The Price Survey
The list on this web site represents the
results of a regular survey of home insurance quotes gathered from
UK insurers and intermediaries operating online. Some of the sites
are sponsored. All the sites are included on merit.
The results are ranked with the overall cheapest first. Remember
that you are unique! What is cheaper for someone else may not be
the cheapest for you.
Buying your UK home insurance on the internet.
Buying your home insurance on the internet is relatively new.
There are only a few providers out there who offer this facility.
We have reviewed home insurance providers and created this shortlist
which we feel provides you with the best insurers online.
The main reason we advocate buying your UK home insurance on the
internet is because, it is cheaper. The fact that admin charges
are lower to the insurance company is reflected in the price of
the policy. Secondly, it is quicker to get a handful of quotes so
that you can make an informed decision about who you would like
to insure your home. (Remember spending the entire afternoon on
the phone and only obtaining one quote?)
Many of the policies are direct with the insurance company, but
we have also included online brokers who will be able to quote from
a huge range of policies and often will come up with a very competitive
home insurance quote for you.
We advise you to shop around and take 3 or 4 quotes before you buy.
Online forms are a bit of a pain, especially the first one you fill
out, but dont worry, they just get easier and easier. We suggest
to add the homepage to your 'favorites'
in your browser, and return to it at your liesure before you make
your decision.
Non Standard Home Insurance
Online home insurance can really only quote you on a standard home.
If your home is what the industry call a non-standard house (thatched
roof, timber frame, very old, listed etc), then you may have
to phone for your quote instead. Both Quoteline
and Direct
Choice invite you to apply for a quote with them on your
non-standard home.
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Home Insurance Help
There are two basic types of home insurance that
it is advisable to take out to protect your property:
- Buildings
cover.
This protects the basic structure of your property. That
is the walls, windows, floors etc. Most policies will protect you against
fire, storm, flood and vandalism as standard, but dont forget to check!!!
- You can then add accidental damage to
your buildings policy which will protect you from accidents such as putting
your foot through the ceiling while in the loft). This may be included as
standard on some policies .
- Contents
cover.
Contents Insurance policies cover movable objects inside your
home or belongings and possessions that are not part of the fabric
of your home such as carpets, curtains, TV and computer. Some
also cover freezer contents (often as an extra option). The
premium you will pay for home buildings or contents insurance
can vary widely depending on how big your home is, what kind
of cover you want, the value of your possessions, and the location
of the home. Most will cover contents up to around £50k. That
sounds like a lot but if you add up the replacement cost of everything
in your home, it will add up! Remember not to undervalue your
contents. If your home burned down to the ground, you would regret
it!!
- Most contents policies cover as standard:
- Theft and Vandalism
- Fire, Smoke, Explosions
- Severe Weather - Storms, Lightening, Floods
- Subsidence
- Burst Pipes
- Civil Commotion
- Earthquakes
- Water or Oil Leakage
- Impact from Vehicles or Falling Trees
-
Up to a certain amount (usually £50,000), your policy will
cover your possessions, either stated by you, or categorised
by the insurance company. The insurance policy might ask you
to submit a contents list, with individual items over a certain
value specifically priced. This varies with different insurance
companies. There are two main types of cover:Old-for-New - Items are replaced at their current market value
and Indemnity Cover - The Insurance
company will take into account general depreciation. Old-for-New is the better option, so don't forget to check which
type of cover the Insurance company is offering.
- If the value of your contents exceeds £50,000 you may
have problems finding an insurer! We recommend you try Direct
Choice or Quoteline
- Again, you can add accidental damage
to your contents policy an example of which would be the dog knocking
the TV off the table. This may be included as standard on some
policies.
When the two are purchased together, you get one policy
called buildings and contents insurance (unsurprisingly). You
will often be given a discount if you take out both buildings and contents
insurance with the same insurer.
If you are studying away from home (e.g. at college/university),
sometimes your parents home insurance covers your possessions.
But you can also take out a student possessions policy with Endsleigh
Other options You may be able to choose:
Usually up to £300 or £500
Usually this means possessions outside the home, such as credit cards and
cash. This is nearly always an extra option
- legal cover. This generally will cover legal
disputes that relate to you personally, such as residence and
boundary disputes and personal injury (including medical negligence).
This is generally a cheap extra (around £12), a few insurers provide
it as standard.
Tips on choosing your home insurance
Read the terms and conditions carefully, make sure that you are happy with
the level of cover provided and make sure that you understand the
terms and conditions.
Choosing your home insurance is not a five minute job! Give yourself
time to make the right decision. Start about two weeks before your
current policy is due to expire and obtain a few quotes. Most of
the providers listed on this site give you an online, instant home
insurance quote, but some of them quote half an hour later by email
and some ask you to fill out the form, then phone them. (You then
quote the unique reference given to you on the website and they
have all of your info to hand - beats spelling out your sirname
all of the time!)
