contents insurance FAQS

Accidental damage to iPad and other electronic gadget screens is covered under the optional Full Contents Accidental Damage cover if the damage occurred inside the home and the gadget itself is worth less than £1,500. If the gadget is worth £1,500 or more, or the damage occurred away from the home then you need to specify each gadget on your policy. You will need to enter the make, model and cost to replace each gadget for new at today’s prices.

Contents insurance insures all the belongings in your home that are not attached to the property. Contents are the items that you would take with you when you move home. This includes:

Your furniture, rugs, computer, entertainment equipment, cds, dvds, videos, valuables, clothing, personal belongings – even the food in your freezer! You may be asked to specify certain items (such as bikes, electronic gadgets and high risk items) on the policy and you may be asked to make additional security provisions such as locks or a burglar alarm if you live in an area with a high theft rate. 

High risk items worth £1,500 or more individually or as part of a collection. Bikes and electronic gadgets (mobile phones, smart watches, laptops, tablets) worth £1500 or more each. To insure any of these items you must list them individually when you take out the policy. You just need to tell us the brand name, model name and cost to replace it new for each item.

Contents insurance does not cover fixtures ( items that are permanently attached to the interior or exterior of your home or outbuildings, such as kitchen or bathroom suites) but it does cover fittings (removable items that are attached to the interior or exterior of your home and outbuilding, such as carpets).

There may be a requirement on your policy stating you will need to prove ownership of your possessions in the event of a claim. You can find out if this is a requirement by looking in your policy schedule in the terms and conditions section. 

You may be covered under your contents insurance policy. Please check your policy schedule for details. 

Your contents insurance policy covers the cost of replacing or repairing contents owned by all members of your family who reside at the property. We treat long term foster children as members of your family.

We provide cover up to £6,000 per claim for a family member living at university or college provided the items were within occupied student accommodation at the time of the loss and so long as your son or daughter comes back to the insured property outside term time. Any laptops, tablets, smartphones, mobile phones or bikes will have to be specified on your policy to be covered for physical damage or theft.

Yes, we offer cover for general personal possessions anywhere in the world. This cover is for theft of and physical damage to items individually worth less than £1,500, that are likely to be worn, carried or used by you away from the home, such as bags, clothes and sports equipment. Electronic gadgets (e.g. Mobile phones, tablets, headphones, laptops), bikes, high risk items and items worth £1,500 or more will need to be specified on your policy. 

There is no maximum amount per valuable item that can be insured under your contents insurance policy. Please note that anything classed as a high risk item that is valued at £1,500 or more needs to be specified on your policy. As a high risk item to be covered under your policy. Electronic gadgets and bikes worth £1500 or more also need to be specified on your policy.

Yes. Your contents insurance policy covers the cost of replacing or repairing contents owned by all members of your family who reside at the property.

Does the policy cover my contents whilst i’m moving home? Yes, the homeprotect policy will cover your belongings whilst moving home for insured losses such as theft and malicious damage.

Visit every room in your home (including the attic, shed and cupboards under the stairs!) And list all your belongings including curtains, kitchen equipment, luggage etc. Research how much it would cost to replace each item as new and then add up the full amount you’d need to replace everything. 

We normally cover the amount you specify, however if you enter a very low amount your policy may include more than this, if this is the case you will be made aware of this before purchasing.

We need to know where your belongings are kept in order to provide the right amount of cover for you. For example, if the property that you live in has a history of flooding, or it is a listed building and therefore has no window locks, then the risk of your belongings being damaged or stolen is higher; therefore we need to know all about the building to properly cover your belongings. Having an accurate level of cover means that, if the worst happens, your claim is more likely to be paid out in full.

Yes, we can insure the contents which you own or are legally responsible for. Find out more about our cover for contents when you’re a tenant.

Your mobility scooter is automatically covered by your contents insurance within the your property if it is worth less than £1,500. Please make sure that you have included its replacement value in the total value of contents to be insured. However if you would like it covered away from the property as well, or if it is valued at £1,500 or more, then make sure you specify it on your policy and choose ‘cover away from the home’ when you purchase the policy if you need that. Find out more about our mobility scooter insurance.

In most cases, they are covered up to a certain maximum per claim if you make sure the value of these items are included in the value of contents to be insured. You can find out more about our garage insurance here, and our shed insurance. Please note that there are some items that we can’t insure such as boats and water skis, please refer to the policy booklets for full details.

Yes, dishwashers are covered against a full range of risks on Homeprotect contents insurance policies. Note that home insurance does not cover breakdown of domestic appliances.

Yes. Loss or damage to plants, bushes and trees in the garden are covered under the contents insurance policy, unless the damage was caused by disease. However, loss or damage to domestic fixed fuel-oil tanks, swimming pools, tennis courts, drives, footpaths, patios and terraces, walls, gates and fences are not covered, unless the building is also affected at the same time by the same event.

Yes, although you must specify any mobile phones, smartphones, tablets and pedal cycles which are worth £1500 or more on your policy for them to be covered. 

Yes, your desktop computer is covered by your contents insurance. Make sure you’ve included the value of your desktop computer in the total value of contents to be insured. Find out more about what our contents insurance covers.

Laptops worth less than £1,500 are automatically covered as standard inside the home. Laptops worth £1,500 or more need to be specified on your policy to be covered for physical damage and theft.

Not unless you have taken out our personal possessions cover. This cover is an optional extra that you can purchase with your policy. Under our Homeprotect policy, the personal possessions option covers your personal belongings against theft or physical damage anywhere in the world.

If you are taking these possessions overseas, cover is included for up to 90 days each year. Any individual items worth £1,500 or more and any bike, electronic gadget or high risk item will need to be specified on the policy.

Where damage occurs to items forming part of a pair, set or suite (e.g. A living-room suite), if the loss or damage occurs to a single item or easily definable area, only the damaged item or area will be repaired or replaced.

We are currently unable to offer personal possessions cover as a standalone product – this can only be purchased as an additional extra option with contents insurance.

We exclude cover from unoccupied vehicles.

Carpet moths are a form of infestation so damage caused by them is not covered.

We consider jewellery to be a high risk item. As standard we have a limit of £5,000 (or 20% of your contents sum insured, whichever is lower) for high risk items which are individually worth less than £1,500. If you have lots of jewellery (or other types of high risk item) which are individually worth less than £1,500 then you can contact us and we can request an increase in cover from our underwriters. Alternatively you can choose to specify items on your policy which means they are covered independent of the high risk item limit.

If an item of jewellery is worth more than £1,500 it will need to be specified on your policy.

Yes. We will cover your contents when they are temporarily stored in a professional storage facility.

We also provide cover whilst the contents are being moved to or from the storage facility.

No, the only items you need to specify on your policy for cover within your home are items worth £1,500 or more each, if they are classed as “high risk” which are:

• Clocks
• Coin collections
• Furs
• Gold, silver and other precious metals (including plated items)
• Guns
• Jewellery and watches
• Medals
• Medical equipment (including hearing aids)
• Ride on or robotic lawnmowers
• Stamp collections
• Wheelchairs or mobility scooters
• Works of art

Please also specify any mobile phones, smart phones, laptops, tablets and pedal cycles worth £1,500 or more.

No, the contents insurance policy does not provide cover for wear and tear.

Yes, musical instrument are protected by our contents insurance cover.

You can insure bicycles as part of your home contents insurance policy. However, you need to tell us about each bicycle to be insured. We need to know the brand name, the model and the cost to purchase that model or equivalent as new. Find out more about the cover options we offer for bicycle insurance.

You may be covered under your contents insurance policy. Please check your policy schedule for details.