How do I claim on my home insurance policy?

Here are the steps to take when claiming on your home insurance : Call the police (if it's a theft or loss) Call your insurer (as soon as you can to avoid any administrative hold-ups) Send over any evidence requested (or at least be prepared to provide it) Get any repairs approved by your insurer (unless it is an emergency, such as a gas leak, electrical or any sewage hazard) We go into more detail on these steps, and give more info on when (and when not) to make a claim, and what you'll need when you call your provider, in our How to make a home insurance claim guide.

Can I change my home insurance excess?

Most policies already come with a varying 'compulsory excess' when buying a home insurance policy. It is also very common to have the option to select a 'voluntary excess' to get a discount on your premium, and would be in addition to the 'compulsory excess'. So yes, it is possible to change the excess on a home insurance policy, but only the 'voluntary excess' amount (up or down) and NOT the 'compulsory excess', and is usually made when you buy a policy or choose to renew. If you do choose to change the excess, do remember the amount you need to pay should you decide to make a claim on your home insurance will be the total combined amount when adding the relevant compulsory excess and voluntary excess (which applies to all claims).

Does my credit score affect my home insurance?

When you ask an insurer for a quote – whether directly or through a comparison site – you'll need to enter information such as your address, job, marital status and past claims history. The insurer then uses these details to determine the quote it'll give you – because all prices are dependent on an individual's personal circumstances. For example, a person living in a high-crime area who has claimed in the past will pay more for home insurance than someone in a low-risk area with no claims history. It then checks your credit file to make sure the information you've given is accurate, such as it is you, at that address, and you haven't been telling porkies. These are just 'routine checks' and need to be logged, and that is why they appear on your credit file. If you spot one, it should be called something like 'insurance quotation' or 'ID check' with the name of the insurer that did the search. But don't panic, this routine check is what's called a 'soft' search and leaves no permanent mark. This is different to the 'hard' searches used when applying for credit – such as a credit card, loan or mortgage – as the lender uses your credit file as part of its decision on whether or not it'll accept you. These are visible to other lenders and could affect you if you apply for credit in future. In short, all applications (this is when you buy and not when you get a quote) have a slight short-term negative impact on your ability to access credit, but it's only really a concern if you've a key credit application coming up, such as a mortgage. See our Credit scores guide for top tips to boost your creditworthiness. Read more on Will insurance quotes from a comparison site affect my credit score?

Are valuables only protected inside the home?

When getting a policy, the base level of cover automatically insures the items in your home , and can include valuables. Once you leave the home, it will then only be covered if you have specified the item or selected the 'unspecified personal possessions' extension (but can also be called 'All Risks' cover). Here is the caveat. Insurers place a single item limit for items in the home or taken out of the home (if you have the all risks add-on). As a rule, any single item to be insured worth more than £1,000 is likely to be deemed to pose a greater risk of being stolen (though some insurers have a higher £2,000 limit, so check). It typically applies to jewellery, designer watches and electronic goods such as high-end laptops, but can also include high-spec bikes. If you've an item you want protected that's worth more than the limit stipulated in your policy document, you'll have to call your insurer to list it individually on the policy – and the insurer will usually want proof of purchase and value if you have to make a claim. Do remember the value at which goods are deemed to be 'specified items' will vary between insurer, and does involve an additional cost if you need to specify any items, or push up the cost of the all risks add-on.

Can I get home insurance during building work?

Yes, it is possible but does depend on the type of building works being carried out. If it involves DIY work (such as minor or cosmetic work), insurers usually do not find this an issue as they do expect you to maintain the home in a good condition. Getting buildings cover does become an issue for major projects when changing the structure of the home, such as extensions, knocking walls down, loft conversions, and so on. To make sure you do not fall foul of the policy terms, here are some simple steps: Let your insurer know before any major building work starts. They should tell you if your policy includes renovation work (or if you can/need to get extra cover while the work is taking place). And if the plans change before or during the works, keep your insurer informed. For minor works, a quick phone call to your insurer would be useful for that peace of mind.

How do I estimate the rebuild cost of my home?

A common mistake is to cover the home's market value (the amount it might sell for), instead of the rebuild value – the cost of rebuilding the property if it was knocked down. To find a rebuild value, commissioning a survey is most reliable, but it's expensive unless you're getting one anyway (for example, if you're buying a new home). A quicker but less accurate option is the Association of British Insurers' calculator . For more information, see our Calculating rebuild costs guide.

