Home insurance

Yes. If you want to cover your belongings out and about, you'll need to consider adding personal possessions cover to your home insurance policy as an extra. This helps protect possessions while your away from home such as your:

• Mobile phone
• Bags
• Jewellery

Some insurers can include this cover as standard, but you can add it to your contents policy.

This usually covers items worth less than £1,000 each away from home. You can add cover for high value items worth more than £1,000 or laptops and bikes in your quote.

Yes. As mentioned, there are 2 kinds of excess - voluntary and compulsory.

As the name suggests, you can’t change your compulsory excess - that’s set in stone by your insurance company. But you do have some autonomy by increasing or decreasing your voluntary excess. Increasing your voluntary excess is one way you can lower your home insurance costs. But, in turn this does mean you have to pay more if you make a claim.

If you’re worried about how much excess to pay, it’s important to think about what works best with your circumstances. If you can afford to pay a higher excess in the event of a claim it could lower the cost of your insurance policy, saving you money.

Yes, flood insurance is usually covered in most home insurance policies - but it’s still worth checking the finer details with your provider.

The ABI (Association of British Insurers) launched the Flood Re. scheme in 2016, to help those living in flood risk areas find affordable home insurance. The scheme estimates that hundreds of thousands of UK homes could be harder to insure due to being at high risk from flooding. All home insurance providers in the UK pay into the scheme, with the money raised used to cover homes at risk of flooding.

Home insurance usually covers roof leaks if you have home emergency cover. Cover for roof damage can be included as standard with some insurers but always check your policy details to be sure.

If finding the source of a leak proves to be more difficult than first thought, trace and access cover could help. This means finding out where a potential leak is coming from. It’s included in most home insurance policies.

So, the amount of cover you need to be fully protected largely depends on two factors:

• The rebuild cost of your house
• The total value of your possessions

Your home’s rebuild cost is different to its current market value. A house that’s worth £200,000 might only cost £150,000 to rebuild, for example. Overestimating this amount could increase your home insurance costs, we'll estimate this cost for you when you get a quote with us. If you don't feel the rebuilt cost we estimate is accurate, you can change it before getting a quote.

When working out the value of your contents, think of everything you’d have to replace if the entire house was gone. This includes:

• All gadgets and electronics
• All clothes and jewellery
• All furniture
• All books, CDs, DVDs, games, toys and musical instruments
• The food in your cupboards, fridge and freezer

A contents home insurance policy is likely to cover your phone at home for loss or theft of your mobile phone in the home. An example of this is if it's stolen during a break-in.

You're covered at home for damage to your phone due to unforeseen circumstances such as a fire, flood, escape of water, for example. But accidental damage - anything from dropping it to putting it in the washing machine, is not covered by a standard home insurance policy.

Accidental damage might be included in your policy, but if it isn't, you could consider adding it to your policy as additional cover.

Your home insurance typically only covers loss, theft or damage at home. If you want cover for your phone while you're out and about, you could consider personal possessions insurance. You can add this feature to your home insurance policy if it isn't already included, but it's likely to come at an additional cost.

Yes, but transferring your existing home insurance to a new property is likely to change the cost of your policy. On top of that, you'll usually have to pay an admin fee.

The cost of a policy is based around a number factors including the age of the property, the local crime rate, flood risk and more. So transferring your policy is almost like getting an entirely new quote. For this reason it's probably worth shopping around first. If you find a policy you prefer over your existing cover, you can cancel - but in doing so you'll likely face a cancellation fee.

Yes, but you'll should declare this to insurers. You'll typically be asked whether you work from home when you're searching for quotes. Your home working situation could impact what you pay for a home insurance policy.

For example, if you simply complete tasks using a computer and answer calls - it's unlikely to have much bearing on your premiums. However, this is different to running a business from home, inviting visitors for work purposes, and keeping equipment in your house. In the second instance, your premiums can rise as a result and you may need to consider additional contents cover.

It's compulsory in Scotland for your home to have a smoke detector fitted - not having one can invalidate your home insurance policy. For the rest of the UK it isn't a legal requirement, but having a working smoke alarm can reduce what you pay.

