COMPARE HOME INSURANCE QUOTES
Home insurance can't prevent damage. But it could help you relax, knowing that you’ll be covered should something happen. Like a fire, flood or theft.
We’ve got the options. You make the choice. Get peace of mind and cheaper cover today by comparing quotes with us.
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Tell us about you and your home
Like where you live, your property type, when it was built, and any previous flooding or subsidence.
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Choose the cover you need
Pick from buildings only, contents only or a combined policy. And select the amount of cover you’ll need for your building and/or contents.
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Get quotes and compare policies
Find the best policy for you based on price, policy cover, excess payable and Defaqto rating.
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Pick your policy and get free £250 excess cover^
We hope you never have to claim. But if you do, we’ll refund up to £250 of your excess.
Types of home insurance policy
There are three types of home insurance you can buy: buildings insurance, contents insurance or combined buildings and contents insurance.
The type you'll need will depend on your home, your tenancy status and your budget.
Buildings insurance
This covers the structure of the property and its permanent fixtures and fittings – things like your walls, roof and fitted kitchens.
Buildings insurance typically covers damage caused by fire, flooding, storms, theft, vandalism, subsidence, and falling trees.
It can also include cover for alternative accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable following an insured event.
Contents insurance
This type of policy covers your household items like furniture, electricals, clothing and jewellery.
Contents insurance typically covers damage or loss caused by fire, flooding and theft.
It might not cover accidental damage or items that you take outside the home, like laptops, mobile phones, and bikes.
Combined home insurance
A combined buildings and contents insurance policy covers the structure of your home and your belongings.
This can be more convenient and cost-effective than buying two separate policies.
Who needs home insurance?
Home insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s a good idea to have it. Think about whether you could afford to repair your home or replace your possessions if they were damaged, lost or stolen. Those who may want it include:
Homeowners
It's often a condition of your mortgage to have buildings insurance. Protection of your belongings is optional.
If you own your home outright, both buildings and contents insurance are optional.
Renters
If you’re renting a property, buildings insurance is the responsibility of the landlord.
Your landlord's insurance won’t cover your contents though. You’ll need your own renter's insurance policy for that.
Landlords
Landlords are required by law to have insurance that’ll look after the property and the occupiers.
Landlord insurance will cover your buildings, contents, accidental damage, landlord liability, and alternative accommodation.
Students
Students living away from home may want student contents insurance for any expensive kit they own.
Share houses are regularly targeted by thieves, and the right insurance could protect you against theft.
Before you buy, check whether your belongings are covered by your parents’ home insurance first.
Holiday homeowners
You can't cover a second home with standard home insurance.
Instead, you’ll need holiday home insurance to cover the risks associated with renting your second home out and leaving it empty for long periods of time.
Short-term letters
If you let a room, annex or your entire property on a short-term basis, you’ll need short-term let insurance.
It’ll cover any guest injury claims or damages caused by guests during their stay.
You’ll likely need standard home insurance too to cover your home for any non-guest related losses.
What does home insurance cover?
Your coverage will depend on your insurance policy. Each provider will list their own coverage and exclusions in the policy documents.
What’s usually covered?
- Fire damage - Covers damage caused by home fires, smoke or explosion.
- Theft - Covers the replacement of your possessions if lost during a burglary.
- Weather damage - Covers extreme-weather damage such as storms, flooding, hail, and lightning strikes.
- Escape of water - Cover water leaking from burst pipes or appliances.
- Malicious damage - Covers intentional damage to your home, like vandalism, as long as you or anyone staying with you didn’t cause it.
- Subsidence, heave or landslip - This covers damage to your home caused by subsidence, heave or landslip.
- Falling trees - Covers damage to your home by a tree falling, like crashing through your fence or damaging roof tiles.
What’s usually excluded?
- Wear and tear - Damage caused by the general passing of time e.g. worn carpets or loose roof tiles.
- Your excess - This is what you pay towards your claim. The amount can vary depending on the damage you’re claiming for.
- Mechanical breakdown - Appliances such as fridges or washing machines expiring due to age.
- Negligence – If not taking action to repair something leads to more damage. Like not fixing a cracked pipe or damp patch.
- Poor workmanship – Damage that’s caused due to a low standard of building work or DIY, for example sub-par wiring led to a fire.
