What’s considered a high-risk item for contents insurance?
When you take out contents insurance, your provider will want to know about any high-risk items you might own. Get the lowdown on what items providers consider to be high risk and find out how you can ensure they’re properly protected.
When you take out contents insurance, your provider will want to know about any high-risk items you might own. Get the lowdown on what items providers consider to be high risk and find out how you can ensure they’re properly protected.
How do insurance providers define high-risk items?
When it comes to home contents insurance, your insurance provider will usually define a high-risk item as one that’s particularly attractive to thieves. This could be because it’s highly valuable or simply that it’s small and easy to steal.
Can you give me some examples of high-risk items?
A huge range of items could be considered high risk by insurance providers, including:
- antiques
- art
- electronics – such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, TVs, computers, cameras and audio-visual equipment
- jewellery, including engagement rings and wedding rings
- expensive clothing
- musical instruments
- stamp, coin and medal collections
- watches and clocks
- most other things considered rare or collectable
What cover do insurance providers typically offer on high-risk items?
The cover you get for your high-risk items depends on the policy you buy. You’ll usually be covered for standard insurable events, like fire, theft and storm damage. You can choose to add extra cover, like accidental damage, if you want your high-risk items to be covered against any mishaps.
How do I work out how much insurance cover I need?
First, write a list of all your valuable possessions and make a note of how much they’re worth. Bear in mind that some items could have risen in value over the years: for example, jewellery or art. In these cases, it’s a good idea to ensure you have an up-to-date professional valuation.
It's also sensible to gather up receipts for high-value items and take photographs. This will provide proof of purchase and ownership, and could prove invaluable if you make a claim.
You’ll usually be asked to say what the total value of your high-risk items is or give a percentage of your contents that they make up. For example, if your sum insured is £30,000 and you have £6,000 of high-risk items, 20% of your contents are made up of high-risk items.
If you have any particularly valuable high-risk items, you’ll need to add them individually to your home insurance policy. At Comparethemarket, we’ll ask you to list any high-risk items worth more than £1,500.
What else do I need to look out for?
Check the policy for any exclusions or special conditions that might apply if you need to claim for a high-risk item. For example:
- Does the policy include personal possessions insurance, which covers high-risk items, such as phones, laptops and jewellery, outside the home? Many high-risk items are those you carry around. If you get a contents insurance quote with Comparethemarket, we’ll ask you if you want to add this cover.
- Does the policy cover the data stored on electronics? Your policy might cover the cost of replacing your laptop, but what about the software, downloads and other digital information on it?
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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.