Explore our three levels of cover
Compare Bronze, Silver and Gold, and select the protection that best suits your needs.
Contents-only cover
Protect your belongings, furniture and personal items.
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More choice with your contents cover
Here is what you can expect from policy Expert:
Explore optional extras
Optional extras include accidental damage cover and personal possessions cover away from home.
Real people support
UK-based support when you need it.
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What is contents insurance and who is it for?
Contents insurance protects the belongings you’d take with you if you moved home, from furniture and appliances to clothes, electronics and jewellery. It’s suitable for homeowners and renters who want help protecting the things they own.
Choose from Bronze, Silver or Gold cover, with optional protection for accidental damage and belongings taken away from home. Cover limits and exclusions vary, so check your policy wording for full details.
What does contents insurance cover?
Contents insurance protects belongings kept in your home, including items stored in garages and outbuildings within your property boundary. What’s covered depends on your chosen tier and any optional extras you add. Cover and limits vary by tier, always refer to your policy wording.
Cover and limits vary by tier.
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Belongings in your home
Cover for items such as furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchenware and appliances.
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Outdoor belongings
Depending on your cover level, this can include garden furniture and outdoor equipment kept within your property.
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Items temporarily away from home
Cover for belongings temporarily removed while your home is being decorated or repaired.
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Valuables and personal items
Covered up to the single-item limit included with your chosen tier.
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Personal possessions away from home
Add optional cover for belongings you take with you when you’re out and about.
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Accidental damage
Optional cover for unexpected mishaps and accidental damage to your belongings.
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Fridge and freezer contents
Cover for food that spoils following insured damage or a power failure.
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Cover and limits vary by tier. For full details of the limits, conditions and exclusions that apply, use the link below.
Contents insurance for renters
Even if you rent a furnished home, you may have belongings of your own. Adding up their estimated replacement cost can help you decide how much contents insurance cover to consider.
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Your landlord is normally responsible for insuring the building itself, including the walls, roof and permanent fixtures. This may not include your personal belongings, so check what cover is already in place.
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Contents insurance can cover personal belongings such as clothes and electronics against events covered by your policy. Accidental damage cover is an optional extra and is not included automatically.
What isn’t covered by contents insurance
Contents insurance protects your belongings but does not cover the structure of your home or certain outdoor areas, which are usually covered under a buildings insurance policy. See the policy wording for the full list of limitations and exclusions.
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Buildings and structural damage
Walls, roofs, permanent fixtures and structural repairs aren’t covered.
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Storm damage outdoors
This includes damage to gates, fences and belongings left in the open.
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Flood damage to outdoor areas
Drives, patios, paths, terraces, gates and fences aren’t covered unless your home is damaged at the same time.
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Theft without forced entry
Money stolen from your home isn’t covered unless force or violence was used to enter.
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Wear and tear
Gradual deterioration, loss of value, wet or dry rot, and pollution damage aren’t covered.
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Subsidence affecting outdoor areas
Damage is only covered if the main building is affected at the same time.
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Items requiring specialist cover
Vehicles, caravans, watercraft, aircraft, animals, business stock, work equipment, lottery tickets and marquees aren’t covered.
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These are some of the main exclusions. For full details of the terms, conditions and exclusions that apply, use the link below.
Compare our contents cover levels: Bronze to Gold
We offer three tiers of contents-only cover – Bronze, Silver and Gold – so you can choose the level of protection that matches the value of your belongings.
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Cover for your contents, with higher sums insured as you move up the tiers.
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Support for alternative accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable.
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Cover for contents in outbuildings and, on higher tiers, contents left in the open.
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Replacement cover for freezer and fridge contents, title deeds, and locks and keys.
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High-value items, valuables and optional extras
Items worth more than £2,000 must be listed separately on your policy schedule, including jewellery, watches, art, antiques, cameras and musical instruments.
Use the cost to replace each item new, not its original purchase price. If you’re unsure, get an independent professional valuation.
Log into your online customer account any time to add, remove or update specified items. Navigate to your policy details and follow the prompts to adjust your cover.
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Our awards and recognition
We’re proud that Defaqto has awarded both our Gold and Platinum home insurance products its highest rating of 5 stars. This recognition underscores our commitment to providing exceptional home insurance coverage to our valued customers.
