Property Insurance
Does buildings insurance cover contents?
Ever thought about all the things insurance will cover you against? Here’s a list:
Fire, explosion, lightning, earthquake, storm, flood, subsidence, heave or landslip, theft or attempted theft, malicious damage, falling trees or branches, falling TV or satellite devices, riot and impact by aircraft, vehicle or animal.
Home insurance is often split between buildings and contents insurance. But just because you have one… doesn’t mean you automatically have the other. Let’s find out more.
Your buildings insurance
Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home, such as roofs, walls, wallpaper, fitted floors, ceilings and permanent fixtures and fittings like baths, toilets, and fitted kitchens.
Double check your policies
Policies may cover garages, greenhouses and garden sheds, although they can vary so always check that the policy you choose meets your needs.
Contents insurance
This covers your possessions – typically everything that you would take with you when you move. This will include furniture, electrical equipment, and your personal belongings.
Insurance top tips:
Valuable items
Most policies have a separate limit for how much individual items can be worth before you have to declare them individually. This is often around £1,500 and applies to valuables like jewellery. Make sure you tell your insurer about your most valuable possessions so they’re covered if you have to claim.
Contents or buildings?
Kitchen cupboards, that's an easy one... right?
Correct Answer!
A well fitted answer!
Wrong Answer!
It's not so easy
Fitted kitchen cabinets are built in to your home and so covered by buildings insurance. They’re not the sort of fitting you’re going to take with you when you move house…
Contents or buildings?
A free-standing bath...?
Correct Answer!
Take a nice warm bath!
Wrong Answer!
Take an ice-cold bath!
A bath is almost certainly going to be plumbed into your home, so your insurers would consider this as part of buildings cover.
Contents or buildings?
A stand alone fridge.
Correct Answer!
Nice one!
Wrong Answer!
A lukewarm response...
If your fridge isn’t fitted, it will fall under your contents policy. Nearly anything that you are likely to takeaway with you when you move home be fall under your contents policy.
0/0
Did you even study?
Back to the lab!
Almost Einstein!
Genius!
Combined insurance
It’s increasingly common to buy a combined policy, which provides cover for your buildings AND your contents. The right type of policy for you will depend on your own circumstances.
