Home Insurance
Buildings & Contents Home Insurance Quotes
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What Is Home Insurance?
Home insurance protects your property and belongings against damage, theft, and other unexpected events, with two main types of cover: buildings insurance for the structure and contents insurance for your personal possessions.
Home insurance is a policy that protects your property and belongings against damage, theft, and other unexpected events. It is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which means every provider on the UK market must meet strict consumer protection standards.
There are two main types of cover: buildings insurance (which protects the physical structure of your home) and contents insurance (which protects your personal belongings). Most homeowners buy a combined policy that covers both.
How To Compare Home Insurance Quotes At SimplyQuote.co.uk
You can compare quotes from over 40 FCA-authorised home insurers in minutes using the online comparison tool.
Enter your details
Fill in one form with your property type, number of bedrooms, year of build, construction type, estimated rebuild cost, and total contents value.
Compare quotes
The tool returns prices from multiple home insurers side by side. You can filter by cover level (contents only, buildings only, or combined) and sort by price.
Check policy details
Do not just pick the cheapest quote. Check the excess (both compulsory and voluntary), confirm single-item limits cover your valuables, and read what is excluded.
Buy online
Once you have chosen a policy, you can buy directly online. All quotes are provided through FCA-regulated providers.
Who Needs Home Insurance?
Anyone who owns or rents a property should consider home insurance, and mortgage lenders almost always require buildings insurance as a condition of the loan.
Home insurance is not a legal requirement in the UK. However, if you have a mortgage, your lender will almost always require you to hold buildings insurance as a condition of your loan.
Beyond mortgage requirements, home insurance is a sensible financial safety net for anyone who owns or rents a property.
Homeowners
If you own your home, you are responsible for both the structure and the contents inside it. A combined buildings and contents policy gives you the broadest protection and often works out cheaper than buying two separate policies.
Renters
Your landlord handles buildings insurance, but your personal belongings are your responsibility. Contents insurance for renters covers furniture, electronics, clothing, and valuables if they are damaged or stolen.
Landlords
As the property owner, you need buildings insurance at a minimum. If you let a furnished property, landlord insurance can also cover your contents, rental income protection, and liability claims from tenants.
If you have a buy-to-let property, check that your policy includes rental income protection in case your tenants stop paying or the property becomes uninhabitable.
Students
If you live in halls or shared accommodation, check whether your parents’ home insurance extends to cover your belongings away from home. If it does not, a standalone contents policy is usually inexpensive and covers laptops, phones, and other valuables.
Holiday homeowners
Holiday properties and short-term lets need specialist cover because they sit empty for extended periods. Standard policies often exclude properties left unoccupied for more than 30 to 60 days, so check the small print or consider a dedicated holiday home policy.
What Does Home Insurance Cover?
Most standard policies cover fire, flood, storm damage, theft, burst pipes, and subsidence, but they do not cover wear and tear, gradual damage, or poor maintenance.
What your policy covers depends on the provider and the level of cover you choose. However, most standard home insurance policies share common ground on what they do and do not protect.
What is usually covered?
- Fire, smoke, and explosion damage
- Storm and flood damage
- Burst pipes and escape of water
- Theft and attempted theft
- Vandalism and malicious damage
- Falling trees, branches, and aerials
- Subsidence, heave, and landslip
- Alternative accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable
What is usually not covered?
- General wear and tear
- Gradual damage (slow leaks, rising damp)
- Damage caused by poor maintenance or neglect
- Damage from pets or insects
- Storm damage to fences, gates, and hedges
- Boiler breakdown (unless home emergency cover is added)
- Properties left unoccupied beyond the policy limit
Always read your policy schedule and check cover limits, excesses, and exclusions before you buy.
Which Type Of Home Insurance Cover Do You Need?
Most homeowners need a combined buildings and contents policy, which protects both the physical structure and your belongings under a single plan.
Contents insurance
Contents insurance covers your personal belongings inside your home. This includes furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchenware, and valuables like jewellery. If your items are stolen or damaged by an insured event, your provider will cover the repair or replacement cost up to your policy limit.
Buildings insurance
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of your home: walls, roof, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and permanent fixtures like fitted kitchens and bathrooms. It also typically covers garages, outbuildings, and driveways. If you have a mortgage, your lender will usually require this cover.
Buildings & contents insurance
A combined policy bundles both types of cover into a single plan. This is usually cheaper than buying separate policies, gives you one renewal date to remember, and means dealing with a single provider if you need to make a claim.
