of claims your premium will usually be higher than someone who benefits from a no-claims discount
Security

Installing insurance-approved alarms and locks will make your home more secure and reduce the risk of burglary and theft, potentially reducing insurance costs too
The level of excess

Setting your voluntary excess payment higher indicates you’re less likely to make a claim, so you’ll often get cheaper cover as a result

The average price for contents insurance is

£78

.03^

On average, customers pay this amount for contents insurance a year.

What's the cheapest price I could be quoted?

£45

.90^

10% of customers pay this amount or less for a contents insurance policy.

Is it worth paying for contents insurance?

Claims on contents insurance are more common than you think. Last year, the Association of British Insurers announced that home insurance claim pay-outs reached £4.1 billion.

To work out if contents insurance is worth it:
Write down a list of all your possessions
Work how much it would cost to replace them
If the figure is more than you'd like to pay, then contents insurance could be a wise choice

Top tip: You could use our short list of common items and the average cost to replace them, listed by genuine customers when getting a quote

Common items listed by customers	Average cost to replace the item
Laptops, tablets, notebooks	£1000^{^}
Televisions	£1500^{^}
Jewellery	£3000^{^}
Clothing and personal effects	£2000^{^}

Contents calculator

Unsure how much to insure your contents for? Tell us how many bedrooms you have and about any items over £1,000, and we'll estimate the value

Number of bedrooms:

Add high-value items (over £1k)

Think of those items in your home that would cost over £1,000 to replace. This could include items like jewellery, watches, televisions, and gadgets.

Your high-cost items list:

Name	Value

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Results

Our data shows people with the same number of bedrooms as you tend to choose a figure between . So, a reasonable level of cover could be:

It is important to check the cover amount you select meets your needs, to avoid potential claim rejections.

Note – the figures shown take into account any specified high value items you have added.

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Start a quote

The figures above are just an estimate. But if you're ready to get a quote then it's time to see how much you could save. Compare home insurance quotes

How do insurers work out how much cover I need?

Insurers use three methods for working 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)

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New for old cover

New for old cover is designed to replace damaged or stolen items with a brand new alternative, even if the item had depreciated in value over time. So, if your old TV is stolen or damaged, you'll receive a more recent equivalent as a replacement.
It's the best type of policy if you ever need to make a claim, because it doesn't matter if your belongings lose value over time. However, these policies tend to be more expensive.
Indemnity policy

An indemnity insurance policy takes into account the current market value of the item you're claiming for. So, if the TV you paid £1,000 for four years ago is stolen, your insurer will only pay what the TV is worth now, which is likely to be less than the £1,000 you paid for it.
This type of policy tends to be cheaper because the pay-out reflects depreciation or wear and tear, so you're unlikely to get back the full value, just the cost of replacing an item of the same age or condition as yours.

When getting a quote for contents insurance you’ll notice you have to list any valuables over the value of £1,000. This is because of the single item limit – the maximum amount an insurer will pay out for an individual item not listed. While the exact limit will depend on the policy and insurer, it will generally be between £1,000 and £1,500.

Any items you add to the list will be added to your policy individually and separately, in case you ever need to claim for them. The more high-value items you add, the more likely it is to raise the price of your policy.

It’s sometimes worth looking into specialist insurance policies to see if you can insure valuables separately. Jewellery insurance, for example, may provide better terms and conditions on what you can and can’t claim for if jewellery is lost, stolen or damaged.

Item	Average cost to replace
Jewellery	£3000^{^}
Laptops, tables, notebooks	£1000^{^}
Musical instruments	£2500^{^}
Televisions	£1500^{^}
Watches	£4285^{^}

Homeowners

Homeowners tend to have a lot of possessions. Some of the most expensive items in the home are covered by contents insurance, such as TVs, computers and laptops, furniture, fridges and washing machines
Tenants and renters

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. For that you’ll need tenants insurance
Students

If you're living at university it's usually quite quick to work out how much it would cost to replace your possessions. Think laptops, mobile phones, jewellery and clothing. You even might have bought expensive textbooks for your course. Student contents insurance could cover these items
Landlords

If you furnish your rented property, then landlord contents insurance will cover you against theft and damage for any items such as furniture, furnishings like curtains and blinds, as well as any items stored away in cupboards or lofts

Shop around

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.

Pay your premiums annually

Many insurers charge extra if you pay by monthly direct debit. You’ll save money if you make a one-off, annual payment instead, if you can afford it.

Raise the excess

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.

Cut out extras

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.

Bundle your policies

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.

Build up a no-claims discount

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.

