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Do I need home insurance?
Home insurance is not a legal requirement but it's definitely worth considering. In some cases you are required to buy a policy as a condition of your mortgage when buying a property.
A buildings insurance policy is designed to help with the cost of rebuilding your home if it is damaged by fire or flooding. Or it can help to pay for the cost of a damaged roof, for example. It varies by policy but buildings insurance also covers general repairs such as roof repair, or any damage to internal pipe.
Contents insurance is designed to provide cover to help you protect your belongings if they are stolen or damaged.
Shopping around for the best house insurance quote is vital, but bear in mind that the cheapest policy isn’t always the most suitable.
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Post OfficeChoose the right type of house insurance
Whether you're buying your first home, renting, or just looking for a better deal, there are three main ways to protect your home and belongings:
Buildings insurance
Think of this as cover for the shell of your home. Buildings insurance protects the actual structure of your property—including the walls, roof, and permanent fixtures like your bathroom suite and fitted kitchen.
If you’re a homeowner, this is essential. In fact, if you have a mortgage, your lender will almost always require you to have it in place.
Top tip: Make sure your cover amount is based on the rebuild cost of your home, not its current market value.
Contents insurance
This is for everything that would fall out if you turned your house upside down. From your gadgets and furniture to the clothes in your wardrobe, contents insurance covers the cost of replacing your belongings if they’re stolen or damaged by things like fire or flooding.
If you’re renting, your landlord is responsible for the building, but they won't cover your personal stuff—that's where a tenant-specific policy comes in. Homeowners are responsible for their own contents insurance.
Combined home insurance
The "all-in-one" solution for homeowners. Most people who own their home choose a combined policy. It’s usually simpler to manage with just one renewal date and one point of contact, and it often works out cheaper than buying two separate policies.
Homeowners who want comprehensive protection for both the structure and everything inside their home.
Based on Uswitch data, these are the average costs of combined, buildings only and contents only policies:
| Cover type | Average cost* |
|---|---|
| Buildings and Contents (combined) | £198 |
| Buildings | £185 |
| Contents | £54 |
*Uswitch data showing the average cost per year of home insurance by cover type (Combined, Buildings and Contents only cover) - July to December 2025
Understanding home insurance costs in 2026
Knowing what you should be paying is the first step to making sure you aren't overpaying. According to our latest Uswitch Price Index, the average combined buildings and contents policy currently costs around £198* per year.
The good news? Premiums have dropped slightly year-on-year across most of the UK. This dip in prices means it’s a fantastic time to compare home insurance quotes and see if you can beat the average.
What's driving your premium?
While the national average gives you a benchmark, your individual quote is shaped by a few specific factors:
Individual factors
Your Postcode: Insurers look closely at local risks like the likelihood of flooding or regional crime rates.
Property Age: Older homes often have higher premiums due to the cost of specialist repairs, whereas new builds usually benefit from modern building standards.
Security Measures: Simple upgrades, such as British Standard locks or a smart burglar alarm, can significantly lower your perceived risk—and your price.
Regional trends
We’re seeing a "softening" in the market this year. While rebuild costs remain a factor, increased competition among providers has led to a downward trend in quoted prices.
If you haven’t switched in the last 12 months, you are likely sitting on a renewal price that is higher than the current market rate.
Check what a standard home insurance policy covers
Most standard policies in 2026 are designed to protect you against sudden, unpredictable events. If the damage is unexpected and accidental, you’re likely covered. If it’s something that happens slowly over time, you might not be.
Uswitch Tip: Check your "Single Item Limit." Most contents policies only cover individual items up to a certain value (usually £1,000–£2,000). If you have an expensive engagement ring or a high-end bike, you’ll need to list these separately to ensure they’re fully protected.
Standard buildings and contents insurance generally covers loss or damage caused by:
- Fire and Smoke
Including damage from explosions, lightning, or earthquakes.
- Theft and Vandalism
Protection for your belongings following a break-in or attempted burglary.
- Storms and Flooding
Cover for sudden weather events (though gates and fences are often excluded).
- Escape of Water
This covers the damage caused by "escaping" water, such as a burst pipe or a leaking dishwasher.
- Subsidence
Most policies cover the cost of repairing damage if your home’s foundations shift (provided there's no known history of it).
What's usually excluded from home insurance?
To keep premiums affordable, insurers exclude things they consider "preventable" or part of the cost of owning a home:
- Wear and Tear
This is the most common reason for rejected claims. Insurance won't pay for a roof that has simply reached the end of its life or a boiler that has broken down due to age.
- Gradual damage
Small leaks that occur over months (damp or rot) are usually seen as a maintenance issue rather than an insurance claim.
- Accidental damage
Spilling red wine on a rug or drilling through a pipe isn't always covered by default. You often need to add accidental damage cover as an optional extra.
- Unoccupied Homes
Most standard policies become invalid if your home is left empty for more than 30 or 60 days. If you're going away for longer, you may need unoccupied home insurance.
Optional extras to add to your home insurance
You can usually add these features when you first take out your policy or at renewal. Here are the most popular choices for 2026:
Accidental damage cover
Standard insurance generally covers "major" events like fires or floods, but it often stops short of everyday mishaps. Accidental damage cover is your safety net for those "clumsy" moments, such as:
- Spilling red wine on a cream carpet.
- Knocking over a TV or smashing a laptop.
- Drilling through a pipe during a DIY project.
Top tip: The level of cover varies significantly between providers, so always check the "Single Item Limit" to make sure your most valuable tech is fully protected.