Insurers do ask whether you have at least one detector installed, and whether they work. If you state you have a working smoke alarm installed, you must make sure it's functional. If it isn't, or the batteries had not been replaced prior to a fire occurring, you insurer may reject any claim you make.

You don't necessarily need to have a specific type of alarm system to protect your property. A good alarm system can protect your property and give you that extra peace of mind.

But having such a system certified, installed and maintained by a regulatory body such as NUD, NACOSS or SSAIB can reduce your home insurance premiums. When you get a home insurance quote with us, we'll ask you whether your alarm system is regulated by one of the aforementioned bodies.

You'll need to make sure your home security system is maintained and in good working order. If it isn't, and there's a break in, you may not be able to claim on your home insurance policy.

In some instances it might not be worth claiming as it's more than likely to increase your home insurance premiums. Can what you're claiming for be remedied by spending a reasonable amount of money? If so, it could work out in your favour by not claiming.

Ultimately, your no-claims discount could be affected when you make a claim and your home insurance excess is deducted from any pay out you get.

It all depends on what exactly you're claiming for. Something modest such as minor breakages could be worth paying for yourself.

You normally have to pay a home insurance excess when you make a claim. Small items are often below this limit and you won't be paid anything by the insurer. Larger claims, like water or storm damage could be more expensive if you want to fix it yourself. So you need to consider the implications of claiming and whether it's worth doing so.

If you need to claim on your home insurance policy - you should contact your insurer directly. However, if you've been burgled you should contact the police first.

Check your home insurance documents or the company’s website to find the claims phone number. You should make a list of what you feel are the most important facts.

Contact your insurer to tell them you want to make a home insurance claim. Remember to have documents and details at hand including your policy number, address, and full name. Give as much information as possible about what's happened.

It's worth take photos for evidence, and keep all receipts. Don't throw away damaged items - your home insurer may send a loss adjuster to asses the contents. And make sure you keep track of all communications between you and your insurer, the police or witnesses.

There are two types of excess generally mentioned when you buy a home insurance policy - compulsory and voluntary.

These are pre-agreed amounts you'll have to contribute in the event of a claim. Compulsory excess is a fixed amount your provider will state. But you can adjust you voluntary excess. If you can afford it, increasing your voluntary excess can reduce what you pay for house insurance.

Having approved secure and robust door locks can in some cases reduce your home insurance premiums. If you're thinking of replacing your locks, it's worth understanding the pros and cons of each type.

If you're not sure what type of door lock you have, we can help you find out with our guide on types of door locks.

This depends on a few different factors. Some contents insurance policies cover bicycles when they're stored at home, but not if they're kept outside in a shed, for example.

You must check your policy details as some insurers exclude cover for bikes of any description. Even if your bicycle is covered, it may only be up to the individual cover amount. So if your bicycle is worth £1,000's, you may want to consider a specialist policy.

Yes, but you need to check how long you're protected for. A standard home insurance policy typically doesn't cover properties if they're left unoccupied for more than 30 consecutive days, for some this is 60 days. This can differ between insurers, but you can find out by checking your policy details.

If you're planning an extended break, you should contact your insurer - you may be able to arrange further cover. If not, consider asking a friend or family member whether they can stay in your property while you're away.

It's also important you take time to ensure your property is protected before you leave. For example, if you leave windows unlocked and your home is burgled, some insurers may refuse to pay out on a claim.

If you anticipate missing a home insurance payment, it's imperative you contact your insurance provider. If you don't, and you simply miss payments, your policy may be cancelled by the insurer.

A missed payment could impact and lower your credit score, it's also likely your home insurance premiums will rise as a result.

You may be able to reach an agreement with your insurer to keep your policy and rearrange payments.

It's not the only factor that's taken into account, but your credit score can affect your home insurance premiums.

Insurers typically run soft credit searches when you obtain home insurance quotes. However, there are instances where a hard credit search is carried out when you buy a policy, especially when you opt for monthly instalments.

Having a poor credit score can lead to higher premiums, you may also be denied the opportunity to pay in monthly instalments. This is because you're seen as a risk to insurers, compared to someone with a good credit score. If you're having trouble finding a quote, you may need to contact a specialist provider.