Home sweet home

For most of us, home is where the heart is – which is why protecting your home through insurance is vital in case of damage and even burglary.

Here are our top things for you to consider when it comes to taking out home insurance.

1. Avoid auto-renewing

Shop around to find the best deal. Use multiple comparison websites, like Money Supermarket, as insurance providers often lower their prices for them – but check direct, too, as some providers like Direct Line aren’t on price comparison sites.

Auto-renewing doesn’t guarantee you the best deal!

2.Upgrade your door locks

Insurers will ask which type of door locks you have. Money Saving Expert found that the five-lever mortice deadlock is preferred by insurers, and swapping to one could save you £50 per year on your new policy.

A five-lever mortice deadlock will only set you back between £15 to £25, too. 3. List your items carefully

Take out enough cover for your belongings – you can easily use the Direct Line or AA calculator to help add everything up.

For example, if you have £20,000 worth of possessions, but only cover £10,000 worth, the insurer will consider you 50% covered.

Check your insurance policy’s single-item limit, too. If one of your expensive belongings exceeds this limit, such as a laptop, you need to list it separately on your policy.

4. Consider add-ons

Home insurance is usually made up of buildings insurance and contents insurance.

But it may be worth taking out add-on policies, such as accidental damage and personal belongings cover, too.

These may cover you for clumsy accidents, or having your phone stolen while you’re outside of the house.