What’s Covered:
- Buildings Insurance: Covers the physical structure of your home—walls, roof, floors, and permanent fixtures. This includes damage from fire, storms, flooding, and vandalism. It also covers external structures such as garages and sheds.
- Contents Insurance: Protects personal belongings like furniture, electronics, clothes, and appliances from theft, fire, or damage. Some policies may also include garden contents or outbuildings like sheds.
Optional Add-Ons:
- Accidental Damage: Covers unexpected damage, like spilling wine on the carpet or breaking a window. While this coverage is optional, it’s helpful for clumsy mishaps.
- Personal Possessions: Covers valuables you take out of your home, like mobile phones, laptops, or jewelry, which could be lost or stolen when you’re outside.
- Alternative Accommodation: If your home becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event (e.g., fire or flood), some policies cover the cost of temporary accommodation.
What’s Not Covered:
- Wear and Tear: Standard policies don’t cover gradual damage from regular use or aging. This includes things like roof tiles deteriorating over time or plumbing issues due to aging pipes.
- Unoccupied Homes: If your home is left empty for a prolonged period (usually more than 30 days), many insurers won’t cover damages incurred during that time unless you have unoccupied home insurance.
- High-Value Items: Most policies have limits on individual item coverage. Expensive items like fine art, collectibles, or high-value jewelry may need to be listed separately, and you may need to increase your coverage limits to ensure they’re fully protected.
- Acts of War or Terrorism: Most home insurance policies will not cover damage resulting from war or terrorism unless specifically stated.
Common Exclusions:
- Pest Infestations: Damage caused by termites, rodents, or other pests is typically not covered.
- Flooding in High-Risk Areas: Homes in flood-prone areas may require additional coverage or flood-specific policies.
- Damage Caused by Negligence: If damage occurs due to negligence, like failing to maintain the property (e.g., a leaky roof that you didn’t fix), insurers may refuse the claim.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the scope of your home insurance is crucial. To ensure you’re fully protected, review your policy carefully and consider optional extras, like accidental damage or personal possessions cover. If your home contains high-value items or is located in a high-risk area, speak with your provider about enhancing your policy.