Home emergency cover
This is one of the most popular add-ons because it provides immediate help when things go wrong with your home's "vital organs." If you have a crisis, your insurer will send a qualified tradesperson to make your home safe and habitable again. It typically covers:
- Boiler and Heating: Essential for those cold winter months if your system fails.
- Plumbing and Drainage: From burst pipes to blocked toilets.
- Security: Emergency repairs to locks, doors, and windows after a break-in.
- Pest Infestations: Removing wasps, rats, or mice from the main property.
Top tip: Adding home emergency cover to your home insurance is often much cheaper than buying a standalone "HomeCare" or boiler breakdown plan.
Legal expenses cover
Expert legal advice in the UK can be incredibly expensive. This extra helps you pursue or defend civil claims, covering your legal costs (usually up to £50,000 or £100,000). Common scenarios include:
- Employment Disputes: Dealing with unfair dismissal or workplace grievances.
- Property Boundaries: Disputes with neighbours over fences or shared land.
- Personal Injury: Pursuing compensation after an accident that wasn't your fault.
- Consumer Contracts: Disputes with a tradesperson over poor-quality work in your home.
Personal possessions cover
You can extend your contents insurance to cover possessions when you are away from home. This provides protection for things like if your mobile phone is stolen when you are travelling, for example.
Alternative accommodation cover
If can’t stay in your home as a result of fire, flooding or storm damage, this provides cover to re-house you and your family on a temporary basis.
"While home insurance premiums have started to stabilise in 2026, loyal customers who auto-renew often still pay significantly more than those who switch. Taking just a few minutes to compare quotes is the single most effective way to ensure you aren't paying a 'loyalty penalty' on your cover."
Get cheaper home insurance with these tips
There are a number of steps you can take to help keep home insurance costs down:
- Compare prices
Whenever you come up to renewal, it is vital to shop around to see if you could get a better price for the same cover. Don’t assume that, just because your insurer offered the best deal last year, the same will be true now.
- Pay annually
While spreading the cost over 12 months might feel easier on your monthly budget, it’s almost always more expensive. Most insurers charge interest for the privilege of monthly payments—essentially treating it like a loan. By paying your premium in one annual lump sum, you could save up to 10% to 15% over the course of the year.
- Tweak your voluntary excess
The "excess" is the amount you agree to pay toward any claim you make. Generally, the higher your voluntary excess, the lower your premium will be.
The Golden Rule: Only set your excess to an amount you could realistically afford to pay at a moment's notice. If a burst pipe causes £1,000 of damage and your total excess is £500, you’ll need to have that cash ready to go
- Boost your home security
Upgrading Locks to ensure your external doors have five-lever mortice deadlocks that conform to British Standard BS3621. Installing a professionally maintained burglar alarm can also lower your risk profile.
Cheapers way to boost security like joining a local Neighbourhood Watch can sometimes lead to a small but welcome reduction in price.
- Check out combined deals
Buying buildings and contents cover in a combined package can work out cheaper than individual policies as this approach reduces insurers’ administrative costs.
- Try to build up a no-claims bonus
If you don’t make a home insurance claim for several years, you can build up a significant no-claims discount.
- Don't over-insure your home
One of the most common mistakes is insuring a house for its market value (what it would sell for) rather than its rebuild cost. The market value includes the land and the location, which don't need insurance. The rebuild cost is just the price of bricks, mortar, and labour. Because the rebuild cost is usually much lower than the sale price, getting an accurate estimate—using a rebuild cost calculator—can significantly shrink your bill.
Find home insurance cover that’s right for you
While standard cover works for most people, there are also specialised home insurance policies that might be more suited to your needs
Compare home insurance quotes
FAQs
How do I make a claim on my home insurance policy?
If you need to make a claim, call your insurance company as soon as possible – but call the police first if you have been burgled. Have your policy details to hand, as well as information about the claim.
Take pictures of any damage, and don’t dispose of any damaged items until they have been assessed by the insurance company. Make a note, with the time and date, of who you have spoken to at your insurance company as well as any witnesses or police officers.
Make sure you speak to your insurer before you get any repair or rebuilding work carried out.
What else do I need to know about home insurance?
It's worth looking out for exclusions – these are events or occurrences that your insurance will not cover. For example, if you live near a river, you may not be able to get insurance cover for flood damage.
Your costs will also be affected by the value of your home or the contents within it, the location, the cost of rebuild, and whether you have had any previous claims.
What happens to my home insurance when I'm moving house?
You may need to think about getting buildings insurance when you're in the process of buying a new house. It's worth looking into buying home insurance from the point at which you exchange contracts.
In some cases you can transfer your policy from your old to your new home. But you might be able to save money by cancelling your old policy and shopping around for new cover. It's likely that you may incur a fee if you cancel your policy so it's worth checking your policy documents before you do this.
What is a home insurance excess?
Every insurance policy has an excess. This is the amount of you will need to pay towards any claim you make. The total excess is made up of a compulsory excess and a voluntary excess.
The compulsory excess is an amount set by the insurer, whereas the voluntary excess is an amount chosen by you.
Choosing a higher voluntary excess can lead to cheaper premiums. But you must make sure this is an amount that you can afford. As you will need to pay it along with the compulsory excess if you make a claim.
How does my credit score affect home insurance?
Insurers might check your credit file when you apply for cover to confirm your identity. But your credit score shouldn’t affect your house insurance costs if you pay for your premium annually up front. However, if you choose to pay monthly by direct debit, this involves entering into a credit agreement, and your credit score could affect how much you pay.
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