Home Insurance Quotes: Buildings vs Contents Cover

How Should You Compare Home Insurance Quotes?

Start by deciding whether you need buildings insurance, contents insurance or a combined policy. Then compare each quotation using the same property details, rebuild cost, contents value and cover options.

Buildings and contents policies protect different things. Having one type of cover does not automatically protect everything connected with your home.

Buildings Insurance vs Contents Insurance

A simple way to understand the difference is to ask whether an item forms part of the property or could normally be taken when moving.

What Does Each Type of Insurance Usually Cover?

Every policy is different. Check the insurer’s definitions rather than relying only on a general description of buildings or contents cover.

Who Normally Needs Which Cover?

When Should a Home Buyer Arrange Buildings Insurance?

For many purchases in England and Wales, the buyer is expected to arrange buildings insurance from exchange of contracts because the buyer may become responsible for the property’s risk at that stage.

Your mortgage lender may also require suitable buildings insurance as a condition of the mortgage.

Leasehold properties may already be covered under a block policy. The process in Scotland and Northern Ireland differs from conveyancing in England and Wales, so follow the instructions provided by your solicitor and lender.

Rebuild Cost Is Not the Purchase Price

Buildings insurance quotations may ask for the cost of rebuilding the home. This is not necessarily the property’s market value or the amount you are paying for it.

The rebuild figure may need to account for demolition, debris removal, materials, labour, professional fees and VAT.

Use a suitable rebuild-cost estimate and check any figure automatically inserted into an online quotation. Unusual, listed, extended or non-standard properties may require professional assessment.

How to Estimate Your Contents Value

Contents value means the cost of replacing all insured belongings, not only the most expensive items.

1. Check one room at a time – Include furniture, appliances, clothes, curtains, electronics and smaller household items.
2. Include garages and outbuildings – Tools, bicycles and garden equipment can add considerable value.
3. Identify valuable items – Jewellery, watches, artwork and computers may need to be declared individually.
4. Check the replacement basis – Confirm whether the policy provides new-for-old replacement or applies deductions.
5. Keep evidence – Photographs, receipts, valuations and serial numbers can help if a claim is made.

Key Home Insurance Exclusions and Restrictions

Home insurance is designed to cover specified risks. It is not a maintenance contract and does not pay for every type of damage.

• Wear and tear: Deterioration caused by age or ordinary use is commonly excluded.
• Gradual damage: Long-term damp, corrosion or leaks may not be treated as sudden insured events.
• Poor maintenance: A claim may be affected where reasonable maintenance was not completed.
• Accidental damage: May be optional rather than automatically included.
• Unoccupied homes: Theft, escape of water and other cover may be restricted after a stated unoccupied period.
• High-value items: Single-item and total valuables limits may apply.
• Items outside the home: Phones, laptops, jewellery and bicycles may require personal possessions cover.
• Home working: Business equipment, customers, employees or stock may require disclosure or separate cover.
• Renovation work: Major building work may need specialist renovation insurance.
• Pest damage: Damage caused by insects, birds or vermin is often restricted or excluded.
• Matching sets: A policy may replace only the damaged item rather than an entire matching suite.
• Mechanical breakdown: Failure caused by age or breakdown may not be covered unless another policy applies.

Excesses Can Change the Real Value of a Quote

An excess is the amount you contribute towards a claim. A quotation may include compulsory and voluntary excesses.

Choosing a higher voluntary excess can reduce the premium, but it also increases the amount you would need to pay when claiming.

This example is simplified. Actual claim payments depend on the policy, applicable excesses, limits and circumstances.

Optional Extras to Compare

Information That Can Affect a Home Insurance Quote

Insurance quotations depend on the information provided. Answer questions accurately and check pre-filled information before purchasing.

• Property address and postcode
• Property type, age and construction materials
• Roof type and percentage of flat roof
• Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Rebuild cost and contents replacement value
• Flooding, subsidence or previous structural movement
• Previous insurance claims
• Locks, alarms and other security features
• How the property will be occupied
• Periods when the home may be unoccupied
• Business use, lodgers or paying guests
• Renovation or building work
• Valuable possessions and bicycles

How to Compare Home Insurance Quotes Step by Step

1. Decide which cover you need – Buildings, contents or a combined policy.
2. Use consistent information – Enter the same rebuild cost, contents value and cover options for every quote.
3. Compare the total annual cost – Monthly payments may produce a different total from paying annually.
4. Check compulsory and voluntary excesses – Include special excesses for risks such as escape of water or subsidence.
5. Review valuable-item limits – Check individual item and total valuables limits.
6. Compare important features – Look at accidental damage, alternative accommodation, trace and access, and personal possessions.
7. Read the exclusions – Pay particular attention to unoccupancy, maintenance, business use and renovation.
8. Check the insurer or intermediary – Use the FCA Firm Checker before purchasing a regulated insurance product.
9. Save your answers and documents – Keep the quotation, policy schedule, wording and application information.

Properties That May Need Specialist Insurance

Some homes or ownership arrangements may not fit standard online quotation questions.

• Listed or historically significant buildings
• Thatched-roof properties
• Non-standard construction
• Homes with previous subsidence or underpinning
• Properties at significant flood risk
• Unoccupied or probate properties
• Homes undergoing major renovation
• Holiday homes and second homes
• Buy-to-let properties
• Mixed residential and commercial buildings
• Properties containing unusually valuable possessions

Flood Re works behind the scenes with participating insurers to support eligible UK homes at flood risk. Eligibility does not guarantee that an insurer will offer a policy, so buyers should still compare available cover.

Common Home Insurance Quote Mistakes

• Using the purchase price as the rebuild cost
• Underestimating the total value of household contents
• Choosing a high excess without checking affordability
• Assuming accidental damage is automatically included
• Failing to declare valuable individual items
• Ignoring unoccupied-property restrictions
• Not disclosing home working, lodgers or renovation
• Buying separate buildings cover for a flat already insured under a block policy
• Checking only the monthly premium
• Allowing a policy to renew without reviewing the cover

What If an Insurance Claim Is Rejected?

Ask the insurer to explain the decision and identify the policy term, exclusion or information on which it relied.

1. Read the decision carefully – Compare it with the policy schedule and full wording.
2. Collect evidence – Keep photographs, receipts, reports, quotations and correspondence.
3. Complain to the insurer – Follow its formal complaints procedure.
4. Request a final response – The response should explain the insurer’s position and complaint rights.
5. Consider the Financial Ombudsman Service – Eligible complaints may be referred after the insurer’s complaint process or applicable response period.

Final Home Insurance Quote Checklist

• The correct buildings, contents or combined cover was selected
• The policy start date matches the conveyancer’s and lender’s requirements
• The rebuild cost is not confused with market value
• The contents value reflects the full replacement cost
• High-value items and bicycles are properly declared
• Compulsory and voluntary excesses are affordable
• Accidental damage and personal possessions cover were checked
• Unoccupancy, renovation and business-use conditions were reviewed
• The annual total and monthly-payment total were compared
• The insurer or intermediary was checked through an official source
• The application answers and policy documents were saved