Consider Itemised Cover

For high-value items, like jewellery, art, or antiques, consider adding itemised cover to your policy. This provides specific cover 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.

Think about security

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.

Student Discounts

If you're a student, you may be eligible for student discounts on contents insurance. Some insurance providers 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.

Our expert says…

Contents insurance is the simplest way to insure your possessions in the home. But watch out for over or underinsuring. It’s important to be as accurate as possible when estimating the value of the contents in your home, because underinsuring may leave you out of pocket if you have to make a claim, and over-insuring will result in higher premiums from the outset.
Be aware of the single article limit too. If you have any possessions worth over £1,000, such as jewellery or watches, then you’ll need to list them out separately. Insurers will only pay out up to the value of the single article limit for any individual item that isn’t listed as a high-value item.

David McDermottroe Insurance & Personal Finance Expert

Accidental damage

This covers the cost if you accidentally break a possession, for instance knocking over an ornament while doing the dusting.
Personal possessions cover

Personal possessions cover extends protection to items you take away from the home, like laptops, jewellery, or sports equipment.
Home emergency cover

Covers urgent issues like boiler breakdowns, burst pipes, or electrical failures. Emergency cover ensures fast access to tradespeople and reduces long-term damage.
Away-from-home cover

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.
Extra cover for valuables

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

Legal expenses insurance is designed to cover the costs associated with hiring a solicitor for a variety of legal complaints.

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, if you have an indemnity policy.
If you have a new-for-old policy you’ll receive a brand new alternative. Once the claim is processed and approved, your insurer will typically pay the claim amount directly to you or the repairer.

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Does contents insurance cover theft?

Contents insurance does cover theft as standard but it will depend on:

Whether or not your home was properly secured at the time of burglary - negligence might mean your claim is rejected

You contacting your insurance provider within 24 hours of discovering the break-in to make a claim

If you want theft cover for your belongings when you take them out of the house you’ll usually need to add on personal possessions insurance.

Likewise, high-value items may need to be itemised on your home insurance policy to ensure they are covered.

The contents of outbuildings, like your shed or garage, should be covered by your contents policy, as long as you’ve declared them.

Does contents insurance include mobile phones?

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.

You may also want to consider adding personal possessions insurance so your phone is covered for loss, damage, or theft when you take it outside your home. Alternatively, you can take out a more specialised gadget policy.

To decide what’s best, consider the excess on your home policy. If it’s nearly equal to the value of your gadget you would be better with standalone cover.

Remember that you’ll need proof of purchase of the item to make a claim.

Does contents insurance include bicycles?

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. Bicycles and e-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 bicycles and e-bikes.

What’s a single item limit?

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.

What’s a high-risk item?

High-risk items are your most valuable items, which insurers consider at higher risk of theft. Typically, they are items like jewellery, watches, artwork and cameras. You need to let your insurer know about each one, and you'll be able to specify items when comparing quotes for home insurance.

Read your insurance policy to see if it stipulates any additional security measures you should have because you own high value items. For example, you might need a burglar alarm or to keep certain items in a locked safe.

Is my home office equipment covered by contents 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. Find out more in our working from home guide.

What if I need to add new possessions to my policy?

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.

Are my garden and garage covered by contents insurance?

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.

Do I need proof of ownership for all my possessions?

You might do, especially for high-value items. Ideally you should keep the receipts for everything you have when you take out home contents insurance. If you don't have the receipt you can use bank or credit card statements, packaging and photographs as proof of purchase or a valuation certificate.

If you’ve been gifted an item, you can:

Ask the person who gave it you if they have a receipt
Find the original packaging, serial number or owner’s manual
Look back through your photos for any images showing you with the item
Get a valuation certificate

It’s a good idea to create a digital inventory and store serial numbers to speed up home insurance claims.

Will my insurance costs go up if I claim?

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.

If you’ve had a no claims discount for five years or more on your home insurance it’s also worth considering protecting your no claims discount.

Does content insurance insure against damp?

Most home insurance policies won't cover you for any damage caused by damp and condensation.

That’s because damp is usually a treatable, gradual problem that becomes worse over time so insurers see damp as a maintenance issue.

The main exception to this viewpoint is if water damage is caused by a burst pipe or extreme weather event that causes damage to your home.

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.

Can I get a no-claims discount on my quoted price?

Yes, to get a no claims discount (NCD) on a home insurance quote 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 and you can usually transfer your no claims streak when you switch home insurers.

Specifics can vary between insurers, but usually a no claims discount gets bigger each year for up to five years, after which the discount amount stays the same.

Discount amounts vary by insurer and your premium may still rise due to market factors.

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Contents insurance