Compare Contents Insurance Quotes | GoCompare (2024)

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4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot^[2]

^[1]The average price paid annually for home insurance purchased in August 2023 by type of cover. For buildings and contents insurance, it was £197. For buildings insurance only, it was £161. For contents insurance only, it was £66.

^[2]Based on Trustpilot: Our average rating of 4.8 out of 5 is from 4811 people who left a review for home insurance comparison only. Last checked 19 February 2024

It’s the maximum amount a provider will pay out for any individual item should you make a claim. The limit could be anything from £1,000 to £1,500. It could even be more, depending on the policy and level of cover. If you have valuables that are worth more than the single-article limit, you need to tell your insurer about them so that they can be listed individually on your policy. You’ll likely have to pay extra to do this, but it’s the only way to ensure that valuable items like art and antiques are adequately covered.

It may be worth insuring your valuables on a separate, specialist policy, such as a jewellery insurance policy. This way you can keep the cost of your contents insurance down and have the right protection in place for your valuables.

Mobile phones should be covered under a standard home contents policy against theft and damage from things like fire and flood.

However, you won’t be covered for damage or theft that occurs outside the home, unless you choose to add away from home cover to your policy. To be insured against common events like dropping and smashing your phone (or if it falls down the toilet!), you’d need accidental damage cover too.

Mobile phones can be expensive, so you should check if yours is worth more than the single-article limit of your policy. If it is, you’ll need to list it with your insurer as a separate item to fully insure it.

You can also buy mobile phone insurance

Your pedal cycles (and in most cases electrically-powered bikes, too) should be covered under a contents policy, up to a certain amount, when they’re at home.

But to insure them against loss, theft or damage when you take them out and about, you’ll need to add bicycle cover as an optional extra. This covers your bicycles when they’re away from your home and often up to a certain number of days anywhere else in the world.

To be covered for theft, you mustn’t leave your bike unattended in a public place unless it’s locked to an immovable object or inside your vehicle.

Most home insurance policies will provide cover for items kept in your garden, shed and garage as standard. But not all policies do, so be sure to check.

If it’s not included, you can usually buy garden cover as an optional add-on.

It protects things like garden equipment, lawnmowers, tools, garden furniture and plants too.

Some policies might stipulate that things like your lawn mower or garden tools need to be locked away overnight.

If you have a particularly valuable garden item, like an expensive barbecue, you’ll usually be able to pay an additional sum to list it on your policy.

Insurers consider an item as high risk if it’s particularly attractive to thieves. High-risk items are usually expensive and can be easily sold on to make money.

Examples of high-risk items are jewellery, gold, watches, artwork and antiques.

You’ll be asked by your insurer to specify any particularly valuable items you want to insure on your contents policy.

Be sure to let your insurer know about these items as their value may exceed your policy’s single-item limit.

The more high-risk items you want to insure, the more expensive your policy could be, but it can pay to ensure you’re properly protected and fully covered in the long run.

Students living in rented accommodation away from home should consider contents insurance. Check first that your parents’ home contents policy doesn’t already cover your possessions when you’re living away, though.

If you're sharing and/or living in a hall of residence, you may need to think about a dedicated student insurance policy.

You might find less insurers are willing to offer you a quote, particularly if you live in shared accommodation. Some insurers refuse cover, others add extra exclusions, especially if bedrooms don't have their own locks.

Always be upfront about your living arrangements with insurers. If you’re not, and you need to make a claim, your policy could be invalid. That means the insurer won’t pay out.

Out of 327 contents insurance policies on Defaqto, 54% had no cover for matching sets and a further 30% had restricted cover, or it didn’t apply to all areas of the policy.^[4]

Not all insurers offer matching set insurance, so if it’s something you need, check the policy details for cover before you buy.

Kitchen and electrical items tend to be standard parts of contents insurance.

But if the item is regarded as a ‘fixture and fitting’ it can be part of buildings insurance instead. Check your policy and take note of any single article limits and your excess.

Having a combined buildings and contents policy can simplify instances like this when you’re not sure what cover you might need.