If you take two quotes and there is a huge difference in price, there is
usually a reason. The more expensive one may include cover for risks
that you do not wish to pay for and conversely, the cheaper quote
may not cover something that you feel is vital.
Be honest!!! Be truthful about your home, there is no point putting your
future insurance claim in jeopardy!!
If you are getting an Old-for-New policy, make sure that you value your
contents at their replacement value, and not at their actual
value.
Don't fall into the trap of getting home contents insurance from a mortgage
provider - you are more likely to get a better deal elsewhere.
If you are studying away from home (e.g. at college/university), sometimes
your parents home insurance covers your possessions.
Other tips:
- Examine any limitations and upper limit pay-outs before buying
the insurance policy.
- Check to see if special valuables need to be insured separately.
- Check to see if you are covered for accidental damage.
- Don't give any false information when applying for your insurance.
This will make your policy invalid if you make a claim.
- Don't underestimate the value of your possessions. Evaluate
their value before shopping around.
- Check your policy frequently and update it if necessary.
- Check your Excess limitation, especially for money, single
articles and valuables.
- Always read the small print and documentation. Otherwise you
are leaving yourself open to the insurer's opt-out clauses.
- If you are moving home, check with the insurer to see if
your contents are covered, and inform them of exactly when you
are moving.
Household Security tips:
- Security marking is a simple and inexpensive way of making
your possessions identifiable and will increase the chance of
them being returned if they are stolen. The recognised method
is by using your postcode, followed by your house number or
the first two letters of your house name.
- A house which looks occupied will be less likely to attract
burglars. Leaving lights switched on is one way to create the
impression that you're at home, but timing switches which turn
lights on and off automatically while you're out are even more
effective. Other household electrical appliances, such as radios,
hi-fi systems and televisions, can also be operated in the same
way.
- Don't leave valuable property in a shed which is either unlocked
or so old and run down as to be no obstacle to a thief.
- Gardening tools and furniture are very saleable items for
a burglar. What's more, tools stolen from your shed can be used
to burgle your home as well! Don't make it easy to steal them.
- Many insurance companies insist that the installation of alarms
is carried out by companies registered with the National Approval
Council for Security Systems. The Association of British Insurers
recommends fitting outside doors with deadlocks which conform
to BS3621.
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Flood advice
If your home is in an area which is prone to flooding or subsidence
it will probably effect the insurance costs. Unfortunately there
isn't a lot you can do about this, apart from moving home and taking
appropraite precautions once a flood warning has been issued. Information
on high risk areas is available at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
National Flood Warning Centre - 01276 454 725
Or check up on the area
www.homecheck.co.uk
If you receive prior warning of flooding you may be able
to take the following action to minimise damage to your home and
belongings, but only if it is safe to do so and you have enough
time!
- Protect external doors, with sandbags if you have them
- If possible, move furniture and electrical items upstairs
- If you are unable to leave your property, fill a vacuum flask
with a hot drink and take items such as a torch, warm clothing,
a battery operated radio (tuned to the local radio station for
updates) and a mobile telephone (if you have one) upstairs,
until the danger has passed, or help arrives
- If you have time, seal any delicate items in plastic bags
to protect them form water damage
- Ensure that your insurance documentation is at hand with helpline
numbers
- Pack a small selection of dry clothes and toiletry essentials,
importantly including any medicines and emergency phone numbers
If your home has been flooded, we advise that you take the following
action
- Turn off the electricity at the mains
- Lift any sodden carpets to allow the floor to dry. For an
inexpensive Cooling fan or ventilator fan try cooling-fan-electric-evaporative-portable-industrial.co.uk
- Use a low heat to gently dry things out - using a high heat
can cause further damage. Safety first - don't use electrical
sources of heat near flood water. For an inexpensive infrared
heater in the UK, try infrared-heater-radiant-electric-gas-kerosene.co.uk
- Once the flood water has gone, take professional advice before
you start redecorating. You may need to let brickwork dry out
for some months
- If you are drying out your building by the central heating
system alone, make sure the rooms are ventilated. For an inexpensive
dehumidifier, try dehumidifier-humidifier.com
- If you are using a dehumidifier, make sure doors and windows
are closed. For an inexpensive dehumidifier, try dehumidifier-humidifier.com
- Be patient-taking time to dry out your home properly now could
save a lot of time later on when it comes to redecorating
- If you property suffers severe flooding, you should not attempt
to get through flood water to leave - it will probably be safer
to move to an upper storey rather than risk wading through deep
flood water, where there is a danger you could be swept away
by the current.
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