Household Insurance

Buildings Insurance offers you protection against damage to the physical structure of your property, such as the walls, roof and windows. It also covers any permanent fixtures in the home which cannot realistically be removed and taken elsewhere, such as fitted kitchens and bathrooms. It is a mandatory condition of any mortgage agreement. 

Buildings Insurance is based on the estimated cost of rebuilding your home should it be destroyed. This should include everything from the cost of clearing the site and all legal or professional fees, to the purchase of materials to rebuild the property and any labour costs. It’s important to note that this is not the market value of a property, and could be higher or lower. This is because, the rebuild value accounts for the cost of the building itself, rather than the desirability of the land it’s built on or location.

We are not qualified to advise you on the rebuild costs of you property. However, if you want to work out what level of Buildings Insurance you need, you can use the Association of British Insurers’ (ABI) online calculator. If your home is made from non-standard materials, has special architectural features, or if you live in a listed building, contact a chartered surveyor for advice. To find a chartered surveyor, go to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors website. If you have recently bought your home the rebuild cost will be on your mortgage valuation or deeds.

If your boiler was damaged by an insured peril such as a fire or flood or stolen, your home insurance should provide cover. However, boiler breakdown cover is not generally offered with a standard Home Insurance package. You can protect yourself against issues with broken boilers, as well as other problems with your plumbing or electricity, by taking out an additional Home Emergency policy. We are happy to provide a quotation for home emergency cover.

The simple answer is "no". While Buildings Insurance is a condition of any mortgage agreement, there is no obligation to purchase your policy from the same provider.

Contents Insurance offers you protection against the loss or damage of the possessions in your home, including everything from jewellery and works of art, to computers, consoles and TVs.

This depends on the value of your possessions. It’s worth building an inventory of your contents from all rooms and recording their value and total. This should include items such as your furniture, carpets, curtains, TVs, as well as personal possessions such as jewellery, clothing, cameras and gadgets. It is important to not forget about any contents you may keep in your shed or garage.

It’s possible that your home insurance will protect you against damage to a mobile phone if it’s the result of a fire, flood, or water leak. However, accidental damage such as dropping the phone or losing it away from home, may not be covered and you may need to take out Accidental Damage and/or Personal Possessions cover. Some policies include this as standard and some offer it as an optional extra, but if you’re in doubt, get in touch. 

Most policies include an excess, which is the amount to be paid by the policyholder in the event of a claim. There's both a compulsory excess, imposed by the insurer, and a voluntary excess. The phrase 'total excess' combines these two factors and is the amount you pay in the event of a claim. Taking the risk of choosing a higher voluntary excess may help to reduce your premium. If you make a claim, the excess can be deducted from the total amount paid out, or you may be asked to pay it up front.