Building and Contents Insurance.

Leesey

Leesey

Leesey

Associate
Joined
7 Sep 2010
Posts
232
So, I've had my completion date come through for my first home and I've been told told to get my building and contents insurance ready and in place for the completion date.

Is there anything I should be looking out for when searching around, I know cheapest is not always the best but I'm not really sure what to look out for with this been my first property.

I'm going to be the sole occupant of the house with a rebuild price of approximately £200,000 and contents of approximately £50,000 with nothing of real significant value other than maybe the computer costing around £1,500 and sofas maybe around the same value also.

No expensive possessions such as jewelry or watches ect just yet.

Who are you with and why?
 
I only have contents insurance at the moment as I'm renting, but went with AA as their accidental cover was pretty good.

Also good one I was thinking about was John Lewis, but ended up with AA as they included breakdown for free.

I would say check out http://defaqto.com/star-ratings/home-insurance
to get info on general rating of different companies when you get quotes.
 
I just went on the compare sites and went with the cheapest name I recognised. >_<
 
HeX said:
I just went on the compare sites and went with the cheapest name I recognised. >_<
Click to expand...


This is a great strategy right up until you need to claim. Even well-known names are not immune to behaving like complete ****s when you have to take money off them, rather than donate it. I'd do some reading around first. And avoid Nationwide.
 
Meridian said:
This is a great strategy right up until you need to claim. Even well-known names are not immune to behaving like complete ****s when you have to take money off them, rather than donate it. I'd do some reading around first. And avoid Nationwide.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on the nationwide comment? Looking at similar insurance myself and my mortgage is with them, seemed sensible.
 
Nationwide kind of screwed me over. Basically because the home and contents didn't come into effect until the date I moved they wouldn't give me any paper work. Hence why I didn't have anything to give to my solicitor and hence why they wouldn't authorise my move. Hence a very panicked effort to go with an alternative company and just email the documents over to the solicitors.

This was after numerous calls to Nationwide to fax the solicitor (they can't email??? really in this day and age) and then nothing coming through to be told they were doing it now and again nothing coming through hence the alternative above.

Ironically the rest of the people I've dealt with at Nationwide have been really good. In the end though they are very expensive. The home care stuff they do is good and I've never had a problem claiming on that.



M.
 
I'm with Halifax because they are nearly always the cheapest after cashback, usually under £100 year with a £0-50 excess. I don't think we have any single items of contents worth over £1000.
 
I'm with legal and general. 3 years no claims now. Just the best price for the level of cover at the time. But check out the compare sites. Moneysavingexpert, gocompare, comparethemarket blah blah blah. Last insurance was £162. Quote for renewal in a months time £110 with £30 cashback etc etc.
 
Trouble with most insurance policies, that aren't motor insurance, is that they're like comparing apples to pears. Same Same but different.

Personally I'm with More Than and I'm still with them and my premium hasn't changed in 3 years despite making a claim for flooring so no complaints. I also get a discount as my dog insurance is with them.
 
I would stick to companies that insure their own product, we went with Halifax for car insurance and when it came to claim we had to go through some tin pot company that were pig ignorant and difficult. I'd now pay the extra.

Direct Line have always been excellent for me in both house and ca insurance and for some unknown reason I can't beat any of their renewal prices on any product.

However for some people they are very very expensive, I must just be part of their target audience.
 
1st year in my flat I used Direct Line for Home & Bank Of Scotland for contents for some reason (can't think what)

Just renewed my home insurance with DL and added contents onto it. Went for their home insurance plus package (get unlimited buildings & contents upto £100000, travel insurance, ID Fraud cover, home emergency cover and a bunch of other things included)

I get a bit of a discount as I use DL for car insurance also
 
I was with barclays who provided excellent cover (new for old, matching sets, garden, trace and fix, all accidental inc home entertainment etc etc) but prices were going up about £50 a year. Renewed this year with Dial Direct who offer decent cover not quite upto barclays level but still a lot more than most.

I would spend a lot more time reading the small print for home insurance than anything else. Even a quick scan of the exclusions section is normally enough to give you an idea.
 
Direct Line (and any other insurer in the UK Insurance group) have very good customer service.

But if you have to make a claim on the buildings insurance then DON'T go with their "approved" builder.
We had a dishwasher fire and needed the kitchen replacing, the kitchen itself was from Howdens and very good, but the firm that installed it were a bunch of cowboys.
 
Think I'm going to go with Direct Line. £235 for the year, similar prices with Axa, LV, L&G, Post Office, Churchill, Admiral.
 
Been with Legal & General for 2 years since I bought my current (first) house. Initially through a broker (Swintons), but they couldn't get close to the price when going direct when I renewed last month.

I have loads of optional extras, extended accidental damage for both buildings and contents, emergency cover, £0 compulsory excess (£100 compulsory), for £24/month
 
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