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Need to know

• What are the different types of home insurance?

  Contents insurance
  Contents insurance covers everything inside your house, from your curtains to your clothes to your furniture. If you live in rented accommodation, you’ll want to cover everything that you would essentially take with you when you move out. More expensive items such as bikes and laptops might fall outside of standard cover and you will need to insure them separately. This is because insurance providers set limits on how much they will pay out should you make a claim for those items.

  Buildings insurance
  Buildings insurance will cover any damage to the structure of your home, including the roof, walls and floor. Buildings insurance also covers fitted kitchens, doors, windows and any built in cupboards and bathroom suites. Outbuildings like garages and garden sheds are included, but not all policies will cover things like fences, gates, driveways and swimming pools.

  Whether you only need one or both of these types of home insurance let Quidco Compare help you find the best home insurance policy.

• Is it a legal obligation to have home insurance?

  Neither buildings nor contents insurance cover is compulsory but for peace of mind it’s important to protect your home and belongings. Whether your pipes burst and flood your home, you’re burgled whilst you’re on holiday or there is a fire in your home, unfortunate events happen all the time, and you need think about how you would cover the costs of the damage should any of these occur. If you are buying a property, mortgage providers usually require you to take out buildings insurance.

• Does home insurance apply to me if I rent?

  If you’re renting then as the owner of the property your landlord is responsible for ensuring the property is covered by the correct home insurance. However you are responsible for the contents inside of the property such as your personal possessions. If you are renting a furnished or part-furnished apartment, your landlord will have contents insurance to cover those items.

• What does a Home Insurance Policy Cover?

  Policies can vary however most insurance policies should cover:

  • Fire, lightning, earthquake, explosion
  • Subsidence, landslip, or heave
  • Storms and floods
  • Malicious damage
  • Theft of property, or damage caused by attempted theft
  • Leaking water tanks and pipes
  • Oil leaks from heating systems
  • Falling trees or tree branches
  • Breakage of TV, radio, or satellite receivers
  • Impact from an aircraft, vehicle, or animal
  • Riot

  Most home insurance policies won’t cover general wear and tear, any costs related to home maintenance or any damage or breakdown that occurs as a result of poor workmanship.

• What additional cover is available?

  The main areas that insurers allow you to add as extra cover are accidental damage, home emergency and legal expenses. Accidental damage can cover for loss or damage that is accidental in nature such as dropping your laptop on the floor, or your phone down the toilet. Home emergencies will cover you for emergencies such as your boiler breaking down or blocked drains. And finally legal expenses refers to legal advice or expenses that relate to personal injury such as if someone has been injured on your property, property disputes may be an issue like noisy neighbours or any purchase or sale legal expenses for your property.

• How can I reduce my home insurance premiums?

  It can seem impossible to find cheap home insurance, but using a price comparison site to compare home insurance quotes online and following these few tips can help bring that cost down.

  Combine building and contents insurance – If you’re a homeowner it’s usually cheaper for you to combine your building and contents insurance, using just one provider. It’s still worth comparing all home insurance options to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

  Shop around – Use comparison sites to compare home insurance quotes. If you’re looking to renew your home insurance policy, it’s usually beneficial to switch provider. Renewing your home insurance policy with the same provider is unlikely to get you a cheaper deal. And if you’re in the process of buying a house, it can be tempting to go with the insurer that your mortgage provider advises, but you may be able to find a better deal elsewhere. It’s quick and simple to compare home insurance on Quidco Compare and it could be worth it!

  Only pay for what you need – You may be offered extras but consider whether you really need them. Cutting out cover that don’t really need can reduce the cost of your policy, so it’s important to weigh up everything that your policy will cover.

  Increase your voluntary excess – This is a very common way of reducing insurance premiums. Increasing the amount you are willing to pay in the event of a claim can in many cases reduce the cost of your premiums.

  Increase your security – Having a smoke alarm fitted that’s up to date, installing BSI locks and home security systems, window locks and security lights can all reduce the cost of your premiums, as you are essentially reducing the risk of making a claim on your policy.

  Pay your premium annually – Many insurance providers will charge up to 5% less if you pay your premium annually instead of monthly.

• When should I make a home insurance claim?

  You can make a claim at any time as long as the situation and item you want to claim for are covered in your policy. For smaller, less valuable items, you will want to weigh up the pros and cons before submitting a claim, as you will have to pay the excess stipulated under your premium. If the item is worth less than the excess, you may better off replacing it yourself.

Useful information

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When using the Quidco Compare service, you must take reasonable care to answer insurers questions fully and accurately and if you volunteer other information, you must take reasonable care to ensure that the information is not misleading. If any information that you have provided changes before you take out your insurance, during the life of the policy or at renewal you must inform the insurer or broker of the change. If you deliberately or carelessly misrepresent any information in relation to this insurance, then your policy may not pay all, or part, of a claim and could in certain circumstances be avoided altogether.