Insurance
Home insurance

Home insurance

How to find the best home insurance deal for you

Want a cheap home insurance quote?

Our Beta home insurance tool is designed to take the hard work out of finding a cheap price - help us test it
Fill in one questionnaire and get our unique cost-cutting tips as you answer
You'll then get personalised ideas to cut your costs even further...

Use our Home Insurance Compare+ tool

What types of home insurance are there?

Our guides can help you cut costs:

Cheap home insurance for all our tips and tricks
Tenants' contents insurance if you're renting
Non-standard insurance if your home has unusual features
Best boiler cover to protect your heating system

Why has the price of home insurance gone up?

Home insurance costs are up nearly 30% in the last year, according to Consumer Intelligence, but recent stats are also showing that prices have dropped slightly in the last three months.

Though we've heard of renewal prices having more than doubled for some, with labour and material costs both having risen, making claim costs higher for some insurers, though other insurers may not have been affected as much.

So EVERYONE should compare home insurance costs to see whether they can save, lock in a decent price today, and forestall any further rises.

8 tips to reduce home insurance cost

Home insurance need-to-knows

NEVER auto-renew – check if you can get a cheaper policy elsewhere.
Use our current order of comparison sites to see if you can save.
Get quotes three weeks ahead – it's usually the cheapest time to buy.
Want to stay with your existing insurer? Haggling can save you £100s.
Always check the policy documents thoroughly before you apply.

Read our guide to
cheap home insurance

What type of home insurance do I need?

Everyone should consider contents cover, but buildings insurance is typically only for freehold homeowners (though do check your lease/contract). To work out what's covered by each, imagine turning your home upside down. If it falls, it's contents. If it stays, it's usually buildings.

Contents insurance: beware underinsuring. If you're thinking: "I'd never claim for everything", and only insure half your contents' worth, you may only get half the payout. Use a contents calculator.
Buildings insurance: beware overinsuring. What counts is how much it would cost to rebuild your home if it were knocked down or gutted by fire – usually less than its market value. Use a rebuild cost calculator.

Who is home insurance for?

Home insurance isn't a legal requirement, but it's really important to protect your home if something goes wrong. There are different polices depending on your situation:

Homeowners. You'll need buildings and content insurance. You can get it separately, but can be cheaper to get a combined buildings and contents policy.
Renters. Don't assume you're covered by your landlord. Compare contents insurance for tenants and renters.
Students. Check first if you're already covered by your parents' contents insurance.

Find out more about the types of home insurance

What is covered by home insurance?

Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home and permanent fixtures and fittings (this often extends to outbuildings on the property, though do check). Contents insurance covers everything inside it. The exact cover depends on the insurer and your policy, and there are optional extras, but here's what's generally covered.

What's usually covered:
Escape of water damage I Fire damage I Accidental damage I Subsidence I Criminal damage I Storm & flood damage.

What's not generally covered:
Pet damage I General wear and tear I Deliberate damage I Boiler cover I Damage to portable electronics away from home I Loss or damage to bikes.

Read more on what home insurance covers

Cheap contents insurance for renters

If you're a tenant, don't just think your landlord will have sorted it for you. Our guides can help you get the right policy for your needs...

Martin Lewis explains how to save on your home insurance

Martin Lewis: "NEVER auto-renew. Always check what's out there. Your insurer's not necessarily going to have the market's cheapest policy.

"When it comes to getting quotes, it's important to understand with insurance, just like with comedy... timing is everything. We found getting a home insurance quote around 21 days before your renewal date was cheapest on average. Though three to four weeks is fine and shouldn't make too much difference."

MoneySaving successes

Below we've featured some fantastic success from MSE users who've used these guides to save money on their home insurance. If you've found success using our tools or guides, let us know via email.

"My home insurance renewal was up 111%, from £353 to £745, even though there have been no claims for 5+ years. Taking your advice, I used a comparison site and got a like-for-like quote for £411. While still an increase, it's easier to stomach. Thanks."

Justin, Apr 2024

"My renewal had gone up over £250. I checked your site, though wasn't sure I'd get a better quote as our house flooded 3 years ago. Quote came back for £260 less than my renewal – less than I paid last year! Thanks Martin!"

Tim, Feb 2024

"I recently received my home contents and buildings insurance renewal, which had increased by £150 to £430. After about an hour of searching online via your website, I secured a much better deal for £210, saving me £230. Thank you."

