Contents Insurance
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Compare affordable quotes from up to 50 UK home insurers, including;
Why Compare Contents Insurance Quotes at SimplyQuote.co.uk
Managing home and property maintenance is stressful enough without having to worry about your personal belongings.
SimplyQuote understands how time-consuming and overwhelming comparing multiple insurance quotes can be. That’s why the 100% free, online comparison tool was designed to streamline the entire process.
Access a wide range of quotes from top-notch UK insurers in a matter of minutes. Finding cheaper deals could not be simpler!
What Do You Need To Get A Contents Insurance Quote?
Please provide the following information:
- Personal details – e.g. name, surname, occupation, contact info
- Property details – e.g. postcode, property size, number of occupants
- Home security details – e.g. locks, CCTV cameras, fitted burglar bars
- Content details – e.g. replacement value of all your possessions, any high-value items over £1,500
- Policy details – when you want the policy to kick in, if you require specialist insurance, extra cover you want to add (e.g. accidental damage cover, combined buildings insurance, gold cover)
- Insurance details – your claims history
To avoid confusion, contents insurance is also called:
- Personal belongings cover
- Personal possessions insurance
- Home contents insurance
- Household interior insurance
- Household contents insurance
What Do You Need Contents Insurance?
You don’t need contents insurance but it’s a pretty good investment to have.
Why? Because it pays out the cost of replacing personal belongings should they be damaged, broken or destroyed by an insured event, such as burglary, theft, or a natural disaster (e.g. flood or fire). This saves you from forking out the total replacement value yourself.
Whether you need sporting goods, jewellery or furnishings insured, you can’t go wrong with contents insurance!
Who needs contents insurance in the UK?
Anyone who wants to protect their personal belongings can benefit from contents cover in the UK, including:
- Homeowners – including those with holiday houses
- Tenants – including house in multiple occupation (HMO) renters
- Landlords
- Students
What Does Contents Insurance Cover?
Contents insurance covers a wide range of personal items, from jewellery and clothing to household appliances, stereos and furniture.
Let’s take a closer look at what is and isn’t covered:
What’s usually covered?
- Furniture – sofas, beds, wardrobes, lamps, tables and chairs
- Furnishings – carpets, rugs, curtains, artwork, ornaments
- Domestic appliances – blenders, kettles, cake mixers, microwaves, ovens and stoves
- Electronic items – TVs, laptops, desktop computers, gaming consoles, home entertainment equipment, home office equipment
- Personal goods – clothing, jewellery, watches, hearing aids, etc.
- Shed and outbuildings contents – lawnmowers, gardening tools, etc.
- Outdoor items – garden furniture, pool pumps and umbrellas
- Fridge and freezer contents
- Sports equipment and musical instruments
- Locks and keys
- Alternative accommodation
- Cash and credit
- Bicycles – you may need an additional bicycle cover policy
What isn’t covered?
- Items over the single-article limit*
- General wear and tear like worn rugs or old laptops
- The structure of the building – you’ll need buildings insurance to cover this
- Accidental damage – unless an optional add-on is taken out
- Intentional/deliberate damage
- Damaged goods while moving home
- Lost possessions
- Items you frequently take out of your home (e.g. mobile phones) – specified by the insurer
- Mechanical or electrical breakdowns affecting boilers and heating systems
- Negligence and theft occurring by unforced entry
- Shoddy DIY jobs or poor workmanship
- Pet/animal damage
*Single article limit is the maximum amount a single item is worth and what an insurer will pay to replace it. It’s usually set at £1,500 but varies between insurance providers.
What risks does contents insurance cover?
- Fires and explosions
- Flooding, burst pipes, ingress water
- Natural disasters – earthquakes, storms, lightning strikes
- Malicious damage – theft, burglary, vandalism
Are High-Value Items Covered By Contents Insurance?
High-value items such as jewellery and works of art can be specified items within your home insurance policy.
These possessions have a higher value compared to single-article items that are capped at around £1,500.
Here’s a quick guide for average insured amounts:
| Item | Average Insured Amount |
|---|---|
| Jewellery | £3,000 |
| Gold | £2,500 |
| Watches | £4,000 |
| Computer equipment | £1,700 |
| Electrical equipment | £1,500 |
| TVs | £1,700 |
| Artwork | £3,000 |
| Sports equipment | £2,200 |
| Musical instruments | £2,500 |
| Hearing aids | £3,000 |
How Does Contents Insurance Work In The UK?
Contents insurance covers the cost of replacing personal belongings in your home against damages and theft.
These insurance policies are calculated on how much contents cover you need, usually done in one of three ways:
- Bedroom rate – an average total value is based on the number of rooms in your house.