- Items worth more than the policy limit – Check your policy limit to find out what it is. It’s usually around £1,000. So a high-spec computer or piece of art might not be covered unless you specify it on the policy.
- Empty properties – Unoccupied properties are at greater risk of damage as there’s no-one around to deter thieves and keep an eye on things.
Add-ons and additional cover
You can add upgrades to your policy if you think you'll need them. You’ll have to pay extra for them, so think about whether they’re worth the extra cost.
Accidental damage cover
This'll cover you for claims due to accidents in the home like a spilt glass of wine on a rug or a smashed window.
Accidental damage caused by children is usually included, but rarely pets and amateur DIY.
Away from home cover
Standard contents insurance will only cover your belongings while they’re in your house.
If you want cover when you're away from home, you’ll need personal possessions insurance.
Home emergency cover
Home emergency cover will protect you against things like boiler breakdowns, electrical failure and blocked drains.
It’ll cover the cost of calling out an approved tradesman to get your services up and running again, as well as any replacement parts needed.
Legal expenses cover
Help for the costs of legal proceedings that involve your home.
Personal injury claims and property disputes with neighbours are times you may need to use it.
Bicycle cover
Your bike will be covered for things like theft, personal accidents and malicious damage.
You can get bike cover as a home insurance add-on, but a separate policy will usually offer more cover.
No-claims protection
The longer you go without making a claim, the higher the discount you get on your home insurance.
No-claims protection means you’ll get to keep the same level of discount even if you do make a claim.
Join over 900,000 customers getting a home insurance quote with Go.Compare each year[8]
Compare quotes[8]Based on Go.Compare home insurance quotes made between 1 November 2021 and 31 October 2022. Excludes customers where no quote was returned and test quotes.
How much does home insurance cost?
The average price paid by GoCompare customers for a combined home insurance policy is £190 a year.[1]
Buildings-only or contents-only cover is cheaper than a combined policy, but you won't get the same level of cover.
Things like the location and size of your house can also impact the cost of your premium.
Here’s the average cost of home insurance by policy according to GoCompare data:
| Type of policy | Annual cost* |
|---|---|
| Buildings insurance | £146 |
| Contents insurance | £74 |
| Combined insurance | £190 |
What affects the cost of my home insurance?
The cost of your premium will depend on how likely the insurer thinks you are to make a claim and how much that claim could potentially cost them. Insurers use a whole host of factors to calculate your insurance including:
Rebuild cost of your home
Your home's rebuild cost is based on things like the size of the property, the materials it's made from and whether it's listed or not.
Value of your possessions
If you have lots of valuable contents to insure, this will cost you more.
Location
Your area's affluence, crime rate and the likelihood of flooding can all affect the cost of your cover.
Age
Homes that are older, such as listed buildings, are more likely to have unique features or building materials that are hard to replace. They may also have older electric and plumbing systems.
Security
Good home security can mean insurers view you as less of a risk, which may get you cheaper quotes. Consider protecting your home with secure door and window locks, burglar alarms and smoke detectors.
Building materials
If you have a non-standard home, it could cost more to rebuild. Even thatched or flat roofs can be considered more of a risk.
Add-ons
Extra cover like accidental damage and home emergency cover isn’t always included as standard, so adding this will up the price.
Claims history
If you’ve not claimed recently – or ever – you could be offered a no claims discount.
How can I get cheaper home insurance?
Here's eight tips that could help keep the cost of your premium down:
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Shop around for quotes
In the last year, 77% of people didn’t switch their home insurance to a new provider, potentially missing out on cheaper premiums.[4].
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Buy 27 days before your policy ends
Our research shows it’ll cost around 17% less than it would to buy it the day before your existing policy renews.[5]
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Improve your home security
Get insurer-approved locks for your home, as well as smoke and burglar alarm systems.
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Regularly maintain your home
Staying on top of things and getting repairs done early can save you money in the long run.
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Build your no-claim discount
For every year you don't make a claim, you'll likely reduce the cost of your premium.
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Don't over-insure
Overestimating the value of your contents and the rebuild cost of your home will increase your premium. But if you're in any doubt, it's better to overestimate than underestimate.
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Only pay for what you need
You'll be offered a variety of optional extras when you apply for home insurance. Remember the best home insurance policy for you is one that offers the cover you need at an affordable price.
