Signing a home insurance policy today can take just minutes – which is exactly why it's worth building in five questions' worth of slowing down. These five questions don't call for expertise, just for asking them – of whoever gave you the quote, of the policy wording, or of me. Get answers to these, and you'll know pretty much everything that will matter at a claim.
- The five questions: where the sums insured come from, what's covered and how it's defined, where the limits and deductible sit, what's excluded, and what to do at a claim.
- The point isn't to quiz anyone – it's to have the policy's boundaries come out BEFORE you sign, not at a claim.
- An answer you get in writing still counts as evidence later – ask by email, and keep the reply with your policy.
1. What is the buildings and contents sum insured based on?
If there's no working behind the figure – a per-square-metre rebuild calculation for the building, an itemised estimate for the contents – then it's just a number, and it carries the risk of proportional settlement at a claim. A good answer sounds like this: the building sits at its true rebuilding value, and the contents figure comes from a room-by-room inventory. Ask about indexation too: does the sum insured track price changes year on year, or do you have to adjust it by hand?
2. Exactly which events are covered – and how are they defined?
It's not the number of covers that counts, but the definitions: what counts as a storm, which section of pipework the water-damage cover applies to, what the product means by burglary. Two similarly named packages can perform very differently at a claim – the coverage map shows the typical scope, and the guide to reading policy terms shows where to find the answer in the text. Ask for the definitions from the policy wording itself, not a verbal explanation – it's the wording you can point to at a claim.
3. Where do limits apply, and how big is the deductible?
“It's covered” on its own says little if an internal cap applies to that type of loss: limits on valuables and cash are the typical source of surprises. On the deductible, clarify how much stays with you per event, and how that relates to the premium – the reasoning: deductible logic. Good practice: check what the package would pay out for your three highest-value items – it's the quickest test of the limits.
4. What's excluded – and what do I need to report myself?
Exclusions are the product's boundaries: wear and tear, lack of maintenance, certain special risks – the exclusions map shows the typical scope. The same question covers your own duties: what changes you need to report during the life of the policy – letting the property, extended vacancy, renovation – because a missed report can come back to bite you at a claim. The list of reporting duties is typically its own chapter in the policy wording – it's worth copying out and keeping with the policy.
5. What do you do at a claim, and what are the deadlines?
Ask for the script in advance: where you report (the insurer's claims line or online claim form is the primary route), how much time you have, and what documents the insurer expects. Clear this up when you sign, and in a real situation the claim reporting checklist will just be a reminder. And one honest closing thought: if you don't get a straight answer to any of these five questions, that's an answer in itself – in that case, it's worth reviewing the quote together before you sign.
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