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Contents insurance protects everything inside your home — from electronics and furniture to clothing and personal items. Whether you own or rent, your belongings are not covered by buildings insurance or your landlord’s policy.
What Is Covered
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Furniture | Sofas, beds, tables, chairs, wardrobes |
| Electronics | TV, laptop, phone, gaming console, tablet |
| Kitchen appliances | Fridge, washing machine, microwave |
| Clothing | All clothing and shoes |
| Jewellery and watches | Often with a single-item limit |
| Soft furnishings | Curtains, rugs, bedding, towels |
| Personal items | Books, toys, games, decorations |
| Bicycles | Usually up to a specified limit |
| Garden contents | Garden furniture, tools, plants (limited) |
Types of Cover
| Cover Type | Protection Level |
|---|---|
| New for old | Pays replacement cost of new equivalent item (recommended) |
| Indemnity | Pays current value (accounting for wear and tear — lower payout) |
| Bedroom rated | Premium based on number of bedrooms (simpler) |
| Sum insured | You specify total value of contents |
Always choose “new for old” cover where possible — indemnity policies pay significantly less.
Typical Costs
| Property | Annual Premium (Standard Cover) |
|---|---|
| 1-bed flat (renter) | £60–£150 |
| 2-bed house | £100–£200 |
| 3-bed house | £150–£300 |
| 4-bed house | £200–£400 |
| High-value contents | £300–£600+ |
Factors Affecting Price
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Postcode (crime rate) | High impact |
| Total sum insured | Higher value = higher premium |
| Security (locks, alarms) | Better security = lower premium |
| Claims history | Previous claims increase costs |
| Excess level | Higher excess = lower premium |
| Cover type (accidental damage) | Adding AD increases cost |
Working Out Your Contents Value
Room-by-Room Checklist
| Room | Typical Value Range |
|---|---|
| Living room | £3,000–£10,000 |
| Kitchen | £2,000–£6,000 |
| Main bedroom | £3,000–£8,000 |
| Other bedrooms | £1,500–£4,000 each |
| Bathroom | £500–£1,500 |
| Home office | £1,000–£5,000 |
| Hallway | £500–£2,000 |
| Garden/shed | £500–£3,000 |
| Average total | £30,000–£50,000 |
Most people underestimate. Go through each room mentally and add up replacement costs at today’s prices.
Optional Extras
| Extra | What It Covers | Worth It? |
|---|---|---|
| Accidental damage | Spilling wine on carpet, dropping a TV | Yes (if you have children or are clumsy) |
| Personal possessions away from home | Phone, laptop, jewellery when out | Yes (if you carry valuables) |
| Bicycle cover | Theft of bicycle away from home | Yes (if you have an expensive bike) |
| Freezer contents | Food spoilage from freezer breakdown | Minor cost addition |
| Legal expenses | Legal disputes (neighbour, consumer) | Useful addition |
| Home emergency | Boiler breakdown, burst pipe, locksmith | Alternative: standalone home emergency cover |
Single Item Limits
Most policies have a single item limit (typically £1,000–£2,000). Items worth more than this must be individually specified:
| Item Type | Consider Specifying If Worth Over |
|---|---|
| Engagement ring | £1,000 |
| Watch | £1,000 |
| Laptop | £1,500 |
| Bicycle | £1,000 |
| Camera equipment | £1,000 |
| Musical instruments | £1,000 |
Making a Claim
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Report theft to police within 24 hours (get crime reference) |
| 2 | Contact insurer as soon as possible |
| 3 | List stolen/damaged items with values |
| 4 | Provide evidence — photos, receipts, bank statements |
| 5 | Get repair/replacement quotes |
| 6 | Wait for assessment — insurer may send a loss adjuster |
| 7 | Receive payout — replacement, repair, or cash settlement |
Tips for Successful Claims
- Keep receipts and photos of valuable items
- Take a video walkthrough of your home as evidence
- Update your insurer when you buy high-value items
- Report claims promptly
Saving Money
- Increase excess — £250–£500 excess significantly reduces premium
- Improve security — approved locks, alarm, CCTV
- Bundle with buildings — combined home insurance often cheaper
- Pay annually — saves 5–10% vs monthly
- Accurate valuation — don’t over-insure (but don’t under-insure either)
- Shop around at renewal — loyalty rarely pays with insurance
How Much Does Contents Insurance Cost?
Contents insurance premiums vary significantly by postcode, contents value, security, and claims history. Indicative UK market prices for 2025:
| Household type | Typical annual premium | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single person, flat, £15k contents | £70–£130 | Low risk postcode |
| Family home, £45k contents | £120–£250 | Depends heavily on location |
| High-value contents £75k+ | £250–£600 | Specialist insurer often needed |
| Tenant (personal possessions only) | £50–£100 | Contents-only policy |
| Student contents | £40–£80 | Often included in specialist student policies |
Premiums in high-crime postcodes or flood-risk areas can be 50–150% higher than the figures above.
What Is “New for Old” Cover?
Most modern contents insurance is sold as “new for old” — meaning if your 5-year-old laptop is stolen, you receive enough to buy a comparable new laptop today, not the second-hand value. Some budget policies offer indemnity cover instead, which deducts depreciation — check which you have before buying.
New for old is worth having because the difference on a £1,000 item could be £400–£700 after depreciation.
High-Value Items and Specified Cover
Most contents policies include a single article limit — typically £1,500–£2,500. Any single item worth more than this limit must usually be specified (individually listed) on the policy. Items to check:
- Jewellery and watches
- Bicycles
- Musical instruments
- Art and antiques
- Cameras and photography equipment
- Laptops and mobile phones
Items not specified above the single article limit will be paid out at the limit, not their actual value. A £4,000 engagement ring with a £2,000 single article limit means a £2,000 shortfall.
Away-from-Home Cover (Personal Possessions)
Standard contents policies cover items within your home. If you want cover for possessions taken outside — phone, wallet, laptop, bike — you need personal possessions or away-from-home cover. This is often an add-on.
For bicycles specifically, many insurers require individual specification of bikes over £300–£500 and proof of a security lock.
Accidental Damage vs Defined Perils
Most contents policies are defined perils — they cover named events (fire, theft, flood, escape of water) but not accidental damage unless you add it. Accidental damage cover is worth adding if you have children, clumsy housemates, or valuables. Common accidental damage claims:
- Red wine on cream carpet
- Knocked-over TV
- Child drawing on sofa
- Dropped and cracked tablet screen
Contents Insurance for Tenants: What You Do (and Don’t) Need
As a tenant, you are only responsible for insuring your contents — not the building, fixtures, or fittings, which are the landlord’s responsibility. Don’t pay for buildings cover in a tenants’ contents policy.
However, check whether your policy includes liability to landlord cover — if you accidentally damage the landlord’s fixtures (e.g., cracked bathroom tiles), you could be liable. Some contents policies include this, others don’t.
What Won’t Be Covered
Contents insurance exclusions to know:
| Exclusion | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Gradual deterioration | Wear and tear, rot, damp — long-term damage only |
| Unattended valuables | Phone left on car seat, bag left unattended in public |
| Business equipment | Laptops used for work may require business cover or endorsement |
| Cash over limit | Usually capped at £200–£500 in cash |
| Motor vehicles | Cars have their own insurance; contents doesn’t cover them |
| Items not at home address | Unless you have away-from-home cover |
Related Guides
- Buildings Insurance Guide — the other half of home insurance
- Landlord Insurance Guide — if you rent out a property
- Tenants Rights Guide — your rights as a renter
- Home Emergency Cover Guide — boiler and plumbing emergencies