Home Contents Insurance

Dover Insurance Services has agencies with over 50 home contents schemes each providing a differing level of cover. We are confident that we can find you a competitive quote that will suit you.

Unlike buildings insurance, which is compulsory for properties with an outstanding mortgage and for many leasehold properties, home contents insurance is an optional cover.

Failing to insure the contents of your home can be a costly mistake. The cost of replacing all of your items in the event of them being stolen or after a fire may be much higher than you think. Most of us could not afford to replace the entire contents of our home should the worst happen.

Dover Insurance Services can advise you and help you to choose an appropriate contents insurance policy. You may be surprised at how cheap it is to cover your belongings. Contact us to find out. Complete the house quote request form or call us on 01304 213613.

If you are a homeowner then you may benefit from cheaper contents insurance by combining it with a buildings insurance policy, however, if you rent your home or live in a leasehold property then you may be able to save with a contents only policy.

What does home contents insurance cover?

Contents insurance covers your household items against loss, damage or theft. Cover is usually provided for moveable items such as furniture, electrical items and personal belongings as well as some fixtures such as carpets.

How much contents cover do I need?

Do not underestimate the value of your belongings. Personal items such as jewellery, clothes, DVDs and electrical equipment will almost certainly add up to more than you think.

To work out how much cover you need it is wise to make a list of all your possessions by listing the rooms in your house and the items within them. Do not forget to include items that are in the loft or stored outside in the garden or in a locked shed. You can use this list to estimate the amount of cover needed, as well as being handy in the event of a claim.

Insurers will generally offer you cover for your items based one of the following types of policies;

• Sum Insured – This policy is based on the amount it would cost you to replace all of your belongings. It is your responsibility to value this correctly. You should include all of your high value possessions as well as the rest of the goods within your home.
• Bedroom rated – The insurance company will calculate your cover based on the amount of bedrooms and other rooms within your house. Whilst this may save time from listing all of your household items this type of cover may carry higher premiums and you still run the risk of being under insured.

Additional contents covers available

Some policies will cover high value items and include accidental damage as standard but many will consider them as extras. It is vital to check the policy wording to see what is included and to ensure you are comparing like for like when comparing quotations

Insurers will usually allow you to add extras to your policy at an additional cost.

Extra cover that may be worth considering;

• Accidental Damage – This will protect any breakables within the home as well as covering for any DIY disasters.
• High Value Cover – Some insurers will include this as standard providing your high value items do not exceed a certain value (usually £1500) and are listed separately. Cover can usually be extended for items above this figure and the premium will be increased accordingly. This is worth considering for valuable items of jewellery, electronic equipment, art, antiques and any collections you may have.
• Personal possessions Cover – Insurance can often be extended to cover items that leave the home with you such as tablets, laptops, SatNavs, mobile phones and jewellery. This is often referred to as an “All Risks” policy.

There are many other types of additional cover you can take to insure you for moving home, sports equipment, alternative accommodation or legal assistance. Always check that your policy is suitable for your individual circumstances.

How to make contents insurance cheaper

Whilst it is important to ensure that you are adequately covered for your household items there are ways you can save money when buying your contents insurance policy.

• Be clear about what level of cover you need. Make sure that you advise us of the level of cover you require. This also applies to any renewal quotes.
• Paying your premium annually – Insurers often add an additional 10% to your premium for paying monthly by direct debit. Avoid this charge by paying your contents insurance in a single payment each year.
• Leave off unwanted extras – if specific insurance features do not apply to you then you may be entitled to a discount by excluding them from your cover.
• Raising your excess – Many home contents insurance policies include an excess around £50 that you will need to pay in the event of a claim. If you would not claim for an item under £100 or even £200 then raising the policy excess usually results in a cheaper premium.
• Combining with buildings insurance – Combined buildings and contents insurance policies are often cheaper. Dover Insurance Services can check this for you.
• No claims discount – Many insurers offer a no claims discount.
• Security -taking precautions against a claim. High quality locks on doors and windows, burglar alarms, smoke alarms and joining a neighbourhood watch scheme may all reduce your contents insurance premiums.

Contact Dover Insurance Services on 01304 213613 today to find out if you could be saving money on your home contents insurance.

Complete the HOUSE QUOTE FORM for our best price or telephone us on 01304 213613