How to get the best from your home insurance

 Home insurance is designed to give you the ultimate peace of mind. All your worldly possessions are stored within the walls of your single most expensive asset which means you need the best possible home insurance. But how do you know if you’re getting the most out of it?

According to research by the ABI (Association of British Insurers) found that home insurance providers paid out over £8 million in claims every day. That’s over 2 billion a year paid out to those unfortunate enough to make a claim.

However despite these figures, the ABI still found that the general public mistrusts insurance providers, believing that the majority do not support their best interests. This is detrimental to both parties as it cuts off custom to the providers and means that customers are not buying adequate cover, or they’re not making claims for damage to their property.

By not trusting your home insurance provider you’re missing out on claiming when you need it most. The ABI found that a positive 4 out of 5 insurance claims are successful. The unsuccessful cases were caused by not having the correct cover or people making claims for items below the compulsory excess. These are all problems that can be overcome by having a better understanding of your cover.

A general Home Insurance Policy will normally cover:
• Fire, Smoke or Explosion Damage
• Fallen Trees
• Flooding
• Vehicle collisions
• Vandalism
• Damage caused by leaking pipes
• Damaged caused by leaking heating system
• Subsidence

Some of the common misconceptions of home insurance cover:
• Contents i.e. rugs, jewellery, electronics
• Frost
• Pest problems
• Leaky guttering
• General wear and tear

Getting to know your policy will ensure you know where you stand when it comes to the protection of your home.