Read our guide to find out if you should get combined buildings and contents insurance.
| Feature | Contents only | Buildings only | Combined |
| Your belongings | Yes | No | Yes |
| Property structure | No | Yes | Yes |
| Permanent fixtures | No | Yes | Yes |
| Outbuildings/garages | No | Ask | Ask |
| Single renewal date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Usually cheaper than two separate policies | N/A | N/A | Yes |
Do You Need Specialist Home Insurance?
You may need specialist cover if you own a listed building, leave your property unoccupied, live in a flood-risk area, have non-standard construction, or rent your home on platforms like Airbnb.
Standard policies work well for most homes, but some situations call for a more specific type of cover.
Listed building insurance
Listed buildings often require specialist materials and skilled tradespeople for repairs, which pushes costs up significantly. A standard policy may not cover these higher rebuild costs.
Grade I and Grade II* listed properties can cost two to three times more to repair than a standard home, partly because local planning authorities must approve the materials and methods used.
Unoccupied property insurance
If your home will sit empty for more than 30 to 60 days (for example, after inheriting a property, during extended travel, or while renovating), you will likely need unoccupied property insurance. Most standard policies reduce or void cover after the unoccupied period limit.
Non-standard construction insurance
Homes built with non-standard materials (timber frame, steel frame, thatched roofs, flat roofs, or prefabricated panels) can be harder to insure through mainstream providers.
Thatched roofs are a common example. Re-thatching a roof can cost upwards of £20,000, and the fire risk is higher than with conventional tiles, so specialist cover is often the only realistic option.
Flood-risk area insurance
If your home is in a flood-prone area, some insurers may charge higher premiums or exclude flood cover. The government-backed Flood Re scheme was set up so that homes in high-risk areas can still access affordable flood cover through participating insurers.
Short-term let and Airbnb insurance
If you rent out your home (or a room) through Airbnb or a similar platform, your standard home insurance probably will not cover you. Most policies exclude commercial letting activity.
Short-term let insurance covers liability for paying guests, accidental damage caused by visitors, and loss of rental income. If your property is used primarily for business, you may need commercial property insurance instead.
What Add-Ons Should You Consider?
The most valuable add-ons for most homeowners are accidental damage cover, home emergency cover, and personal possessions cover, which extends protection to items you carry outside the home.
Standard policies cover the big risks, but optional extras can fill gaps that matter to you. Here are the most common add-ons.
Home emergency cover
Covers call-out costs for urgent problems like a boiler breakdown, burst pipe, or electrical failure. Read our guide to home emergency cover for a full breakdown of what is included.
Accidental damage cover
Protects against everyday mishaps: spilling paint on the carpet, putting a foot through the ceiling during a loft conversion, or cracking a bathroom fitting. Without this add-on, accidental damage is not usually covered.
Personal possessions cover
Extends your contents cover to items you take outside the home, such as phones, laptops, watches, and cameras. Standard contents policies only cover belongings inside your property.
Legal expenses cover
Covers legal costs if you need to pursue or defend a civil claim. Common scenarios include boundary disputes with neighbours, disputes with tradespeople, personal injury claims, and employment disputes.
Alternative accommodation cover
Pays for temporary housing if your home becomes uninhabitable after a fire, flood, or major structural damage. Most policies include some level of this cover as standard, but check the limit is enough to cover your household.
Locks and keys cover
If your keys are lost or stolen, this add-on covers the cost of replacing locks on external doors and windows. Some policies also cover the cost of a locksmith call-out.
Bicycle cover
Your bike may be covered at home by contents insurance, but bicycle insurance covers it while you are out riding, plus theft from a locked shed or garage, and accessories.
How Much Does Home Insurance Cost?
The average UK homeowner pays around £163 per year for combined buildings and contents insurance, with contents-only cover averaging £67 and buildings-only averaging £158.
The price you pay depends on your property, your location, the level of cover you choose, and your claims history. Below are the current average annual premiums for UK home insurance.
| Cover type | Average annual cost |
| Contents insurance | £67 |
| Buildings insurance | £158 |
| Combined buildings and contents | £163 |
Source: National averages published by the ABI show similar figures across the market.
How much does home insurance cost by property type?
Your property type has a big impact on your premium. Older homes and non-standard builds cost more to repair, which pushes up the price of buildings cover.
| Property type | Typical annual premium |
| Mid-terrace house | £120 – £180 |
| Semi-detached house | £150 – £220 |
| Detached house | £200 – £350 |
| Purpose-built flat | £80 – £150 |
| Converted flat | £100 – £200 |
| Bungalow | £160 – £280 |
Figures are indicative ranges based on combined buildings and contents policies. Your actual premium will depend on location, rebuild cost, and claims history.
