Contents insurance
- Buy contents insurance for up to £70/year[1]
- Plus a year of Meerkat Meals & Meerkat Movies* when you buy through us
[1] 51% of our customers were quoted less than £69.04 for their contents home insurance in December 2024.
We compare prices from 37 trusted providers[2], including:
See a full list of our home insurance providers
[2] Correct as of December 2024.
What is contents insurance?
Contents insurance is a type of home insurance that could cover the cost of replacing your possessions in your home if they're stolen, destroyed or damaged. It can be bought as a standalone policy or with buildings insurance, as a combined home insurance policy.
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Frequently asked questions
What’s covered by contents insurance?
Home contents typically covers everything you’d take with you if you moved and also usually includes your carpets too. There may be some exceptions to this rule so you’ll need to check the details of individual policies to be sure – look for the definition of contents in your policy booklet.
What protection does a typical home contents insurance policy provide?
A typical home contents insurance policy will protect your possessions against loss or damage due to a variety of events like theft, fire, storms, water leaks and subsidence. Cover will vary from policy to policy, so always check the details when you get a contents insurance quote.
Accidental damage, for example red wine spilt on a sofa, isn’t typically included in contents insurance, but may be available as an add-on. Many insurance providers offer other optional cover, like legal expenses and home emergency assistance.
Find out more:
Contents insurance policies vary between home insurance providers, so check the level of cover offered by yours before you consider adding extra cover.
How does new for old contents insurance work?
If you have a new for old contents insurance policy, any items that are lost or damaged will be replaced by your insurance provider based on their current market value. Even if the exact item is no longer available, you’ll be paid out enough to buy a brand-new item of the same value.
How do I know how much my belongings are worth?
When you get a contents insurance quote, the premiums will be partially based on the value of your possessions. It’s easy to underestimate the cost of replacing all your possessions. A top tip is to go through your home one room at a time and add things up – don’t worry though, we have a handy contents calculator you can use when doing your quote to help you with this. Don’t forget to include small, high-value items, such as jewellery, and remember to value older items at today’s replacement costs.
According to the Association of British Insurers, the average household in the UK has home contents worth £35,000 – which is why your home contents are easy to undervalue and important to insure.
Find out more about how to estimate the value of your home contents.
What is meant by personal possessions cover and do I need it?
Personal possessions insurance covers you for loss or damage to things you would normally take with you when you leave your home. This could include your handbag, mobile phone, jewellery and wallet or purse. Some policies will also cover these items while you’re abroad. But, this is often limited to certain countries and for a set period of time. Some home insurance policies include personal possessions cover as standard, while others offer it as an add-on option and you may need to pay extra. It's worth checking the policy details to see what you will be covered for before you buy. See more on Possessions insurance cover outside of the home.
What’s a single article limit?
Most home and contents insurance policies will have a maximum limit that any single item can be worth before you need to specify it on the policy – this is commonly known as the single article limit. It’s a good idea to check what that limit is and make sure you detail anything that exceeds it. It’s often set at £1,500, but could be lower or higher depending on the provider.
What’s a high risk item?
High risk items are your valuable possessions that could be easily stolen from your home, for example: jewellery, electrical goods, antiques, collectables and more. Insurance providers want to know about these items as they’re typically more desirable to steal and, if they’re damaged, they can be expensive to replace. When you're getting a quote with us, you'll need to add any high risk items valued at more than £1,500 per item to the "specified items" section. So it's worth doing a quick inventory of your valuables first - you've probably got more than you think. See more on the cover usually offered for high risk items.
Can I add new items to an existing contents insurance policy?
Most home contents insurance providers will let you update your policy to include new high-value items, such as an expensive TV or gadget. The best way to do this is by getting in touch with your provider directly.
In addition, some providers will increase your cover before and after special events, such as a wedding or Christmas. Extra cover and cover levels will vary from policy to policy, so check the policy documents thoroughly when you compare contents insurance.
Can I get a no claims discount on my home insurance?
Yes, although we usually think about no claims discounts in relation to car insurance you can earn them from home insurance too.
If don't make any claims during the 12-months of the policy then you can usually get a reduction on the next year's premium. If you don't claim the following year either you can build up your no claims discount. Typically you can build up your discount over nine consecutive years.
See more on Home insurance no claims discount – how does it work?
What’s not covered by contents insurance?
The following aren’t typically covered by contents insurance:
- General wear and tear, and maintenance
- Faulty workmanship
- Mechanical or electrical breakdown
- Damage caused by pets
How can I get a good deal on home contents insurance?
Use Compare the Market to compare contents insurance and we’ll help you find a deal that’s right for you – we found 51% of people could achieve a contents insurance quote of less than £70[1].
Just enter your details and the level of cover you need, and we’ll give you a list of quotes from a range of insurance providers.
[1] 51% of our customers were quoted less than £69.04 for their contents home insurance in December 2024.