What insurance do I need when moving home?
Key takeaways
Your contents insurance policy might protect your belongings while you move house if you have the right cover - if not you should be able to take it out as an extra
You won’t usually be covered for things like dents or scratches, or damage to important financial documents, or items valued over your single item limit
Once you’ve moved home, you can transfer your insurance policy over - but you might also want to insure your old home while it’s unoccupied
What insurance do I need when moving home?
Contents insurance
If you’re moving to a new home, you will want to make sure your belongings are covered should any of them be lost, stolen or damaged during the move.
Your current contents insurance may already protect you. Check if you have a policy that allows for your belongings to be ‘temporarily removed from the home'.
Removals insurance
If you’re using a removals company to help you move home, check if they provide insurance as standard or as a paid extra. If it’s not included then it’s worth looking around and comparing quotes.
Goods in transit insurance
Goods in transit insurance may be included as part of your home insurance, but if not you can add it as an extra.
It will insure your belongings while they’re being moved - but check your policy wording as some insurers will only provide cover if belongings are being moved by a professional company.
Storage insurance
You might need to keep your belongings in storage between moves, and it’s unlikely your standard contents insurance will cover this. Some policies may offer it as an extra, or you can also take out separate cover, or your storage company may offer their own insurance.
Can I transfer my home insurance policy to my new house?
Yes, you can transfer your home insurance policy to your new home. Inform your insurer before the move date (if renting) or exchange date (if buying) to ensure you’ll be covered in time.
Remember your premiums are likely to change based on the new property and its location. Any expensive purchases you make for your new home should also be reported as they could affect your contents cover.
When moving house, when should I cancel my old home insurance policy?
If you are a homeowner, you should cancel your old home insurance policy only once the sale completes.
Although most standard contracts require the buyer to take responsibility for insuring the property from exchange, you remain legally responsible for the building until completion. Keeping your policy active until then avoids gaps in cover if the transaction is delayed or something goes wrong.
If you are a renter, you can cancel your contents insurance once all your belongings have been removed from the property.
You do not need to cancel your old policy before taking out cover for your new home. If you’re moving over several days or waiting for a purchase to complete, it can be sensible to have two home insurance policies running at the same time so all your belongings are protected.
Do I need to insure my home while it’s unoccupied?
Standard home insurance policies won’t cover unoccupied homes for longer than 30 days. If you know either your new or old home will be empty for longer than this, you should take out separate unoccupied home insurance cover to protect against things like theft or burglary, or damage caused by things like burst pipes.
What other insurance do I need for my new home?
Life changes like moving home are a good time to review all your insurance needs and see if you're properly protected for your current stage of life.
For example, you may want to upgrade your home insurance policy to include optional extras for additional peace of mind, such as accidental damage cover, legal protection cover, and home emergency cover.
If you have purchased a new house, you might want to take out extra protection products to cover your new financial commitments. For example, income protection insurance can help cover mortgage repayments if you're unable to work due to injury or illness, while mortgage life insurance could give your family the financial means to stay in the home if you unexpectedly passed away or developed a critical illness.
What is the best value home insurance?
Finding affordable home insurance is easier when you compare quotes with MoneySuperMarket. Just tell us about yourself, your buildings, contents and valuables, and the type of cover you want to take out, and we’ll show you a list of deals from providers across the market.
You’ll be able to compare deals by the overall cost, the excess you’ll pay and the cover you’ll get, and once you’ve decided, just click through to finalise your purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for insuring the new property between exchange and completion?
The person who is responsible for insuring the property is usually outlined in your contract with the seller (or with the buyer, if you are the one selling the property).
Usually it's the buyer who is responsible for keeping the property insured after the exchange, even if you haven't moved in yet, but there are some exceptions to this. For example, the seller may have a separate contract or a leasehold agreement that requires insurance.
Can I get temporary home insurance while I move in?
For standard home insurance cover, the minimum length of a policy is 12 months. If you only want temporary home insurance, this is still a good length of time to keep you and your home protected while you move in and get settled.
However, if you're looking for a policy that has an even shorter term, the only available type of short-term policy is for unoccupied properties. Unoccupied home insurance will provide you with short-term buildings insurance while the property is empty, lasting a maximum of 60 days. This type of cover does not come with a standard home insurance policy, so you will need to purchase a separate policy for it. Some providers, however, may offer it as an add-on that can be added to your home insurance policy at a cost.
Can I transfer an existing home insurance policy to a new home?
Whether you can transfer your policy will depend on your provider. Some will allow you to transfer your policy to your new home but that doesn't mean that your insurance price will be the same. Your insurer will likely recalculate the cost of your insurance to factor in the value and risks of your new home.
So, before you commit to transferring your old policy, it may be worthwhile to check the market and see if you can get a better deal for a new home insurance policy elsewhere.
Can I keep insuring my old property if I'm renting it out?
If you are moving out of a property with the intention of renting it to someone else, you will need to take out a new insurance policy. Standard home insurance won't cover you in situations like this. Instead, what you will need is landlord insurance. Landlord insurance will still insure the building and contents that belong to you, but it can also cover lost rent, liability claims, and emergency call-outs.
Author
David McDermottroe
Head of Commercial
Reviewer
Beth Leslie
Senior Insurance Content Editor
Beth is an experienced writer and editor who specialises in financial and economic content. She is currently the Senior Insurance Content Editor for MoneySuperMarket. Beth is passionate about making...
