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The right amount of contents cover is a balancing act: insure for too little and a claim may not pay out in full, insure for too much and you're paying for cover you don't need.
Comparing quotes is the easiest way to see how different insurers price the same level of cover.
Policies can also differ on single-item limits, what counts as standard cover versus an optional extra, and whether you're paid the current value of an item or the cost of a new one. Comparing helps you find a policy that actually matches what you own, not just the cheapest headline price.
Contents cover (along with building cover) is an important part of home insurance. If your possessions are damaged, destroyed or stolen, contents insurance covers the cost of replacing them. It can cover anything that you would take with you if you moved to a new house - so basically everything that you want it to, including:
Furniture
Entertainment e.g. DVDs and streaming subscriptions
Kitchenware e.g. pots as well as microwaves and other appliances
Electricals e.g. TVs, laptops, etc.
Toys, antiques, ornaments.
Clothes and jewellery.
If you don’t take out contents insurance, then you could end up forking out a lot of money to replace your valuables, which could end up being unaffordable. You should ask yourself, if you had to replace everything in your house after, say, a fire, would you be able to cover the costs?
So while contents insurance isn’t compulsory, it’s a sensible idea.
Comparing contents insurance quotes from multiple providers is the best way to find a policy that covers everything you own, without paying for cover you don't need.
Try not to underestimate how much your possessions are worth. If you don’t insure them to a high enough amount, if you were to make a claim your policy may not pay out enough, or at all.
On the other end of the scale, overestimating their worth will needlessly increase your insurance premium, meaning that over time, you’ll have paid far more money than you needed to.
A ‘sum insured’ policy means you are covered for the contents that you believe you have- so you have to calculate this yourself. If you’ve got a good idea of how much your stuff is worth, then you could total it up yourself. For things like clothing and linen, you should adjust their value according to wear and tear.
Or, you have the option of a ‘bedroom rated’ policy, where your cover is based on the number of bedrooms you have. The insurer would normally offer cover between £40,000 and £50,000 worth of belongings, as standard. If this isn’t enough for you, definitely ask if you can increase your cover in some way.
Certain insurers offer ‘unlimited sum insured’ policy. This covers all belongings with no limit on the amount, so you’d know for sure that all the items you’d like insured are covered.
There are two types of cover available, and both impact on the price of your premium.
'New for old' means that you will be paid whatever it costs to replace your items- this is what most policies offer.
But some policies offer ‘indemnity cover’ instead. This means you will only get the current value of your belongings. For example, if your sofa needs replacing and you paid £1500 initially for it, you will only get what your old, worn one was worth, which might be £150.
Some insurers, for extra money, will offer extra cover that isn’t part of a standard contents policy. The most common ones are:
Accidental damage insurance: for life’s unexpected mishaps- for example, if you forget your iPhone is in your back pocket and it ends up down the toilet.
Legal expenses cover: this covers legal fees if you were to take a tradesman to court, or if someone were injured in your house and sued you.
Home emergency cover: this means you would have a helpline for fast assistance if a pipe bursts, a window smashes, or you have a pest infestation.
A good first step is to enquire with your current home insurance provider. Ask them how much extra you would need to pay if you were to add your valuable items to your existing policy. Make sure to check whether your insurer will pay out the replacement cost – rather than the depreciated value – if you were to make a claim.
Liz Hunter
Managing Director
First off, you should check your insurer’s definition of valuables, as this can vary a lot. Next, check the ‘single article limit’: this is the most that the insurer will pay out if you claim. For most contents policies, this is about £1,500, but can be as high as £15,000.
If you have a valuable that’s worth more than the single article limit (for example, an engagement ring), you need to let your insurer know- you’ll probably have to pay a bit more to get it covered. You should go through the process like this:
Let your insurer know what high-value items you have.
Provide them with proof of purchase and the items’ value, if requested.
Make sure the items are all correctly listed on your policy document.
Some contents policies will automatically cover you for things that you take out of the house, like your phone and laptop, but you need to check this.
While your standard cover might include the cost of replacing your phone, you need to check if it will also cover stuff like music downloads or files that you’ve saved. Some policies will include cover for digital information, so it’s always worth a check.
Most policies won’t cover you if your phone or laptop break down, or any money you lose if someone steals your phone and runs up a bill.
Some insurers do offer an ‘all risks’ option. This is normally for a higher premium, which will offer wider cover, and include things like accidental damage.
Contents insurance covers your possessions; buildings insurance covers the structure of your home. Most homeowners take out both, often as a combined policy.