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Personal possessions away from home
Standard contents insurance may not cover valuables outside your home. Add personal possessions cover to protect specified items such as phones, laptops and jewellery while out in the UK or abroad.
This optional extra extends your contents cover beyond your home, protecting specified items when you’re out and about in the UK or travelling abroad. You’ll need to tell us which items you want covered outside the home when you buy the add-on. Each item will have its own cover limit, depending on the tier you choose.
When contents insurance helps: everyday examples
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Theft
If your home is broken into and belongings like your television, laptop or jewellery are stolen, contents insurance covers the cost of replacing them, minus your excess.
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Accidental damage
Available as an optional extra. If you spill a drink or otherwise damage a carpet, sofa or other belongings by accident, accidental damage cover pays for cleaning or repair, so you’re only left with a small excess rather than the full cost.
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Our home Insurance expert says...
"A lot of people assume home insurance always includes buildings cover, but that’s not true if you’re renting, or you’ve already got buildings cover sorted elsewhere. Buildings and contents can be insured separately. Contents-only insurance covers the belongings you’d take with you if you moved. Check what cover is already in place before choosing your policy.”
Tom Hewitt, Head of Field Operations
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Contents insuranceFAQs
Do I need contents insurance if I rent?
Your landlord’s buildings insurance won’t normally cover your personal belongings. If you’d find it difficult to replace things you own, such as electronics, clothing or furniture, contents insurance can help cover those costs if something goes wrong.
The right level of cover depends on what you own and how much it would cost to replace.
What counts as contents?
Contents are items you'd take with you if you moved house: furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchenware, appliances, books, bedding and personal belongings. Fixtures permanently attached to the building structure would be covered under buildings insurance, not contents.
Will accidental damage cover for contents against damage caused by pets?
No, damage caused by pets isn't covered. This applies whatever level of home insurance you have.
Are belongings covered in outbuildings, the garden or my car?
Cover for outbuildings varies by tier, so it's worth checking your own policy details. Contents stored in outbuildings within your property boundary are covered up to the limit shown in your tier. Contents in the open, such as garden furniture, also have their own limit depending on your tier - check your customer schedule for the exact amount that applies to you. Items in your vehicle generally aren't covered by contents insurance and should be protected under your car insurance policy instead.
Do I need to list expensive items separately?
Yes. Any single item worth more than £2,000 must be specified individually on your policy schedule. This includes jewellery, watches, art, cameras, musical instruments and similar valuables. Log into your customer account to specify items and adjust your cover whenever needed.
What is accidental damage and is it included as standard?
Accidental damage covers mishaps like spilling a drink on your laptop or dropping your television. It’s an optional extra, not included automatically. You’ll pay a slightly higher premium but gain protection against everyday accidents that standard contents cover doesn’t include.
Can I add personal possessions away from home?
Yes, this is an optional add-on that extends contents cover to items you take outside your home, such as phones, laptops, cameras and bicycles. You’ll need to specify which items to cover and their values when you add this extra to your policy.
What happens if my home is empty for a while?
Your unoccupancy limit depends on your tier. On Bronze and Silver, your home can be empty for up to 30 consecutive days; on Gold, this extends to up to 45 consecutive days. If your home will be empty longer than this, contact us before you leave so we can advise on any changes needed to maintain cover.
How do I make a claim?
Start your claim online any time, and we'll guide you through what happens next.
Is contents-only cover just for renters?
No. Both renters and homeowners can choose contents-only insurance. Buildings cover may be arranged separately, for example by a landlord, a freeholder or through another policy. Check what cover is already in place before choosing your insurance.
I own my home and already have buildings insurance - do I still need contents cover?
Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home – the walls, roof and permanent fixtures – but it won't pay out if your belongings are stolen, damaged or destroyed. If you've already got buildings cover in place, whether that's through a separate policy, your mortgage lender or your freeholder, contents insurance fills that gap by protecting the things inside your home, from your furniture and electronics to your everyday possessions.
Explore our home insurance optional extras
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Legal expenses cover
Legal expenses cover can help with the cost of pursuing or defending certain legal disputes. It gives you access to expert legal advice and cover for eligible legal costs.
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Home emergency cover
Find out what home emergency cover includes, what's covered, and how it can help when things go wrong.
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Key cover
Learn how Policy Expert key cover provides protection if your keys are lost, stolen or damaged.