Buildings Insurance
Buildings insurance UK covers the basic structure of your home, as well as any permanent fixtures and fittings - for example sanitary ware in your bathroom, or appliances in a fitted kitchen. Essentially, if you were able to remove the roof and tip your house upside down (although, you might want to make sure you have sufficient buildings insurance first!) anything that falls out will fall under contents insurance, and everything that’s left is covered under a buildings insurance UK policy.
If you are paying a mortgage on a property, it is almost certain that you have buildings insurance UK cover in force. This is required by your mortgage lender, so that if the worst happens, the house can be rebuilt, providing you with an incentive to keep paying your mortgage! However, in most cases you aren’t required to stick to the cover provided by your mortgage lender - you are just required to have adequate cover. The insurers on these pages all offer buildings insurance, often at a substantial saving, when compared to any buildings insurance UK policy you may be paying for now. Some companies will even refund any cancellation fee levied by your current buildings insurer - if you’re interested in saving money it’s definitely worth looking into.
UK buildings insurance usually provides cover in the following eventualities:
- Fire
- Explosion
- Damage caused by flooding and/or storms
- Malicious damage caused by intruders or vandals
- Damage caused by escaping fluids, from pipe work in your home.
- Subsidence or landslide; (this can often be subject to a much higher excess, be sure to check you policy documentation.)
- Vehicle impact damage
- Damage caused by falling trees or branches
In addition, you may be able to upgrade your buildings insurance UK cover, to include some of the following:
- Accidental damage - for example, if you drill through pipe work in your walls, or put your foot through the ceiling when you’re in the loft.
- Glass cover - this isn’t always included, but may be worth adding if you have expensive patio doors, French windows or other expensive glasswork.
- Alternative accommodation - some buildings insurance policies will offer alternative accommodation in the event of your home being rendered uninhabitable in the event of a claim.
Bear in mind there may be some exclusions on your buildings insurance UK, for example:
- Pipe work and cabling may be covered against accidental damage, but cover for general wear and tear is likely to be excluded.
- Cover against flood or subsidence if they have occurred previously is likely to be excluded, or failing that, you'll be looking at higher premiums.
More Resources:
Citizens Advice Bureau - Pages on Home insurance options and advice if you need help with a claim.
Click here to obtain quotes from leading home insurance providers.