Switching your home insurance provider: a quick guide
Changing home insurance provider is pretty straightforward and with big variations in the price of premiums, it could save you money. Here’s what you need to know about how to switch provider.
Changing home insurance provider is pretty straightforward and with big variations in the price of premiums, it could save you money. Here’s what you need to know about how to switch provider.
What are the benefits of switching home insurance provider?
One of the main reasons to switch home insurance is the potential to save money. There’s a good chance you’ll be able to cut your premium costs if you switch home insurance provider, especially if you’ve been with the same provider for a while.
And by using Comparethemarket, it’s simpler to check if you’re getting a good deal at renewal time or if it’s worth shopping around.
How to change your home insurance provider in five steps
As your renewal date approaches, it may be time to reassess your insurance needs. Give yourself a bit of time to do this, as the best prices are likely to be found around three weeks before your existing policy is due to end. Luckily, it only takes five easy steps to switch home insurance:
Step 1: consider the cover you need
Have your circumstances changed since you took out home insurance with your current provider? Do you need a more comprehensive level of cover, or have you downsized? Perhaps you have more high-value items than you did before? Or you’ve a wedding dress to insure.
Step 2: compare quotes
Use Comparethemarket’s comparison service to compare quotes from a wide range of trusted UK home insurance providers. Once you’ve worked out the right level of cover for you, you’ll quickly be able to see which providers offer quotes to suit your needs.
Start a quoteStep 3: do your research
Before accepting a quote, it’s a good idea to research the home insurance provider you’re interested in. Check out some reviews, see what optional extras they offer and be sure to read the policy fine print or at least be familiar with the cover you’re getting.
Step 4: make the switch
If you’re happy with what you’ve found, there’s nothing to stop you from signing up with your new home insurance provider. Just be sure that your new policy starts when your old one ends, so you don’t go a few days without cover or double insure yourself, as having two policies could lead to problems if you need to claim.
Step 5: notify your current home insurance provider
Several home insurance providers operate on an auto-renewal basis. So if you don’t tell them not to renew your policy, they’ll do it automatically. Make sure you tell your insurance provider – by email or phone – that you want to end your insurance before your policy renews.
Does switching home insurance providers cost anything?
As long as you’re changing before your renewal date or within the 14-day cooling-off period after your renewal date, there shouldn’t be any additional costs. If you decide to switch early, you’ll need to cancel your old policy, and this may come at a price. The cancellation fee varies depending on the provider, so make sure you check what yours is.
Unless your circumstances make an early cancellation fee worthwhile, it’s best to weigh up whether it makes sense to change mid-policy.
Automate your home insurance renewal quotes
Set this up just once and we’ll automatically search for quotes for your home insurance before it’s time to renew your policy. Find out more about automating your home insurance quotes.
Anna McEntee - Insurance expert
Anna’s all about delivering fantastic insurance products at a great price. Value is the most important thing for Anna, as she cuts through the jargon and finds what’s most important and worth your hard-earned money.
Rachel Lacey - Insurance and money expert
Rachel’s a self-confessed money nerd who’s been writing about personal finance for more than 20 years. She spent 17 years writing for Moneywise, including a few years as Editor, and likes making complicated subjects like insurance, pensions, investing and tax, easy for people to understand.