Jan, May 2024

Home insurance FAQs

How do I claim on my home insurance policy?
Here are the steps to take when claiming on your home insurance:

Call the police (if it's a theft or loss)

Call your insurer (as soon as you can to avoid any administrative hold-ups)

Send over any evidence requested (or at least be prepared to provide it)

Get any repairs approved by your insurer (unless it is an emergency, such as a gas leak, electrical or any sewage hazard)

We go into more detail on these steps, and give more info on when (and when not) to make a claim, and what you'll need when you call your provider, in our How to make a home insurance claim guide.
Can I change my home insurance excess?

Most policies already come with a varying 'compulsory excess' when buying a home insurance policy. It is also very common to have the option to select a 'voluntary excess' to get a discount on your premium, and would be in addition to the 'compulsory excess'.

So yes, it is possible to change the excess on a home insurance policy, but only the 'voluntary excess' amount (up or down) and NOT the 'compulsory excess', and is usually made when you buy a policy or choose to renew.

If you do choose to change the excess, do remember the amount you need to pay should you decide to make a claim on your home insurance will be the total combined amount when adding the relevant compulsory excess and voluntary excess (which applies to all claims).
Does my credit score affect my home insurance?

When you ask an insurer for a quote – whether directly or through a comparison site – you'll need to enter information such as your address, job, marital status and past claims history.

The insurer then uses these details to determine the quote it'll give you – because all prices are dependent on an individual's personal circumstances. For example, a person living in a high-crime area who has claimed in the past will pay more for home insurance than someone in a low-risk area with no claims history.

It then checks your credit file to make sure the information you've given is accurate, such as it is you, at that address, and you haven't been telling porkies. These are just 'routine checks' and need to be logged, and that is why they appear on your credit file. If you spot one, it should be called something like 'insurance quotation' or 'ID check' with the name of the insurer that did the search.

But don't panic, this routine check is what's called a 'soft' search and leaves no permanent mark. This is different to the 'hard' searches used when applying for credit – such as a credit card, loan or mortgage – as the lender uses your credit file as part of its decision on whether or not it'll accept you. These are visible to other lenders and could affect you if you apply for credit in future.

In short, all applications (this is when you buy and not when you get a quote) have a slight short-term negative impact on your ability to access credit, but it's only really a concern if you've a key credit application coming up, such as a mortgage. See our Credit scores guide for top tips to boost your creditworthiness.

Read more on Will insurance quotes from a comparison site affect my credit score?
Are valuables only protected inside the home?

When getting a policy, the base level of cover automatically insures the items in your home, and can include valuables. Once you leave the home, it will then only be covered if you have specified the item or selected the 'unspecified personal possessions' extension (but can also be called 'All Risks' cover).

Here is the caveat. Insurers place a single item limit for items in the home or taken out of the home (if you have the all risks add-on). As a rule, any single item to be insured worth more than £1,000 is likely to be deemed to pose a greater risk of being stolen (though some insurers have a higher £2,000 limit, so check).

It typically applies to jewellery, designer watches and electronic goods such as high-end laptops, but can also include high-spec bikes. If you've an item you want protected that's worth more than the limit stipulated in your policy document, you'll have to call your insurer to list it individually on the policy – and the insurer will usually want proof of purchase and value if you have to make a claim.

Do remember the value at which goods are deemed to be 'specified items' will vary between insurer, and does involve an additional cost if you need to specify any items, or push up the cost of the all risks add-on.
Can I get home insurance during building work?
Yes, it is possible but does depend on the type of building works being carried out. If it involves DIY work (such as minor or cosmetic work), insurers usually do not find this an issue as they do expect you to maintain the home in a good condition.

Getting buildings cover does become an issue for major projects when changing the structure of the home, such as extensions, knocking walls down, loft conversions, and so on.

To make sure you do not fall foul of the policy terms, here are some simple steps:

Let your insurer know before any major building work starts. They should tell you if your policy includes renovation work (or if you can/need to get extra cover while the work is taking place).

And if the plans change before or during the works, keep your insurer informed.

For minor works, a quick phone call to your insurer would be useful for that peace of mind.
How do I estimate the rebuild cost of my home?

A common mistake is to cover the home's market value (the amount it might sell for), instead of the rebuild value – the cost of rebuilding the property if it was knocked down.

To find a rebuild value, commissioning a survey is most reliable, but it's expensive unless you're getting one anyway (for example, if you're buying a new home). A quicker but less accurate option is the Association of British Insurers' calculator.

For more information, see our Calculating rebuild costs guide.