Is My House Insured? How to Check Your Home Insurance Cover

Most people only check their home insurance when something has gone wrong.

You may be buying a house, renewing your mortgage, dealing with damage, sorting out a relative’s property, or simply trying to find out whether your policy is still active. If you are asking “is my house insured?”, the safest answer is: check now, before you need to make a claim.

This guide explains how to find your home insurance documents, how to check whether you have buildings and contents cover, what can leave you underinsured, and what to do if you discover a problem.

Did you know: PCLA are Loss Assessors who help homeowners across Northern Ireland and Scotland with home insurance claims. We act for policyholders, not insurers, and we can review your position if you are unsure what your policy covers.

Does your home have to be insured?

Home insurance is not usually a legal requirement, but it is often required if you have a mortgage.

Most mortgage lenders expect you to have buildings insurance in place because the property is their security for the loan. Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home, including the roof, walls, windows, and permanent fixtures such as fitted kitchens and bathrooms. The Association of British Insurers explains that buildings insurance protects against the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home if it is damaged or destroyed.

Contents insurance is different. It covers the belongings inside your home, such as furniture, clothing, appliances, electronics, jewellery, and other personal possessions. The ABI describes contents as the items you would usually take with you if you moved house (ABI).

You can buy buildings and contents insurance separately or as a combined policy.

What happens if your house is not insured?

If your house is not insured, you may have to pay for repairs or replacement costs yourself.

That could include damage caused by:

• fire
• escape of water or burst pipes
• storm damage
• flood damage
• theft or burglary
• accidental damage, if you do not have that cover
• subsidence, depending on the property and policy

Even smaller claims can become expensive once drying, strip-out, repairs, replacement items, accommodation, and professional costs are included.

The risk is not only having no insurance. Many homeowners discover they have some cover, but not enough cover. This is known as underinsurance.

Is home insurance the same as buildings insurance?

No. “Home insurance” is a general term. It usually refers to one of three arrangements:

1. Buildings insurance: This covers the physical structure of the property and permanent fixtures.

2. Contents insurance: This covers your possessions inside the property.

3. Combined buildings and contents insurance: This includes both types of cover under one policy.

A common mistake is assuming that a buildings policy also covers everything inside the home. It usually does not.

Related: Home insurance: is it worth the price?

How do I find out if my house is insured?

Start with the simplest checks.

1. Search your emails

Search your inbox for terms such as:

• home insurance
• buildings insurance
• contents insurance
• policy schedule
• renewal
• insurance certificate
• direct debit
• insurer
• broker
• mortgage insurance

Also search the names of insurers, comparison websites, and brokers you may have used.

Check old email accounts too, especially if you changed email address when moving house, changing jobs, or switching broadband provider.

2. Check bank and credit card statements

Look for payments to an insurer, broker, comparison site, or direct debit provider.

Search for annual payments as well as monthly direct debits. Some people miss policies because the premium is paid once a year.

If you recently switched banks, check whether any direct debits failed, were cancelled, or did not transfer correctly.

3. Check your mortgage paperwork

If you have a mortgage, check your mortgage offer, completion documents, and correspondence from your lender.

Your lender may not hold the policy for you, but the paperwork may show whether buildings insurance was required at completion.

4. Check your online insurance accounts

If you bought your policy online, your documents may be available through your insurer’s customer portal.

Look for:

• policy schedule
• statement of fact
• insurance product information document
• renewal notice
• endorsements or changes
• claims helpline details

5. Contact your broker or financial adviser

If you bought cover through a broker, estate agent, mortgage adviser, or financial adviser, contact them. They may be able to confirm the insurer, policy number, renewal date, and cover type.

6. Contact the insurer directly

If you know the insurer but cannot find the documents, contact them with your name, address, previous address if relevant, date of birth, and postcode.

The ABI says that if you know the company you bought the policy from, the insurer should usually be able to trace your policy using personal information and your postcode.

How to find home insurance policy documents if you cannot remember the insurer

There is no central database for home insurance policies.

The ABI confirms that, for home insurance and other non-motor policies, there is no central policy database you can check. If you do not know the insurer, the ABI suggests speaking to your broker or financial adviser and checking bank or credit card statements for evidence of payments.

If you still cannot find the policy, try these routes.

Search old paperwork

Look through:

• moving house files
• mortgage documents
• solicitor correspondence
• renewal letters
• bank folders
• printed policy schedules
• old email attachments

Search for comparison website emails

If you used a comparison site, search your inbox for quotes and confirmation emails. These may point you back to the insurer.

Check inherited property paperwork

If the property belonged to a parent, relative, or someone who has died, check:

• bank statements
• solicitor files
• executor paperwork
• correspondence sent to the property
• any files kept with wills, deeds, or mortgage documents

If the home is empty while an estate is being handled, check the policy carefully. Many policies restrict cover when a property is unoccupied for more than a set period, often 30 or 60 days. The Financial Ombudsman Service notes that disputes often arise when properties are empty, being refurbished, or no longer lived in.

Ask anyone who helped arrange the property purchase

This could include:

• mortgage broker
• solicitor
• estate agent
• family member
• previous financial adviser
• property manager

They may not have the policy, but they may know who arranged it.

Am I covered if I rent out a room?

You should tell your insurer before renting out a room.

Taking in a lodger, renting a room through Airbnb, or using the property differently from how it was described when the policy was taken out can affect your cover.

