Six tips to help find the best home insurance plan for

DON’T underinsure your property! Many people are underinsured and don’t realise that this affects every claim. If your building is insured for 70% of its replacement cost and you claim for €100,000 in damage, you’ll only get €70,000.

CONSIDER taking out both buildings and contents insurance with the same insurer to avoid disputes over liability in the event of a claim.

MAINTAIN your property. Insurers expect homeowners to take reasonable care of their home, regularly checking roofing, guttering, fences and pipes.

CHECK all limits and policy excesses, which are the part of the claim that you will have to

pay. Standard excesses are €200€300. But watch out for subsidence excesses, which can vary from €1,200 right up to €5,000, while water damage excesses can vary from €500-€1,000.

REVIEW the value of your home contents regularly, including expensive individual items, to ensure your cover is adequate.

CONSIDER accidental damage cover. More than two in five claims can be for accidental damage.

Yet this is ‘optional cover for events not covered by the normal perils of fire, flood, theft etc. For example, putting your foot through the ceiling whilst in the attic or knocking over the TV,’ explains home insurer Zurich.