Royal Sun Alliance home insurance

Choosing the right home insurance policy is a case of balancing the cost with the right amount of coverage

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Why choose Royal Sun Alliance?

RSA (previously Royal & Sun Alliance) offers a range of insurance products for businesses as well as home insurance for individuals. RSA also underwrites a range of insurance policies for other insurers, such as More Than, John Lewis and M&S.

Its global presence shows that RSA has gone from strength to strength in its 300-year history.

Shop around to see whether RSA is the right fit for you, or whether another provider would better suit your needs.

Who is RSA?

RSA is a UK insurance provider that offers multiple insurance products to homeowners and business owners. It also underwrites a range of policies for other insurers, such as More Than, John Lewis, and M&S.

RSA operates worldwide, including in Europe, Canada and the Middle East. In 2021, it was acquired by Intact Financial Corporation which now acts as its parent company.

How to get in touch with RSA

You can call RSA’s automated 24/7 switchboard on +44 (0) 1403 232 323, which will direct you to the service you need.

Alternatively, you could contact them on social media, or send any post to:

RSA

22 Bishopsgate

London

EC2N 4BQ

What does buildings insurance cover?

Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home. If your roof, walls, windows, doors, or ceiling are damaged or destroyed, buildings insurance could pay for repairs to be made.

Most buildings insurance policies cover your home for fire, floods, and theft. Any outbuildings like sheds or garages are also usually covered, as well as any fencing and pipes.

When you buy a buildings insurance policy, you should make sure it covers the full cost of rebuilding your house, which will be different to how much it would cost to purchase it if put on the market.

You could be covered for things like:

  • Damage caused by storms, fire, and earthquakes
  • Subsidence and heave
  • Falling trees and lampposts
  • Theft and vandalism
  • Frozen pipes

What does contents insurance cover?

If you took your home and tipped it upside down, everything that falls out would be covered by your contents insurance. You can buy it with your buildings insurance, or as a standalone policy, and it typically covers you for damage, theft, fire, and flooding.

Your contents insurance might cover:

  • Damage to your furniture or kitchen appliances
  • Replacing your TV or laptop if they’re stolen or damaged from your house
  • Alternative accommodation if an insured event makes your home uninhabitable 
  • Cash kept in your home up to a specified limit

Optional extras for home insurance

There are a number of optional extras you can add on to your standard policy, for a fee. It may be worth paying more to get the cover you need.

Some add-ons you might want to consider include:

  1. Accidental damage cover

    Although your home insurance policy may pay out for damage to your belongings caused by fire or flooding, an accidental damage add-on can take it one step further and cover you for things like spilling a drink on your laptop, or a football breaking a window

  2. Home emergency cover

    A burst pipe or leaking washing machine will require a plumber to be called out, and you may even need to replace your floors. Home emergency cover would make sure you’re protected, provided your insurer has authorised the tradesperson to visit your home

  3. Personal belongings cover

    While contents insurance may cover your things while they’re in your home, personal belongings cover will insure them when you take them out and about too

  4. Boiler cover

    A broken-down boiler is no fun over winter, so this could help you get warm and snug again in no time. If you’ve already opted for home emergency cover, you may find your boiler is already protected

  5. Protected no-claims discount

    You won’t lose your no-claim bonus if you need to make a claim. You’ll only be able to claim one or two times each year with this type of add-on

Be sure to look at all the optional extras when you’re picking out a policy. There may be something that you could really benefit from, but only pay for those that are necessary.

What does it cost?

Premiums will differ depending on the location and value of your home, as well as the contents you’d like to cover.

In general, the average cost of combined buildings and contents insurance was £190 in 2022, while buildings insurance was £146, and contents insurance was £74.[1]

Frequently asked questions

  • Royal Insurance merged with Sun Alliance in 1996, forming Royal Sun Alliance, or RSA.

  • The Intact Financial Corporation and Tryg A/S own RSA.

    Tryg A/S owns RSA’s businesses in Sweden and Norway, while Intact Financial Corporation looks after the Canadian, UK, and international businesses.

  • No, but the two companies have worked together in the past to help people receive money for their motor insurance claims sooner and without unnecessary costs.

Related links

Home insurance guides

[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.