Home Insurance: top 3 tips!

Home insurance is something which many people take for granted until something goes wrong. Follow these tips to make any such unfortunate events easier to cope with:

Be realistic – Consider your circumstances very carefully. What cover is most important to you? Have you any particular/expensive possessions which you may need to insure specifically in your home insurance contract?

Be realistic with your valuations - your insurance may be invalid if your contract is factually incorrect. Also, it is very important to keep up to date with your home insurance contract.

If you decide to make alterations to your house such as extensions, swimming pools etc you should inform your insurance companyto ensure that your home insurance takes account of the changes. In this case you may need to increase your premium.

Shop around – not just for price, but for conditions. Not all insurers offer the same cover as standard. Some insurers will allow you to change the conditions of your policy. For example, some insurers will allow you to reduce the ‘excess’ on your policy, which will reduce the premium, but means you have to pay a higher amount on any claim. Similarly some insurers may offer features such as flood protection as standard, while this may be extra with other insurers.

Check the small print – It may sound like very obvious advice, but it is amazing how many people are unaware of even the most basic features of their home insurance contract. What does the policy cover? Are there any exceptions? Remember, insurance companies are not charities, and they are entitled to refuse to pay, and are inclined to do so - if at all possible.