Home insurance for people with convictions

If you have a criminal record, you’re not alone. There are more than 11 million people in the UK with a criminal record – and plenty of them need home insurance. It’s fair to say there are a couple more hoops to jump through and extra questions to answer, but we help you understand the small print and hopefully find a deal that’s right for you by comparing the market.

Chris King

From the Home team

minute read

posted 25 FEBRUARY 2020

Does home insurance for people with a criminal conviction cost more?

In a lot of cases yes, it can be more expensive, but if you look around and compare prices, you might be able to find an affordable policy that will provide you with home insurance if you’ve got a criminal record.

We search a variety of insurance providers to find the right policy to meet your needs.

How will an insurance provider know if I have a criminal record?

When getting a quote through Compare the Market, you’ll need to say if you have a criminal conviction or not. Remember, it pays to be honest, otherwise a future claim could be rejected or your entire policy might be considered void – making it harder to get insurance in the future.

However, if your conviction is ‘spent’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, you don’t have to mention it. If you're not sure if your conviction is spent or not, and you live in England or Wales, you can check whether you’ll need to declare it with Unlock's theCalculator.

When getting a home insurance quote through Compare the Market, it’s essential that you mention all ‘unspent’ convictions, unless they’re for motoring offenses.

My partner has a criminal conviction, but I don't. Do I need to declare that?

Yes. One of the questions we ask is "Have you or anyone living in the property ever been convicted of, or is awaiting trial for, any crime excluding motoring offences?

You will need to let us know about the unspent convictions of anyone living in the house.

Can you do search for home insurance for me?

We can help you search for  insurance providers  that will give you the home insurance cover you need.

All you need to do is answer some questions about yourself and your property and we’ll do the hard work for you. You can then view a list of those providers that will offer you home insurance with a criminal conviction.