Building & Contents Insurance

Quality insurance is important for anyone with a home of their own, or who is currently in the process of buying one. You need to make sure that your building is protected from damage, and it is often worth protecting your belongings as well.

But how does buildings and contents insurance actually work? This page will explain everything.

What types of insurance are available?

You have three main options when it comes to buildings and contents insurance. Firstly, you have buildings insurance, which protects your property from damage. Secondly, you have contents insurance, which protects your belongings from damage and theft. Finally, you have combined buildings and contents insurance, which protects the property and your belongings. This combined package is easy to manage, and is often cheaper than getting buildings and contents insurance separately.

What does buildings insurance cover?

Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of your home, such as the walls, the roof, the doors and the windows. It also covers any permanent features inside your home, such as fitted kitchens and bathrooms, as well as outdoor buildings, like sheds and garages.

This insurance will pay for any repairs to your home if it’s damaged by certain events, including:

• Fire and smoke
• Explosions
• Leakage and flooding
• Subsidence (but only on certain policies)
• Thunderstorms and lightning
• Earthquakes
• Falling trees

Buildings insurance is often compulsory. Most mortgage providers require buildings insurance, or they will not be able to lend you money. Many mortgage providers will offer a suggested provider of buildings insurance, but this is usually just a company that they are partnered with. This may not be the best deal for you, and you should do some research into different options before deciding which provider to go with.

What does buildings and contents insurance cover?

Buildings and contents insurance is a combined policy that covers all of the above, from the physical structure of your house to the belongings that you keep inside.

Just like contents insurance, buildings and contents insurance is usually optional. However, combining your buildings and contents insurance could save you money, so it is definitely worth considering.

What does contents insurance cover?

Meanwhile, contents insurance covers the things inside your home, such as belongings and furniture. Basically, anything which is not part of the physical structure of the house. Examples include televisions, beds, sofas, computers and more.

This insurance will pay for any repairs or replacements if your belongings are lost or damaged by certain events, including:

• Fire and smoke
• Explosions
• Leakage and flooding
• Thunderstorms and lightning
• Vandalism
• Theft

Contents insurance is usually optional, and you need to decide for yourself whether you want the financial security of protecting your belongings. However, you should always remember that, without contents insurance, any damage or theft could be very expensive to resolve. Once again, there are many different providers of contents insurance, so make sure to do some research before deciding which package to go with.