At a glance
High-risk items are valuable and easily stolen items, such as jewellery, electronics, art and antiques.
If you have any particularly valuable high-risk items, you need to add them individually to your home insurance policy to ensure they’re covered.
You’ll typically be covered for standard insurable events, including fire, theft and storm damage.
Consider whether you want personal possessions insurance, which covers high-risk items, such as phones and laptops, outside the home.
What is a high-risk item?
For home contents insurance purposes, insurance providers typically define a high-risk item as one that’s particularly attractive to thieves.
This could be because an item is very valuable, or small and easy to steal.
Examples of high-risk items for insurance policies
Typical high-risk items include:
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
Rare books
Most other items considered rare or collectable
How do I insure high-risk items?
You’ll usually be asked to give the total value of your high-risk items or to calculate the percentage of the total worth of your contents that they make up.
For example, if your contents are insured for £30,000 and you have £6,000 of high-risk items, then 20% of your contents is 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 to ensure they’re covered.
At Compare the Market, we ask you to list any high-risk items worth more than £1,500.
However, individual insurance providers will set their own limits as to what’s classified as ‘high risk’.
How do I work out how much cover I need for high-risk items?
List all your valuable possessions and make a note of how much they’re worth.
For everyday high-risk items, checking recent market prices or receipts will give you an up-to-date value.
For expensive valuables, such as art, jewellery or antiques, it makes sense to consider a professional valuation.
Because of potential fluctuations in value, it’s a good idea to have regular appraisals every few years, or more frequently in volatile markets.
As well as keeping receipts for high-value items, it’s a good idea to take photos.
This will provide proof of purchase and ownership, and could prove invaluable if you make a claim. Keep hold of valuation paperwork too.
What cover do insurance providers typically offer for high-risk items?
Cover varies between policies, but you’ll typically be covered for standard insurable events, including fire, theft and storm damage.
If you want your high-risk items to be covered against accidental damage, you can add this for an additional cost.
How to keep high-risk items safe and secure
Keeping your high-risk items safe and secure not only protects them from theft or damage but could also help reduce your insurance premium. Here are some home security tips:
Install a home security system – a robust security system with burglar alarms and cameras can deter burglars.
Use a safe – store valuable items, such as jewellery, watches and important documents, in a secure, fireproof safe.
Secure doors and windows – fit all entry points to your home with high-quality secure locks.
Keep valuables out of sight – avoid leaving high-value items in plain view from windows or doors.
Consider a safe deposit box – for extremely valuable items, a safe deposit box at a bank offers an additional layer of security.
What else do I need to consider when insuring high-risk items?
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? If you compare contents insurance quotes with Compare The Market, we’ll ask if you want to add this cover.
Does the policy cover data stored on electronics, such as downloaded software, personal files or cloud-stored data? If you store important documents, photos or programs digitally, consider a backup solution or separate data insurance.
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As well as writing for Churchill and Privilege insurance websites, Karen’s CV includes working with M&S, Debenhams, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis. With over 20 years of editorial experience for big household names she leads a talented content team with a focus on simplifying personal finance for everybody.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
Helen’s our resident home insurance expert, as the former Head of Home Insurance at Compare the Market. She's also experienced with car insurance and pet insurance from her previous roles across commercial, partnerships and as a freelance consultant, working with more than 100 insurers across a variety of insurance products.
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