Mythbusting: What’s actually covered by your home insurance policy?
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding home insurance. Does it cover your iPhone? What about pet damage? And is it true that you won’t be covered for an “act of God”? We take a look at the myths and the reality.
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding home insurance. Does it cover your iPhone? What about pet damage? And is it true that you won’t be covered for an “act of God”? We take a look at the myths and the reality.
60-second summary
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Home insurance myths debunked
When you consider that buying a house is probably the biggest purchase you’ll ever make, it makes sense to protect it as much as possible. But what’s actually covered by your home insurance? And what’s not?
We debunk some of the most common home insurance myths, so you’re not caught out if you want to make a claim.
As a reminder, there are two main types of home insurance:
- Contents insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing your damaged, destroyed or stolen items. Imagine tipping your house upside down - anything that falls out would be contents.
- Buildings insurance covers the cost of repairing any damage to the structure of your property. Think roof, walls and floors, as well as permanent fittings and fixtures, such as windows or fitted kitchens.
Myth 1: I won’t be covered if I lose my keys
Replacing a lost or stolen set of keys can be shockingly expensive, especially in an out-of-hours emergency. Thankfully “replacement locks and keys” is usually covered under your home insurance. We’ll show you whether a policy covers this when you view your quotes.
Myth 2: I won’t be covered if someone steals cash from my home
Some insurance providers will cover money stolen from your home up to a certain limit. But there may have to be signs of a break-in for theft to be covered.
So, if you’ve left your keys in the front door or invited someone in who swipes your cash, you might not be so lucky.
Myth 3: Insurance providers won’t cover you for an ‘act of God’
Wrong. In fact, you should be covered for an “act of God” – a phrase which refers to something that’s outside human control, like a natural disaster.
In reality, the term “act of God” is no longer used in insurance policies, which tend to be a lot more specific about what they cover these days. But most home insurance policies will cover natural disasters like floods, lightning, storms and earthquakes.
Myth 4: I won’t be covered if my freezer defrosts and spoils all the food
Loss of freezer food is quite often covered under home contents insurance - but only if there’s a power failure or fault with the freezer that ruins the food. You may also need photos and a cost estimate of the spoiled food as evidence.
You won’t be covered if someone in your household has accidentally switched off the power supply. Also note that contents insurance might not cover the food in your fridge.
Myth 5: If my kitten destroys my curtains, my home insurance will pick up the tab
Unfortunately for pet owners, most home contents insurance policies don’t cover damage caused by pets although you might be able to add cover for an extra charge.
But even if you do, it still might not cover damage caused by chewing, tearing, scratching or fouling.
Myth 6: My bike is covered when I’m out and about
Your home insurance policy will only usually cover your bike when it’s at home – not when you’re out and about. To protect your bike outside the home you may want to consider optional bicycle insurance. Or, if you have additional personal possessions cover, you might be able to add your bike.
Myth 7: My engagement ring is covered if I lose it at the gym
Standard home insurance will usually only cover your engagement ring if it’s lost, damaged or stolen in your home. If you want cover for outside the home, for example at the gym, you may need to add personal possessions cover to your policy.
Myth 8: I can claim the cost of replacing my shabby-looking kitchen units on my insurance
Unfortunately, your home insurance won’t cover you for general wear and tear or maintenance. The same goes for broken mechanical and electrical products, or faulty workmanship. Home insurance is designed to protect your home from big events like floods, fires and storms, not from lack of maintenance. So, it’s essential to take good care of your home as much as possible.
Myth 9: My mobile phone is covered by my contents insurance if I lose it while I’m away from home
A standard home insurance policy is unlikely to cover your mobile phone outside the home. If you want extra protection for your device when you’re out and about, you might want to consider personal possessions cover or dedicated mobile phone insurance.
Myth 10: I live in a flood risk area so I’m going to struggle to get home insurance
This is no longer the case. Thanks to the government’s Flood Re initiative, people living in high-risk flood areas should be able to find affordable home insurance from a number of providers.
Myth 11: I’ll be covered if I accidentally put my foot through the ceiling while doing DIY
You might assume you can claim for any damage caused to your home, but that isn’t necessarily the case. It depends how the damage happened. Most home insurance policies won’t cover accidents and mishaps as standard. For this you’ll need accidental damage cover. You’ll usually be given the option of adding this type of cover to your home insurance by paying a little extra. It might be worthwhile if you have kids or you’re a little on the clumsy side.
Myth 12: I’ll be covered if my home is burgled while I’m in Spain for the winter
Homes that are left unoccupied are considered by insurance providers to be more at risk of break-ins than houses with people living in them. This means most standard home insurance policies won’t cover you if you leave your property empty for more than 30 days at a time.
So, if you spend three months of the year holidaying abroad, or you’re working overseas for an extended period, you’ll need unoccupied home insurance. This will cost you extra but will offer cover if anything goes wrong while you’re away.
