How do I make a home insurance claim?
Key takeaways
To make a home insurance claim, contact your insurer promptly and provide details of the incident along with any supporting evidence
Common reasons for home insurance claim failure include wear and tear, poor maintenance, and claims below the policy excess
Ensure you have the right amount of buildings and contents insurance and familiarise yourself with the claims procedure to avoid mistakes
How do I make a home insurance claim?
Making a home insurance claim is usually straightforward if you act quickly and provide the right information:
Make sure everyone is safe and take reasonable steps to prevent further damage if it's safe to do so
Gather evidence, including photos, videos, receipts and, if relevant, a police crime reference number
Contact your insurer as soon as possible and explain what happened. Many insurers let you claim online, through an app or over the phone
Complete your claim by providing any additional information your insurer asks for
Wait for your insurer to assess your claim. They may arrange an inspection or appoint a loss adjuster before deciding whether your claim is covered
Receive your settlement or repairs if your claim is approved, in line with the terms of your policy
When should I make a home insurance claim?
You should make a home insurance claim as soon as possible after the loss or damage occurs, once it is safe to do so, and within any time limits set out in your policy.
Recent MoneySuperMarket claims data shows the most common reasons for home insurance claims were:
Accidents (22.65%
^ of claims)Escape of water (29.47%
^ of claims)Theft (12.63%
^ of claims)Storm damage (13.25%
^ of claims)
How soon can I claim on my home insurance?
You can usually claim on your home insurance as soon as an insured event happens. Just contact your insurer, provide details of what’s happened, and follow their claims process.
It’s best to report a claim quickly (within 48 hours). Delays could make it harder to verify your claim or affect your payout.
What should I do before making a home insurance claim?
Before contacting your insurer, make sure everyone is safe and, if necessary, contact the emergency services. If it's safe to do so, take reasonable steps to prevent the damage from getting worse.
For example, you could turn off the water supply after a burst pipe, temporarily cover a damaged roof to stop rain getting in or board up a broken window following a break-in.
Before cleaning up, take photographs and videos of the damage and make a note of anything that's been affected. If you've had to pay for emergency repairs or replace essential items, keep all receipts, as your insurer may ask to see them.
If your home has been burgled or vandalised, report it to the police as soon as possible and ask for a crime reference number.
What evidence do I need for a home insurance claim?
Having the right evidence can help your insurer assess your claim more quickly. Depending on the type of claim, you may be asked to provide:
Photographs or videos of the damage
Receipts or proof of purchase for damaged belongings
Bank or credit card statements if you no longer have receipts
Serial numbers for electrical items
Repair estimates or invoices
A police crime reference number if you've experienced theft or vandalism
Details of anyone else involved, such as neighbours or third parties
Avoid throwing away damaged items until your insurer confirms they no longer need to inspect them.
How long does a home insurance claim take?
The time it takes to process a claim can vary widely, from a few days to several months, depending on the complexity of the situation.
Can I make emergency repairs before my claim is approved?
Yes. If emergency repairs are needed to make your home safe or prevent further damage, you shouldn't delay while waiting for your claim to be processed.
Examples include stopping a water leak, boarding up broken windows, securing doors after a break-in or temporarily covering a damaged roof.
Take photographs before repairs begin if it's safe to do so and keep all receipts and invoices.
Your insurer will usually expect you to take reasonable steps to reduce further damage, but avoid carrying out permanent repairs until they've confirmed it's OK, as they may need to inspect the damage first.
What happens after I submit my claim?
After you've reported your claim, your insurer will usually:
Confirm your claim has been received
Explain what information or evidence they need
Assess the damage
Arrange for a loss adjuster to visit if necessary
Decide whether your claim is covered under your policy
Arrange repairs, replacements or a settlement payment if your claim is approved
The exact process will vary depending on the type of claim and how complex it is, but responding quickly to requests for information can help avoid unnecessary delays.
How many home insurance claims are accepted?
According to The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), 73% of of home insurance claims were accepted between 2022-2024. There were more than 2.5 million home insurance claims which that paid out, with insurers handing over more than £9 billion for repairs and replacements.
However, there was significant differences in the acceptance rates of different insurers.
The claim reason also impacted the rejection rate. For example, under a third of home owners who claimed for storm damage received a payout.
Is it worth making a claim on home insurance?
Whether it's worth making a home insurance claim depends on the cost of the damage, your policy excess and whether making a claim could affect your future premiums.
For smaller repairs that cost less than or only slightly more than your excess, it may be more cost-effective to pay for the repairs yourself.
Will I have to pay an excess?
Most home insurance policies include a compulsory excess, and you may also have chosen a voluntary excess when you bought your policy.
This is the amount you'll usually pay towards a successful claim. For example, if repairs cost £2,000 and your excess is £250, your insurer would normally pay the remaining £1,750.
If the repair costs are only slightly higher than your excess, it may be worth considering whether making a claim is the right option.
What if I disagree with a claim rejection?
If you disagree with a claim rejection, you should first ask your insurer to explain their decision and review it carefully against your policy wording.
You can then submit additional evidence or information and request that the claim is reconsidered.
If you’re still unhappy, you can make a formal complaint through your insurer’s complaints process.
As a final step, you can escalate the issue to the Financial Ombudsman Service. But before you do this, you must have received either a ‘final response’ from your insurance company or waited eight weeks with no communication from them.
The FOS can independently review the case and decide whether the insurer has treated you fairly.
Why do home insurance claims fail?
The reasons behind the failure of home insurance claims are varied. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) identifies several common pitfalls, including:
Wear and tear or damage resulting from poor maintenance.
The damage cost is less than the policy excess, leaving the policyholder to foot the bill.
The incident not being covered by the scope of the policy.
How can I prevent a home insurance claim rejection?
To help prevent a claim rejection, make sure you understand your policy and only claim for events that are actually covered.
Always provide accurate information when taking out insurance and keep your details up to date.
If you need to claim, report it as soon as possible and provide clear supporting evidence such as photos, receipts or reference numbers.
It’s also important to follow any policy conditions, like using approved security measures or maintaining your property properly.
How can I find home insurance with a high claim acceptance rate?
There’s no official ‘best list’ of insurers by claim acceptance rate that you can easily filter by, so the most effective approach is to focus on insurers known for strong claims performance and compare them carefully.
When your annual renewal comes around, don't simply settle for the first quote from your current provider. It's always wise to shop around for a better value deal with a different insurer.
Using MoneySuperMarket to compare home insurance quotes is a quick and straightforward way to find affordable cover for your home and possessions.
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Sarah Tooze
Car & Van Insurance Expert
Sarah Tooze has been a motoring journalist for more than 15 years, specialising in company cars and vans, and has won a number of awards during her career, including the Newspress ‘Automotive...
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Collette Shackleton
Content Writer
Collette is an experienced Content Writer at MoneySuperMarket, helping people make sense of money and insurance topics without the jargon. She shares her experience as a first-time Mum and top...