If you rent out a furnished property, landlord contents insurance can protect the furniture and appliances you provide. This is different from your tenant's own contents cover, which protects their personal belongings. Find out more: Home insurance for landlords.
Your landlord is responsible for buildings insurance, but not for your belongings. Contents insurance covers your furniture, electronics and possessions if they're stolen, damaged or destroyed. Find out more: Home insurance for renters.
If you live in halls of residence or a shared house, contents insurance can cover your laptop, phone and other belongings. Check whether your parents' home insurance already covers you before taking out a separate policy. Find out more: Home insurance for students.
If you own a leasehold flat, the building is usually insured by the freeholder. You'll still need contents cover to protect what's inside your flat.
If your second home is left empty for long periods, or you let it out to guests, you may need specialist holiday home contents cover rather than a standard policy. Find out more: Holiday home insurance.
Compare contents insurance quotes every year rather than letting your policy auto-renew. Insurers often price new customers more competitively than returning ones.
Avoid over-insuring your belongings. A more accurate valuation of your contents means you're not paying for cover you don't need.
A higher voluntary excess usually lowers your premium, but only choose an amount you could comfortably afford if you needed to claim.
Good-quality locks, a burglar alarm or a security camera can all help reduce your premium.
Going several years without making a claim can earn you a discount with many insurers.
Paying monthly often means paying interest on top of your premium. Paying annually, if you can, avoids this.
The process is straightforward. You tell us about your home and what you want to insure, and we connect you with a broker who can help you find the right policy from a panel of trusted UK insurers.
We'll ask about your property type, whether you're a tenant or homeowner, your claims history, and how secure your home is.
Give us the total value of your contents, including any high-value items worth over £1,500 that need listing separately.
Add cover for items you take outside the home, or any other extras you need, then review your options and apply.
Want to understand more before you compare? These guides cover the topics our customers find most useful.
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Contents insurance can cover (for repair or replacement) any items in your home that you want to be insured. When you take out a policy you will be asked which items you want to be protected in case of damage, theft or loss. You are able to insure any items that are not part of the structure of your house. For example, furniture, tv, clothing and jewellery. Most insurance companies will have limits on the total amount that you can in one policy. Many also have a single article limit which means no one item can be covered for more than a fixed value.
The amount that you insure your contents for will come down to the overall value of the items you want to be covered. If you want to cover all of your possessions which includes high-value gadgets you will pay a much higher monthly cost than if you only insure a handful of low-cost items.
Home insurance comes in two forms – contents insurance and buildings insurance. Contents insurance will cover the items within that house and you will be able to claim should any of them be damaged, lost or stolen. Buildings insurance covers damage to the structure of the property. When taking out a policy it’s always important to check exactly what is included to make sure you have adequate cover.
Each insurer will look at every policy differently and decide on a price based on a variety of different factors. While levels of cover might vary, the overall cost of protecting an item will remain fairly consistent across different organisations. This means that the most important thing is making sure that you get a policy from a reputable company to ensure you get a payout if you need it.
The overall cost of contents insurance will vary dramatically depending on what items you want to have covered. A company will look at the overall value of these items and will derive a monthly premium based on the cost of having to payout. Making sure your house and contents are as secure as possible will help bring the price of your policy down as the insurer will see it as less of a risk. Certain items might come with stipulations such as needing to be locked up in order to be covered.
Contents insurance is not a legal requirement and is up to each individual to decide whether or not they want it. In some instances, a mortgage provider or landlord may require you to have a certain level of either home or contents insurance as part of the agreement.
Yes - contents insurance can be bought entirely on its own. It's a common choice for tenants and leasehold flat owners, who typically aren't responsible for buildings insurance in the first place.
For most homes, £50,000 of contents cover is enough, but it depends entirely on what you own. Add up the replacement cost of your furniture, electronics, clothing and valuables to check whether £50,000 is enough for your circumstances, rather than assuming the standard bedroom-rated amount will cover everything.
Yes, contents insurance covers theft in most cases. However, cover is usually void if there's no sign of forced entry - for example, if a door or window was left unlocked, a claim may be rejected.
It's not compulsory, but it's worth having. Your landlord's insurance covers the building, not your belongings, so without your own contents insurance policy you'd have to replace anything stolen or damaged yourself.
Contents insurance is just one part of protecting your home. You may also want to explore these related products.
Buildings Insurance
Own your home? Compare buildings insurance to protect the structure as well as what's inside it.
Home Insurance
Compare combined buildings and contents cover in one policy.
Landlord Insurance
Renting out a furnished property? Compare landlord insurance built for buy-to-let.
Accidental Damage Insurance
Add cover for life's unexpected mishaps, from spilt drinks to smashed screens.
