Home Insurance Comparison

Although it’s not a legal requirement, if you have a mortgage most lenders will stipulate that you get buildings insurance so you are covered in the event of theft, fire, flooding and more.

Even if you don’t have a mortgage, it’s still sensible to have a policy in place so that you don’t have to shoulder the costs of rebuilding, repairing and replacing parts yourself.

Contents insurance is optional but generally a good idea for homeowners too. 

If you rent your house, you probably only need contents insurance – it is up to your landlord to take out buildings insurance (and their own contents insurance too, if they have provided furnishings in the property).

Buildings insurance relates to the structure of the house and, in most cases, fitted items inside. It could, for example cover the cost of repairs to walls, floors and roofs, as well as windows, fitted kitchens and bathrooms.

You’ll need to read the terms and conditions of your policy carefully to see what is and isn’t covered, and in what instances your insurer will pay out. The common reasons are in the event of fires, storms or floods. 

Contents insurance, meanwhile, relates to items like furniture, clothes, electrical goods, gadgets and carpets. Basically, the personal belongings of people who live in the house. It could cover costs to replace these items if they are stolen or damaged at home, and may cover them if you take them out with you too, for example on holiday. As with buildings insurance, check carefully what’s covered and in what circumstances – in some cases you may have to pay extra for accidental loss or damage, for example.

You can take out separate buildings and contents insurance policy, or combined cover.

If insurers consider your home is more at risk of damage, for example by being in a known flood zone, having a history of subsidence or left unoccupied for long periods of time, you might have to take out a non-standard policy. 

This is an umbrella term for property that doesn’t quite fit the norms of standard home insurance, or where the person looking to take out the policy perhaps has past criminal convictions or bankruptcy. It is also known as specialist insurance.

Other reasons for non-standard cover could include a high-value property, a listed building or a non-standard construction (a thatched roof, for example).

Paying annually, in a single one-off payment, usually works out cheaper than in monthly instalments. That’s because interest is normally added to staggered payments, on top of the price of your premium. 

Many people nonetheless prefer the option to pay monthly. It means they don’t have to find the money for a large, one-off payment and can instead spread the cost. Typically, you’ll be asked to pay one or two months’ cover up front and the rest in instalments throughout the year. Your home insurance provider will run a credit check on you first before agreeing to the payment plan, and you may be charged a higher rate of interest if your score is low.

Excess is the fixed amount you pay out yourself when you make a claim on your policy. It can be voluntary or compulsory.

Compulsory excess is the figure applied by your insurer when you first take out your home insurance policy. It usually starts from £50.

Voluntary excess is an amount that you can decide on yourself. Often, you don’t have to pay any at all, but choosing to means your home insurance costs will generally be lower, as your insurers will know they won’t have to pay out as much in the event of a claim.

The two together are known as your total excess.

Rather than handing over the excess when you claim, your insurer will simply deduct it from your pay-out. If your claim is for £500, for example, and your compulsory excess is £100 and your voluntary excess is £50, you’ll receive £350 from your insurer. 

Different excesses may apply to different types of claim under the same policy.

Perhaps you haven’t provided enough details. For an online quote, you’ll need to give some basic personal information (including details of any claims you or anyone living with you have made on home insurance in the last five years).

The insurer will also want to know details about the property you’re looking to cover, including when it was built, its security features (types of locks etc), whether it has ever been flooded and what the walls and roof are made of.

For contents insurance, you’ll have to give details of the valuables and possessions you want to include on the policy, and the sum you want them to be insured for. 

In some cases an online quote won’t complete because the insurer has further questions, in which case you may need to speak to someone over the telephone.

It is likely that your roof has been classed as a ‘non-standard’ construction by insurers and, as such, some may choose not to cover this risk.

Generally, if more than 25-30% of your roof is flat (it has a slope of less than 10 degrees) this issue may arise. Flat roofs are considered higher risk for the following reasons:

–    They are more prone to leaks and damage than regular pitched roofs as snow and rain does not run off as easily and can instead pool on the surface. This can cause damp and compromise roof seams.

–    Fallen branches, leaves and other debris can build up on a flat roof. Over time, this extra weight can cause damage too.

–    The life span of some flat roofs is shorter than pitched roofs and they require regular maintenance to keep them in a sound condition.

–    Flat roofs are linked to an increased risk of burglaries, as intruders can climb on them to gain access to upstairs windows.

Accidental damage is unlikely to be automatically covered by standard buildings insurance so read the policy wording carefully. You can, however, buy it as an ‘add on’, both to your buildings insurance, contents insurance or both.

For buildings insurance, accidental damage cover is likely to protect you if you unintentionally damage the structure or fabric of your house. This could include a DIY accident such as drilling through a water pipe or a smashed window pane. Again, read the policy wording to see what’s covered and what isn’t.

Accidental damage cover with contents insurance, meanwhile, will help deal with the aftermath of many unintentional disasters affecting your possessions, including furniture, valuables and gadgets.

Note, however, that many policies do not cover accidental damage caused by pets, including scratching, chewing and stains. Nor does accidental damage cover general wear and tear, negligence, faulty workmanship or deliberate damage. Read the policy wording carefully.

Knowing exactly what type of door and window locks you have fitted in your home is vital – giving incorrect information could invalidate a future claim.

There are three main types of lock.

–    Five–lever mortice deadlocks are usually found in wooden doors – the lock is fitted inside a cavity in the door. Some conform to a safety standard known as BS3621, which you’ll see written on the lock itself.

–    Key-operated multi-point locks have a number of locking points, all of which lock simultaneously when you turn the key (eg at the top and bottom of the door, as well as the middle). You’ll usually find these on uPVC and composite doors rather than wooden ones. Another tell-tale sign you have one of these is if you have to lift the handle to lock the door.

–    Night latches or Yale locks will lock a door automatically when it closes. They are often used alongside mortice deadlocks. They can be opened from the inside by turning a latch, but only with a key from the outside.

The age of your property will have a bearing on your home insurance, with older houses often perceived as more of a risk. You can find out when yours was built by checking your ‘title register’ or ‘title deeds’. If you can’t find them in your possession, you can usually get a copy from HM Land Registry. 

Alternatively, look at the survey you had done when you bought the property or took out a mortgage. This should give details of when the house was built. For recent purchases, the Seller’s Property Information Form completed by the former owner should have an answer.

Failing that, your local authority might be able to help – they hold information such as when planning permission was granted for your home. Neighbours, especially if they have similar houses, are another potential source of insight.