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Pay upfront
With monthly payments, you'll have to pay interest and sometimes a finance arrangement fee, so it'll be more expensive.
Looking for something else?
If you need something more specific than standard buildings and contents insurance, there are many other options available:
Flood risk insurance
Flood risk insurance can be a valuable investment for those looking to protect their home and contents from damage by flooding.
Subsidence insurance
If your property has a history of subsidence, getting insurance may be tricky and you’ll probably need to go to a specialist provider.
Unoccupied property insurance
Cover for properties left unoccupied for more than 30 days can be costly and hard to find. Specialist unoccupied property insurance helps you find cover for properties left vacant for up to 12 months.
Listed building insurance
You’ll need to tell your insurer if your home is listed. You may find your choice of insurers more limited. Make sure you declare an accurate rebuild value.
Non-standard construction home insurance
If your home is made from non-standard materials, you may require specialist home insurance. Features such as thatched roofs or timber-frames are widely viewed as non-standard by insurers.
Flat roof home insurance
Flat roof homes can be more expensive to insure than standard homes. This is because insurers consider flat roof homes to be at higher risk of water ingress, weather damage and burglary.
Free £250 home excess cover, only with GoCompare^
If you need to claim on your home insurance - for example, if your building is damaged by subsidence or your possessions are stolen - your free home excess cover will refund up to £250 of your excess.
There’s no hidden charge. But you won't be covered for things like accidental loss or damage.
^UK residents and home insurance purchases only. Excess refunded after claim settled. Excludes accidental loss or damage claims made on your home insurance. Full T&Cs apply.
Frequently asked questions
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Home insurance covers loss and damage to your house and household contents.
For instance, if your home is damaged by an event like a fire, your home insurance may cover the cost of any repairs or replacements needed.
Home insurance comes in two parts: buildings insurance which covers the physical building and contents insurance which covers your belongings.
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If you need to make a claim on your policy, there are a few things you can do to support your claim. Here’s a rough idea of the process and what to do:
1. Prevent further damage
Take steps to prevent further damage from occurring like turning your water off at the mains, and taping up broken windows. Unless your home needs urgent repairs, you’ll need to wait for your insurer to approve the work before it starts.
2. Collect evidence
Take photos and videos as proof of damage. Your insurer may ask for them when you submit your claim. You’ll also want to keep things like police reports and receipts or estimates from contractors.
3. Contact your insurer
Notify your insurer as soon as possible with details of when the event occurred and what damage was caused. If a crime has been committed, call the police first to get a crime reference number.
4. Your insurer will review your claim
Your insurer will review your policy and the details you’ve provided. They may ask for more details or send a claims adjuster to assess the extent of the damage.
5. Your insurer will settle your claim
Once your claim has been processed, your insurer will provide you with a settlement offer if the claim is valid. You may also be required to pay an excess charge.
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Frozen and burst pipes are a major source of home insurance claims[6], but cover varies enormously from policy to policy.
If you're unsure whether you have it, look for cover for 'escape of water' in your policy documents.
Check for 'trace and access cover' too, as this can be invaluable if you need to locate the source of a leak.
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The insurance you need for a flat depends on whether you’re renting, a leaseholder, or own the freehold. The block needs to be covered by buildings insurance, but that’s the responsibility of the freeholder. If you’re renting or a leaseholder, it’s up to you if you have contents insurance or not.
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You can, but you’ll need to tell the insurer about any building work or home renovations that are underway or planned to take place during the policy period. Insurers need to know about:
- Structural alterations to the layout of the property, such as building an extension
- Major structural renovations like rewiring or re-plumbing the property
- Loft, cellar, basement or integrated garage conversions
If you don’t tell your insurer about structural building works, and something goes wrong, it’s very unlikely your insurer will help you with any of the costs, and your policy could be invalidated.
You don’t need to tell them about simpler refurbishment works, though. Things like redecorating or fitting a new bathroom or kitchen are fine to do without telling your insurer.
You can find more information with our guide to home renovations and insurance.
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Your excess is the amount you must pay towards any claim you make.
It’s made up of two parts: the compulsory excess and the voluntary excess. Your insurer sets the compulsory excess and you choose the voluntary excess.