- Home sum insured – the property owner/renter calculates how much cover they need.
- Unlimited cover – all contents are covered without limit.
How do pay-outs work?
This depends on the type of policy you have:
- New for old cover – pays the current replacement value of the item/s.
- Indemnity cover – pays what the item/s is worth now, not the original price.
What Types Of Contents Insurance Are Available In The UK?
There are two main types of contents insurance available in the United Kingdom:
- New for old cover
- Indemnity cover
| Type of Cover | Description |
|---|---|
| New for Old Cover | – Items are replaced with brand-new equivalents. – Example: If you paid £300 three years ago for a smart TV and it was stolen, it will be replaced with a brand new model, even if the TV currently costs £450. |
| Indemnity Cover | – Items are replaced at their current or depreciated value. – Example: If your three-year-old TV was purchased for £300 and needs replacing, the insurer calculates the depreciation over the three-year timeframe and only pays out £110. |
What Optional Extras Are Available For Contents Insurance?
Here are a few optional extras you can add to your home contents insurance policy in the UK:
Accidental damage cover
Protects items from unfortunate mishaps like spilling red wine on the carpet or kids breaking a window while playing cricket outside.
Home emergency cover
Provides round-the-clock assistance for urgent repairs like boiler breakdowns, burst pipes or clogged drains.
Legal expenses cover
This covers the cost of litigation and legal fees should you need to defend yourself in court.
Liability insurance
Public liability goes hand-in-hand with legal expenses and protects you if a third-party claims for damages/injuries sustained on your premises.
Student contents insurance
Provide cover for adult children’s personal belongings while away at university, such as laptops, headphones, and furnishings.
Buildings insurance
Protects the physical structure and permanent fittings and fixtures of your property against an insured event. This is generally combined with household insurance as part of a complete home insurance policy.
Expert insight: Specialised landlord insurance is ideal for landlords renting out furnished residential or commercial properties.
How Much Does Contents Insurance Cost?
Basic contents insurance starts from around £62 per annum.
The final price is determined by several criteria.
What factors influence insurance prices?
- Where you live – high crime/flood-prone areas = higher premiums
- The total value of your personal belongings, including any high-risk items
- Property security
- Claims history
How much contents insurance do you need?
As a general rule of thumb:
- Make a list of all the items that need insuring, from beds and furnishings to home office equipment and appliances.
- Research the latest prices of these items and tally them up.
- This should give you an estimated total sum insured value and a better idea of how much contents insurance you need.
How Can You Get Cheaper Contents Insurance Rates?
Follow these 10 tips to save money on your contents cover premiums:
- Compare quotes from multiple insurance providers to find the best deal.
- Avoid auto-renewals as you may find cheaper deals elsewhere.
- Consider bundling contents and buildings insurance under one policy.
- Explore separate specified insurance policies for high-value items like jewellery cover.
- Pay annually as opposed to monthly.
- Get an accurate value of your personal belongings to avoid over-insuring.
- Opt for higher voluntary excess to save cash in the long run.
- Upgrade your home’s security to deter criminal activity.
- Build your no-claims discount (NCD) and keep claims to a minimum.
- Only choose the optional add-on/s you need to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Ready to compare home insurance quotes? Contact SimplyQuote today or use the online comparison tool to find cheaper deals.
How To Compare Contents Insurance Quotes With SimplyQuote
Compare insurance quotes with SimplyQuote in four easy steps.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Fill in the quick form. Provide details about yourself and the items you want to insure.
- Select policy add-ons that align with your budget for maximum protection.
- Effortlessly compare quotes with the online comparison tool.
- Save cash on your premiums.
SimplyQuote is the go-to price comparison company and has earned a stellar reputation across Great Britain. Chat with our friendly team today!
*51% of consumers could save £222.30 on their Home Building & Contents Insurance. The saving was calculated by comparing the cheapest price found with the average of the next fourteen cheapest prices quoted by insurance providers on Seopa Ltd’s insurance comparison website. This is based on representative cost savings from August 2024. The savings you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contents insurance is a type of home insurance that covers personal possessions inside your home if they are damaged, broken or destroyed by an insured event. It’s different to buildings insurance whereby only the property’s physical structure is covered.
Yes, content insurance is worth having because it prevents you from having to fork out your own money to replace damaged goods.
Generally, contents insurance covers bicycles on your property to a maximum limit of between £500 and £1,000. You might consider an extra [bicycle cover] policy to protect your bike/s when taken offsite.
Yes, garages are typically covered with contents insurance – if they’re attached to the main house, that is. If it’s a separate structure, it might be classed as an outbuilding and you’ll need to extend your cover or opt for a separate buildings insurance policy.