Switching home insurance

Should I switch my home insurance provider?

It’s certainly worth comparing home insurance policies annually to see if you could get a better deal with another insurer. Sticking with the same provider year after year could mean you’re paying more than you need to.

Our latest statistics^[1] show that 73% of the Go.Compare home insurance customers who provided us with their renewal quote saved on their home insurance by switching. Investigating other providers could save you cash, and you may even find cover that’s better-suited to your needs.

How to switch your provider

It doesn't have to be a time-consuming chore. Here are our top tips to get you started:

1. Start looking early

You should be sent a renewal email or letter about a month before your current policy ends. It’ll let you know how much it will cost to renew for another year.

Now’s a good time to start your research into other providers. You can usually find the best prices a few weeks in advance of your renewal date.

2. Look over your current policy and think about any adjustments you need

Things might have changed since you took out your home insurance. Check your current level of cover and excess and consider if you need to adjust it.

For example, you may have bought or sold some valuable items over the past year. As a result, you may need a higher or lower level of contents cover.

If you’ve got a new bike, then adding bicycle cover to your policy could be useful.

And if your child’s about to leave home to study, you might want a policy that includes your child’s contents while they’re at university.

It’s also a good time to consider if you want to add, or take off, optional extras like accidental damage cover, home emergency cover and personal possessions cover.

Similarly, if you’ve had building and renovation work done, you may need a higher level of buildings cover than your current policy offers.

3. Compare policy quotes

You can compare home insurance quotes from multiple providers using Go.Compare. We work with more than 65 trusted UK home insurers, helping you find the right cover for your needs at a competitive price.

4. Check the insurer and policy

It might be tempting to switch to a company that’s offering the cheapest policy. But be sure to check that it includes everything you want and that the level of cover is right for your needs.

Once you’ve found a policy you think you’re happy with, do some research on the provider. Look for reviews and see how they score on things like customer service and reputation.

5. Buy your new cover

When you’re confident you’ve found the right policy and provider, then take out cover.

Make sure the new policy begins just as the old policy ends, so you’re never left without cover.

6. Cancel with your old insurer

Some policies auto-renew. That means, if you don’t give notice of cancellation, your insurer will sign you up for another year of home insurance as soon as your current policy ends. Be sure to get in touch to let them know that you don’t want to renew. You might want to ask for confirmation by email that they’ve received your instruction.

Will it cost me anything to switch?

As long as you’re switching on, or after, the date your old policy ends, then you won’t incur any fees.

However, if you choose to exit a home insurance policy mid-term to switch to another provider, you may be charged a cancellation fee.

Do I need to cancel home insurance before switching?

Be sure you have your new policy in place to come into effect as soon as your old policy term ends, so there’s no lapse in coverage.

It’s important to make sure that you have informed your current insurer that you don’t want to renew with them. Otherwise, you could find yourself paying for two home insurance policies.

Can I switch home insurance companies during a claim?

Yes, you can switch providers, even if you have an open claim. You’ll need to keep in touch with your old insurer to settle the claim with them. But you can take out a new policy which will cover any incident or damage that happens after the new policy start date.