09/01/2023

5 things to check on your home insurance this year

Home insurance

The Christmas decorations have been put away, the big clean-up is finished, and there are only a handful of chocolates no one likes left in the tubs. The new year is here and for many of us, that means making plans and promises to make this year a great one. One thing that may easily slip your mind, though, is your home insurance. Is it up-to-date, and are you paying the right amount for it?

If you’ve not given thought to your home insurance for a while, here are five important things to consider so you start this year on the right foot with your cover.

Things to check on your home insurance in 2023

Make sure your Christmas gifts are covered

Your home insurance provider is there to make sure you have cover for your home and everything you want to protect inside it. If you’ve had some high-value or particularly precious gifts over the Christmas period, don’t assume they’re automatically covered by your policy. If you’re unsure, it may be wise to get in touch with your insurer. That way, you can be certain that you have cover that reflects all of your contents, from the very old to the brand new.

When was the last time your home was valued?

One of the biggest factors in the cost of your home insurance is the value of your home and its contents. Of course, it’s unlikely that you would have your home valued every year, but when was the last time you had an accurate valuation? As we’ve all seen, the housing market has shifted significantly in the past couple of years, and a valuation from 2019 can look very different to a valuation for the same house in 2023. An accurate figure is important to ensure you’re not under or over paying for your insurance and to give you peace of mind that your home is properly protected.

Check your insurance reflects your home security features

For many, boosting home security is becoming an increasing priority. It’s widely known that the winter brings a rise in burglaries, but fires and thefts can happen at any time of the year. If you’ve recently increased the security in and around your home with things like CCTV cameras, burglar alarms, or new smoke detectors, let your insurer know! Taking extra steps to keep yourself safe and protect your home could save you money by potentially lowering your insurance premiums too.

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Planning home renovations? Tell your insurer

 

Home renovations can have a significant impact on your insurance, and your policy could be invalid if you’ve made big changes without letting your insurer know. Since 2020’s lockdowns, home renovations have been on the rise. To make sure all of your hard work is protected, it’s best to let your insurer know if you’re planning to change things around your home so you have cover both during and after your renovations. If it’s too late for this and you’ve already made changes, get in touch with your insurer sooner rather than later. Do be aware that different renovations can affect your premiums in different ways, for example- new wiring may lower your premiums as the risk of fire is lowered, but a new solid marble worktop could increase your premiums as it is valuable, and therefore costly to replace.

Keep track of your belongings and photograph valuables.

An inventory list seems like overkill, but you’ll be glad of it should you need to make a claim. Unless you’re one of the extremely organised amongst us, it’s unlikely you’ll have such a list that documents the contents of your home on cover, their value and a picture of what they look like to hand. We know it sounds like a long, arduous and mostly pointless task, but doing this has two benefits-

  1. It ensures that you don’t forget anything that requires cover when taking out or updating your home insurance policy
  2. It ensures that things run smoothly if you need any proof of ownership when making a claim on your insurance.

Home insurance may not be forefront of your mind as you ring in the new year, but a little extra effort now can help you out in the long-run.

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If you’re planning a spring clean, why not incorporate making your list into your schedule? Or, if you’re budgeting for the year ahead, give your insurer a call after following our checklist to make sure you have an accurate figure to factor into your plans. No matter where life takes you this year, make sure you have the right cover for you and your family.

Looking for home insurance?

 

Your PCM can help if you need to check what you should be updating on your home insurance, from new purchases to security to home improvements. Get in touch by either filling in the form below or giving us a call on 0121 248 9440