What Affects The Cost Of Home Insurance?
Your premium is determined by your property’s location, rebuild cost, contents value, construction type, security measures, claims history, and the voluntary excess you choose.
Your premium is based on how much risk the insurer is taking on. Here are the main factors.
Property location
Higher crime rates or flood risk in your postcode area tend to push premiums up. Properties in areas covered by the Flood Re scheme may still get competitive quotes.
Rebuild cost
The more it would cost to rebuild your home from scratch, the higher the buildings insurance premium. Use the BCIS rebuild cost calculator to get an accurate figure.
Contents value
Insuring more valuable belongings increases your contents premium. Make sure you include everything, as being underinsured can lead to reduced payouts.
Property type and age
Older homes or non-standard construction (timber frame, thatched roofs, flat roofs) can cost more to insure because repairs are more expensive.
Security measures
Approved locks, burglar alarms, and CCTV can lower your premium. Some insurers offer specific discounts for homes with monitored alarm systems.
Claims history
Previous claims may increase your premium. A clean claims record can reduce it, and some providers offer a no-claims discount of up to 30%.
Voluntary excess
Choosing a higher voluntary excess usually lowers your premium. Only set it at a level you could comfortably afford to pay out.
What Happens If You Are Underinsured?
If your sum insured is lower than the actual rebuild or replacement cost, your insurer can reduce your payout proportionally, leaving you to cover the shortfall yourself.
If your buildings sum insured is lower than the actual rebuild cost, your insurer may apply average. This means they reduce your payout in proportion to how underinsured you are.
If your rebuild cost is £300,000 but you are only insured for £200,000, your insurer could pay only two-thirds of any claim. A £30,000 repair bill would result in a payout of just £20,000.
The same principle applies to contents. Add up the replacement cost of everything you own.
You can estimate your home’s rebuild cost using the BCIS rebuild cost calculator rather than relying on the property’s market value.
How Do You Make A Home Insurance Claim?
Report the incident to the police if a crime is involved, contact your insurer’s claims line, document the damage with photographs, and wait for their assessment before starting permanent repairs.
The claims process varies between providers, but the broad steps are the same.
Report the incident
If a crime is involved, call the police and get a crime reference number. Note the date, time, and circumstances while they are fresh in your mind.
Contact your insurer
Phone your provider’s claims line as soon as possible. Most run 24/7.Have your policy number and incident details ready before you call.
Document the damage
Photograph everything before moving or disposing of damaged items. Keep receipts for any emergency spending, such as temporary repairs or alternative accommodation.
Wait for the assessment
Your insurer may send a loss adjuster to inspect the damage. Do not start permanent repairs until they give approval, or you risk having costs rejected.
Receive your payout
Once approved, you will receive payment minus your excess. Some providers pay the repair company directly rather than sending a cash settlement.
If your claim is rejected, ask your insurer for a written explanation. You can escalate disputes through the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use.
What Should You Check Before Buying Home Insurance?
Check that cover limits match your rebuild and contents values, review single item caps, compare excess levels, read the exclusions list, and look at the insurer’s claims handling reviews.
The cheapest quote is not always the best value. Before committing to a policy, check these five things.
Cover limits
Your buildings cover should match your home’s rebuild cost, not its market value. For contents, add up the replacement cost of everything you own, not what you originally paid.
Single item limits
Most contents policies cap the payout for any single item at around £1,000 to £2,000. If you own jewellery, art, or electronics worth more than this, list them separately or they may not be fully covered.
Excess levels
Check both the compulsory excess (set by the insurer) and the voluntary excess (set by you). A low premium with a £500 compulsory excess plus a £250 voluntary excess means you would pay £750 before the insurer covers anything.
Exclusions
Every policy has them. Common ones include wear and tear, gradual damage, unoccupied property periods, and damage from pets.
Find out more about what can invalidate your home insurance. Read the exclusions list before you buy, not after you need to claim.
Claims process and reviews
Check how the insurer handles claims. A provider with a fast, transparent claims process is worth more than one that saves you £10 on the premium but takes months to settle.
How To Save Money On Home Insurance?
The most effective way to save is to compare quotes at renewal rather than auto-renewing, pay annually to avoid interest charges, and increase your voluntary excess to a level you can afford.
Compare quotes at renewal
Loyalty rarely pays. Switching provider at renewal is the single most effective way to cut costs. The FCA’s pricing rules mean insurers cannot charge renewing customers more than new ones, but that does not mean your renewal quote is the cheapest available.
Pay annually instead of monthly
Monthly payments usually include interest charges, adding 10–15% to the total cost over a year. If you can afford to pay in one go, the saving is immediate.
