Home - Home Insurance - Useful Information - FAQs

Do I need home insurance?

Whilst home insurance is not compulsory, if you have a mortgage then your lender may insist on you securing buildings insurance cover as a condition of the loan. This is simply to ensure that if an event occurs that results in the home being destroyed or severely damaged the rebuilding costs will be met, thus safeguarding their investment.

The means to find the money to replace everything following a loss involving buildings or contents (or both) would be a huge worry if you did not have home insurance. Home insurance provides you with security and peace of mind.

What exactly needs to be covered in my home insurance cover?

In respect of buildings insurance cover you need to consider the home in its entirety. That is, the home itself, including permanent fixtures and fittings, any outbuildings, garages, drives, patios, paths, fences and gates. Home insurance cover should also extend to permanent swimming pools, tennis courts, and fixed fuel tanks, underground service pipes and cables for which you are legally responsible.

Consideration must also be given to the cost of removal of debris, and professional fees.

Contents comprise everything that you could take with you if you were to move home. Go through every room making an inventory of contents including items in cupboards and wardrobes. Note also items in the loft, the garage, the shed and the garden. Any satellite dishes or aerials are considered to be an extension of the television and are therefore covered under your contents policy.

How do I calculate how much insurance cover I need?

The market value of a home is dependent on many factors, including locality, local amenities, size of plot, etc, and therefore bears no relation to the actual rebuilding costs.

You may find your home's rebuilding costs in any valuation report or survey that was carried out when you took out your mortgage.

If you do not have a survey report, you may wish to instruct a surveyor to carry out a survey for you. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors will advise you of members in your area. The Association of British Insurers also offers useful advice and information on-line, together with a guide to calculate rebuilding costs.

For contents insurance cover you should calculate what it would cost to replace all your items at today's prices.

If you already have home insurance in place, please refer to your renewal documents or schedule of home insurance for your existing levels of cover.

Do I need to take into account inflation?

Although you must keep the sums insured at a level that represents their full value, we will increase them each month in line with the House Rebuilding Cost Index for buildings, and the General Index of Retail Prices for contents, or as instructed by your insurer. For your protection, should the index fall below zero, we will not reduce the sums insured. At renewal we will calculate the premium using the new sums insured.

What type of home insurance policies do you offer?

We offer comprehensive insurance cover for your buildings and/or contents and also for personal possessions taken away from the home. An accidental damage extension can be added to buildings and contents insurance sections.

We also offer two very valuable optional extras: Legal Protection and Home Emergency Service. See our home insurance optional extras page for further details.

Can I get instant home insurance?

Instant home insurance cover can start immediately, once payment is accepted and authorised.

Can I pay my home insurance by instalments on-line?

Yes, provided the proposer is aged 18 or over. We require a deposit to start your home insurance and then the balance can be paid by Direct Debit over the following 10 months. A credit charge is payable and this will be added to your total premium.

Are my personal items covered by my home insurance when I take them away from home?

Only if you take out personal possessions cover. This extension provides worldwide cover for all your personal possessions, cameras, mobile telephones, pedal cycles, money and credit cards (subject to limits - see home insurance policy documents ).

If I have worldwide insurance cover for my personal possessions, does this mean that I do not need Travel Insurance?

Although your baggage will be covered, travel insurance will cover you for additional events and occurrences such as: medical emergencies, travel delays or cancellations. We offer competitive travel insurance, contact us on 0800 093 9983.

Are my children's belongings covered by my home insurance whilst they are staying at university?

Your children's belongings are covered on the premises of a university, and within dwellings in which they are temporarily living, whilst attending a university - provided that the contents sum insured is adequate. See the 'contents temporarily removed' section in the home insurance policy documents for details.

What insurance cover is provided for my PC?

Full cover for your personal computer is provided under the contents insurance policy (including free accidental damage cover), as long as the computer is for personal use only.

To obtain cover for your portable computer - away from the home - you will need to take out personal possessions cover. Please see home insurance policy documents for details of limits.

Am I covered by my home insurance if I work from home?

Your contents insurance policy will usually provide cover for office equipment used for occasional clerical work only (where no clients visit the home). However, we do not provide cover for business use on-line. Please contact us on 0800 093 9983 if you require cover for business use.

Are the contents of my shed and/or garage covered by my home insurance?

Yes, but accidental damage cover is excluded on contents within outbuildings, and theft cover is subject to limits - see home insurance policy documents.

Is insurance cover provided for items in my garden?

Yes, cover is usually provided for contents in the open - see home insurance policy documents for limits.

Can I get home insurance for my house that I rent out to tenants?

We currently do not offer a quote on-line for let, sub-let or leased properties. Please call us on 0800 093 9983 for a quote.

If friends come to stay for the weekend, are their belongings covered by my home insurance?

No, you cannot insure any items that you do not own or have legal responsibility for. Their own home insurance should provide cover for their belongings.

My son's school has lent him a musical instrument, is this covered by my home insurance?

Only if you have signed an agreement accepting legal responsibility for it - otherwise the school has to insure it.

If you are to insure it and your son takes it out of the home you will need personal possessions cover.

Can I opt to pay a voluntary excess?

Yes, the premium is discounted for customers who opt to pay a voluntary excess in addition to the standard excess.

How do I know which door locks are fitted to my door?

Open the door and check the metal plate on the edge, it will usually be engraved with the name and type of lock, and if applicable, the British Standard kite mark.

Is it safe to input my credit card details on-line?

Yes, we use the latest in encryption technology through SSL which guarantees that any personal information or credit card details that you have input on our website is protected. On-line purchase could not be made safer.

If, however, you do not feel comfortable with entering your card details on-line, please call us on 0800 093 9983 and we will take these details over the telephone.

What if I don't see what I want?

If you don't see what you want on our website, please call us on 0800 093 9983 to discuss your individual requirements.

Is Payment Protection cover included?

This is not included automatically. Payment Protection cover is an optional extra from Equity Red Star at Lloyd's.

Payment Protection covers the monthly amount due under your home insurance policy (excluding any arrears), in the event of unemployment or disability (subject to terms and conditions - see home insurance policy documents).

Can I change my instalment repayment dates?

This is possible, but not currently available on-line. You would need to contact our Customer Services department on 0870 220 2753, who will advise which preferred dates are available.

Can I cancel my Direct Debit at anytime?

Yes, you can cancel your Direct Debit at anytime by advising your Bank or Building Society.

Please note that, by cancelling your Direct Debit, you are also cancelling the Credit Agreement. If you are cancelling your Direct Debit before the final payment has been made to us, the outstanding balance becomes payable immediately.

IMPORTANT: Cancelling your Direct Debit does not cancel your home insurance policy.