Home insurance is divided into two different types of cover.
A buildings insurance policy can help cover the actual structure of your home and any permanent fixtures and fittings that you have.
A contents insurance policy can help cover the possessions you keep within your home. This can include all your personal items along with furnishings such as carpets, blinds and curtains.
Contents insurance could help protect you financially should any of your belongings be broken or stolen. Your policy could help pay for the repair of the damaged item or could help to fund a new replacement.
It’s easy to underestimate the collective value of all your possessions. Imagine all the items in each room of your house. If all these items were destroyed, by a house fire for example, would you be able to foot the bill to replace them out of your own pocket?
When you purchase any insurance, make sure you read the full policy wording carefully so you understand exactly what is covered and more importantly, what is not.
Be aware that certain items may require additional cover on top of the standard policy. For example, bikes, laptops and high-value items may need some extra insurance.
Also, any items that leave your house regularly, such as jewellery, may need some added cover for when they are taken outside of the house. You should be able to specify this on your contents insurance policy.
Typically, you’ll be able to add accidental damage cover to your contents insurance policy too. This could help insure an accidental mishap that causes damage to your possessions, including unexpected spills and breakages.