Increase your voluntary excess
A higher voluntary excess lowers your premium. Only set it at a level you could comfortably afford if you needed to make a claim.
Improve your home security
Approved locks (meeting BS3621), burglar alarms, and smart doorbells can all reduce your risk profile. Some insurers offer specific discounts for homes with approved alarm systems.
Get your rebuild cost right
Insure for the rebuild cost, not the market value. The rebuild figure is usually lower. Your mortgage lender may have included the rebuild cost in your original survey. If not, use an online rebuild cost calculator to get an accurate estimate.
Remove unnecessary add-ons
Only pay for extras you actually need. Review your cover each year and strip out add-ons you no longer use.
Build a no-claims discount
Claim-free years can earn you a discount of up to 30% with some providers. If the cost of a repair is close to your excess, it may be worth paying it yourself to protect your discount.
Bundle buildings and contents together
A combined policy is usually cheaper than buying buildings and contents cover separately. It also simplifies things with one renewal date and one claims contact.
What Do You Need For A Home Insurance Quote?
You will need your property details (type, age, rebuild cost), contents value, security measures, and claims history from the last five years.
Having the right details to hand speeds up the process. Here is what most providers will ask for.
About your property
Your address, property type (detached, semi, flat, etc.), number of bedrooms, year of build, construction type, and roof material. If you know your rebuild cost, have that ready too.
About your contents
The total replacement value of your belongings, and whether you have any single items worth more than the standard limit (typically £1,000 to £2,000).
About your security
The type of locks on your doors and windows, whether you have a burglar alarm, and whether you have smoke detectors. Better security can lower your premium.
About your claims history
Details of any claims you have made in the last five years, including the type of claim and the amount paid out.
When Is The Best Time To Buy Home Insurance?
Start comparing quotes around three weeks before your renewal date, and if you are buying a new home, arrange buildings insurance from the day you exchange contracts.
Start comparing quotes around three weeks before your renewal date. Research from the ABI suggests that shopping ahead of renewal, rather than auto-renewing, can save you a meaningful amount each year.
If you are buying a new home, arrange buildings insurance from the day you exchange contracts, not completion day. You are legally responsible for the property from exchange, so any damage between exchange and completion falls on you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Home insurance is a policy that protects your property and belongings against damage, theft, and other unexpected events. Buildings insurance covers the structure, contents insurance covers your personal possessions, and a combined policy covers both.
No, home insurance is not legally required in the UK. However, if you have a mortgage, your lender will almost always require you to have buildings insurance as a condition of the loan.
Excess is the amount you pay towards any claim before your insurer covers the rest. There are two types: compulsory excess (set by your insurer) and voluntary excess (chosen by you, with a higher amount usually lowering your premium).
Your credit score should not directly affect your premium if you pay annually. However, if you choose to pay monthly by direct debit, this involves a credit agreement, and a lower score could affect the rate you are offered.
Contact your insurer as soon as possible after the incident. If a crime has been committed, report it to the police first and get a crime reference number. Take photos of any damage, keep damaged items for the assessor, and do not start repairs until your insurer gives the go-ahead.
Yes. Premiums may be higher, but the government-backed Flood Re scheme means homes in high-risk areas can still access affordable flood cover through participating insurers.
Subsidence (when the ground beneath your home sinks) is covered by most buildings insurance policies. However, if your property has a history of subsidence, you may face higher premiums and a higher compulsory excess.
Yes, but you must tell your insurer about the works. Your premium may increase during the renovation period, and your provider may apply additional restrictions or exclusions.
A standard policy should cover your belongings while you work from home, but items used for business purposes (like a dedicated work laptop) may not be covered. If clients visit your home or you store stock there, you may need separate business insurance.
Arrange buildings insurance from the day you exchange contracts, not completion day. You may be able to transfer your existing policy, but comparing new quotes is often cheaper.
In most cases, yes. A combined policy is usually cheaper than buying buildings and contents cover separately, and it is simpler to manage with one renewal date and one point of contact for claims.
Your rebuild cost is different from your property’s market value. You can estimate it using the BCIS rebuild cost calculator, or check your original property survey.
Yes. All UK insurance providers must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and you can verify any provider on the FCA Register.
Most policies cover permanent garden structures like sheds and fences under buildings insurance. Plants, trees, and shrubs are usually covered up to a modest limit, but storm damage to fences and gates is often excluded.
New-for-old replaces damaged items with brand-new equivalents regardless of age. Indemnity cover pays the current market value, which factors in depreciation. Most modern policies offer new-for-old as standard.
