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Matching people to insurance – with no upfront costs
Building and contents insurance policies vary, so tell us what matters to you and your lender so we can match you to the right policy from our home insurance specialist..
Policies may cover:
- Flood damage
- Frost damage
- Theft or attempted break-ins
- Vandalism
- Accidental breakage
- Fire damage
Knowing what matters
Each building and contents insurance policy can be tailored to meet your needs. Tell us what you think is important, and we’ll find something that works.
Your policy might include:
- A place to stay while your home’s fixed
- Fixing leaking pipes
- Subsidence or landslides
- Damage caused by falling trees
- Replacement and repair of windows through accident, theft, or vandalism
Do you need building and contents insurance?
Insurance is another monthly cost, but it's necessary. You’ll need building insurance before you complete your new place to keep your lender happy.
When it comes to contents insurance, it’s up to you. However, it’s a good idea to have it. Your building insurance is unlikely to cover things like flooring, carpets and curtains – even if fire or flood caused the damage.
What is Buildings and Contents Insurance?
Buildings and contents insurance are two key types of home insurance that protect different aspects of your property and belongings. Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home itself, including the walls, roof, floors, protecting against damage caused by events like fire, flooding, storms. Essentially, if there is any physical damage to the permanent parts of your property, buildings insurance can help cover the cost of repairs or even a complete rebuild if necessary.
Contents insurance, on the other hand, covers your personal possessions within the home. This includes furniture, electronics, clothing, jewellery, and other valuable items. Contents insurance protects against risks such as theft, fire, or accidental damage. Both types of insurance are important for homeowners, but they serve different purposes. Whilst buildings insurance safeguards the physical structure, contents insurance protects what you own inside the property.
What’s the Difference Between Buildings and Contents Insurance?
The key difference between buildings and contents insurance relates to what each policy covers. Buildings insurance is designed to protect the bricks and mortar of your home, including fixed structures such as walls, roofs, windows, fitted kitchens, and bathrooms, from damage that affects the integrity or safety of the property itself.
In contrast, contents insurance applies to your personal possessions - essentially, everything you would pack and take with you if you were to move. Whilst buildings insurance protects the structure of the home, contents insurance covers the belongings inside it against loss, damage, or theft.
Understanding the difference between these types of insurance is essential to ensure you have the right level of cover for both your property and possessions. In many cases, combining both policies provides comprehensive protection for your home and everything in it.
What Do I Need to Get a Home Insurance Quote?
When applying for a home insurance quote, there are several details you’ll need to provide to ensure you get an accurate offer that meets your needs. Normally, you’ll be asked for the following:
- The type of property you own
- The age and construction type of your home
- The value of your property for buildings insurance, often based on rebuild costs rather than market value
- The estimated value of your contents, which includes everything inside your home you want to protect
- Security measures in place, including type of locks
- Your claims history, if any, including previous claims for damage or theft
- Whether you have any history of subsidence or flood risk in your area
- Details of any valuable items that may require additional coverage
Providing accurate information not only helps insurers assess the risk and calculate a fair premium but it also helps prevent any issues with claims later on due to incorrect or incomplete information. We also advise having any relevant documentation or valuations to hand, especially if you’re insuring high-value items separately. Taking the time to prepare this information in advance can make the quote process quicker and ensure you’re fully covered from the start.
What Type of Insurance Do I Need?
The type of home insurance you need depends on your living situation and what you want to protect. If you own your home, you will likely require buildings insurance to cover the structure, alongside contents insurance to protect your belongings. Many homeowners choose to combine both in a single policy.
If you rent your property, your landlord will usually have buildings insurance in place, which means your focus will be on contents insurance to cover your personal possessions. This is especially important for renters, as their belongings are not protected by the landlord’s insurance.
If you’re a landlord yourself, you may need a specialised landlord insurance policy that includes buildings cover, loss of rent, and liability protection. For those who own leasehold properties, such as flats, buildings insurance might be arranged through the freeholder, in which case you’ll need to check what is already covered.
We recommend reviewing your insurance regularly and adjusting your cover levels as your needs change. Renovations, new purchases, or changes in your living arrangements can all affect the type and level of cover you require. Mortgage Matters can help you understand the best options based on your circumstances.
FAQs for Building & Contents Insurance
Valuing your home’s contents requires you to estimate the total worth of your possessions. Start by making an inventory of all your belongings room by room, noting down the type of items and their approximate value. For high-value items like electronics, jewellery, or artwork, keep receipts or valuations to prove their worth.
Home insurance costs vary widely depending on factors such as your property’s location, size, age, building materials, security features, and the level of cover you choose. Other factors include your claims history and whether you’ve had any recent changes in your circumstances. Combining policies can often reduce the overall cost, making it more affordable to protect both your home and belongings effectively.
Most home insurance companies don’t perform a credit check when you request a quote. This is because quotes are primarily based on the risk factors related to your property, such as its location, construction type, and the security measures in place. However, if you decide to pay for your insurance monthly rather than annually, some insurers may carry out a soft credit check to assess your ability to meet the payment plan. This won’t affect your credit score and isn’t visible to other lenders.
Obtaining home insurance when your property has a history of subsidence can be more challenging, but it’s not impossible. Some insurers specialise in offering cover to homes with subsidence, though premiums may be higher, and certain conditions or excesses could apply. Make sure to disclose any known subsidence issues upfront, as failure to do so could invalidate your policy. Working with brokers like Mortgage Matters can help you find insurers willing to cover subsidence risks.
Standard contents insurance generally covers valuables when they are inside your home. Some policies also provide limited cover for items temporarily taken outside, such as when travelling or wearing jewellery. However, cover outside the home usually has stricter limits and conditions. For high-value items frequently taken outside, like cameras or laptops, you may need additional or specialist insurance to ensure they are fully protected against loss, theft, or damage whilst away from home.
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