Choosing a higher voluntary excess usually means cheaper premiums, but make sure it’s an amount you’re still comfortable paying if you do need to claim.
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While it’s possible your home insurance will provide some cover, it may not offer adequate cover for all your business equipment and stock.
Either way, you should inform your home insurer if you work from home. You won't necessarily have to take out additional cover, but not telling them could invalidate a future claim.
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Tenants' contents insurance could help protect your belongings while you’re renting – it's not compulsory though. You shouldn’t have to worry about buildings insurance as this is your landlord’s responsibility.
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You can, but it may be more difficult to find someone willing to insure you.
If your home is at high risk of flooding, the government's Flood Re scheme should be able to help you find affordable premiums.
Your home's likely to be eligible if:
- It was built before 2009
- It's in a council tax band
- It's used for residential purposes
- You or your family live in the home for some or all the time
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Insurers will check it, but they do what’s called a ‘soft search’, which won’t affect your credit score.
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Standard home insurance only covers your home if it’s unoccupied for 60 days or less, but you can get specialist unoccupied property insurance that’ll cover homes which are left empty for longer.
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Insurance for properties with subsidence history can be difficult to find, so you’ll likely need to go with a specialist provider. Most policies will cover loss and damage caused by subsidence, however, they might not cover the cost of preventing further subsidence from occurring.
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To work out your home's rebuild cost you can use the RICS rebuild calculator provided when you’re getting compare quotes with us.
Otherwise, you should be able to find the rebuild value of your home on a survey from a chartered surveyor or on the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) website
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To give you a general idea, the average value of household possessions on combined home insurance policies bought through us was £48,989.[7]
Most insurers will offer you around £40,000 cover for your contents, which for some is enough, but if you think you need more or less change it.
Take a walk around your house and look out for high-ticket items - fridges, TVs, even a wardrobe full of clothes. Your contents insurance is there to cover the cost if you had to buy those items again today.
It's important to itemise anything worth over £1,500. If you don't, your insurer won't pay more than £1,500 for it - this is known as the single item limit. Keep hold of receipts or valuation certificates for these items. Check cover limits for cash too - it's usually between £500 and £1,000 and you can't increase it.
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You need to tell your insurers that you’re moving house and see if they can “port” your cover over to your new address – you might be charged a little extra if your new home and location differ a lot from your previous address.
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As standard most insurers will only cover your belongings while they’re inside your home. But you can get personal possessions cover as a policy add-on to protect the items that you’ll be taking out and about.
Over 3000 home insurance customers rated us on average[2]
4.8 out of 5
on Trustpilot
Reviews from our customers
01/02/2023
Found a great deal for affordable home insurance.
Catherine
28/01/2023
Go compare halved the cost of my household insurance
Ulla Adilz
24/01/2023
Excellent prices and the free £250 excess is handy should I need to use it.
Mr Paul Morgan
23/01/2023
Managed to get home insurance for quite a bit cheaper then my renewal quote so happy
Jill Barker
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Page last reviewed: 15 March 2023
Page reviewed by Ceri McMillan
^UK residents and home insurance purchases only. Excess refunded after claim settled. Excludes accidental loss or damage claims made on your home insurance. Full T&Cs apply.
*[1]The average price paid annually for home insurance purchased in September 2022 by type of cover. For buildings and contents insurance, it was £190. For buildings insurance only, it was £146. For contents insurance only, it was £74.
[2]Based on Trustpilot: Our average rating of 4.8 out of 5 is from 3116 people who left a review for home insurance comparison only. Last checked 02 February 2023.
[3]As of January 2023, there are 68 active home insurers on the panel at GoCompare
[4]Figures based on a survey of 2091 randomly selected Great British adults was executed by Maru/Blue conducted between 16th-19th September 2022. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.1%. The results have been weighted by age, gender, region and social grade to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
[5]Average price paid annually for buildings and contents insurance returned from all customers quoting in September 2022 through GoCompare.
[6]According to data from GoCompare, 9060 customers stated previous claims for escape of water when they compared quotes between 1 August 2022 and 31st October 2022.
[7]The average value of household possessions on combined home insurance policies bought through GoCompare in September 2022
[8]Based on GoCompare home insurance quotes made between 1 November 2021 and 31 October 2022. Excludes customers where no quote was returned and test quotes.