Your insurer may ask:

• whether the person is a lodger, tenant, guest, or short-term visitor
• whether the room is rented occasionally or permanently
• whether locks have been changed
• whether valuable items are kept in shared areas
• whether the property is still your main home
• whether there is any business use

Some policies exclude or restrict cover when the home is let to tenants. The ABI notes that contents policies may have restricted cover when a home is empty for a long period or is let to tenants.

Do not assume you are covered because you live in the property. Check the policy wording and tell your insurer before the arrangement begins.

How to check if you are underinsured

You are underinsured if your policy limit is too low to cover the real cost of rebuilding, repairing, or replacing what is insured.

This often happens when:

• the rebuild cost is out of date
• home improvements have increased the value or rebuild cost
• contents have been underestimated
• valuable items have not been listed separately
• policy limits have not kept pace with rising labour and material costs
• the property has outbuildings, extensions, or specialist features that were not included

For buildings insurance, the key figure is usually the rebuild cost, not the market value of the home. The ABI states that your building should be insured for the rebuilding cost, not what you paid for the property or its current market value.

For contents insurance, the figure should usually reflect the cost of replacing your contents as new, not their second-hand value. The ABI recommends making an inventory room by room and including items in attics, basements, sheds, and garages.

What is the average clause?

Some policies include an “average clause”.

This means that if you insured your property or contents for less than their true value, the insurer may reduce the claim in proportion to the underinsurance.

For example, if your contents should have been insured for £80,000 but you only insured them for £40,000, the insurer may argue that you were only 50% insured. Depending on the policy wording, that could mean a £20,000 claim is reduced to £10,000.

The Financial Ombudsman Service says insurers may use an average clause where something has been insured for less than its replacement value, but it also considers whether the insurer asked clear questions and explained the consequences properly.

If your insurer says you are underinsured, do not accept a reduced settlement without checking the policy wording and the questions you were asked when the policy was arranged.

What to do if you discover you are underinsured

If you think you are underinsured, take these steps.

1. Do not cancel your policy without advice

Cancelling cover may leave you exposed. Contact your insurer or broker and ask what needs to be updated.

2. Gather your policy documents

Find your policy schedule, statement of fact, renewal documents, and any endorsements.

3. Check what figure the insurer asked you for

There is an important difference between being asked “how much cover do you need?” and being asked for the full rebuild cost or full replacement value of your contents.

The Financial Ombudsman Service has highlighted that unclear questions can lead to underinsurance complaints, especially where consumers were not clearly asked for the full replacement or rebuild cost.

4. Update your insurer if your circumstances have changed

Tell your insurer about extensions, renovations, valuable purchases, lodgers, unoccupied periods, business use, or other changes that may affect the risk.

5. Get help if you are already making a claim

If damage has already happened and your insurer says you are underinsured, speak to an independent loss assessor.

PCLA can review your claim, inspect the damage, assess the evidence, and deal with the insurer on your behalf. We act for you, not the insurance company.

Home Insurance Cover Checker

Use this checklist once a year, after home improvements, after buying valuable items, or before making a claim.

Buildings cover

Check:

• Is the policy active?
• Is the policy in the correct name?
• Is the insured address correct?
• Is the rebuild cost up to date?
• Are extensions, conversions, garages, sheds, and outbuildings included?
• Are fitted kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and permanent fixtures covered?
• Is alternative accommodation included if the home cannot be lived in?
• Are escape of water, fire, storm, flood, theft, and subsidence covered?
• Are there any excesses that apply to different types of claim?

Contents cover

Check:

• Do you have contents cover, not just buildings cover?
• Is the contents sum insured enough to replace everything as new?
• Have you listed high-value items separately?
• Are jewellery, watches, bikes, laptops, and tools covered?
• Are items in sheds, garages, attics, or outbuildings covered?
• Does the policy include accidental damage?
• Are possessions covered away from home?
• Are there single-item limits?

Policy conditions

Check:

• Are doors and windows required to have specific locks?
• Does the policy restrict cover if the home is unoccupied?
• Do you need to tell the insurer about lodgers, Airbnb, or tenants?
• Do you need to report theft or malicious damage to the police?
• Are there maintenance requirements?
• Are wear and tear, pests, gradual leaks, or poor workmanship excluded?
• Do you need to keep receipts, photos, or proof of ownership?

Claim preparation

Keep:

• policy schedule
• insurer contact details
• claims helpline number
• photos or video of rooms and valuable items
• receipts for expensive items
• renovation records
• maintenance records
• emergency contractor invoices
• correspondence with your insurer

When should you check your home insurance?

Check your cover:

• when you buy a home
• when your mortgage renews
• when your policy renews
• after renovations or extensions
• after buying expensive items
• if someone moves in or out
• before renting out a room
• if the property will be empty
• after switching banks
• before making a claim

The best time to check your cover is before you need it. The second-best time is as soon as you realise there may be a problem.

Need help checking a home insurance claim?

If you have suffered damage to your home and you are unsure whether your policy will cover it, PCLA can help.

We are independent loss assessors who cover Scotland and Northern Ireland. We act for policyholders, not insurers. We assess the damage, prepare the evidence, manage the claim, and negotiate with the insurer on your behalf. Call PCLA on 028 9581 5318 to ask for a no-obligation claim review.