Home Insurance: Free contents offers not always as good as they sound.

Absf

Just a word of caution: have spent the best part of a week shopping around for new home buildings and contents insurance and came across several companies offering free contents. In several cases these deals were more expensive than other companies classic buildings/contents packages - and in my case, it actually worked out about £60 cheaper to buy separate buildings and contents from different companies. Fwiw, I ended up using Churchill for buildings and Axa for contents. Didn't get cashback on either, but still worked out the best deal as far as cover and cost were concerned.

amancalledmartin

I would certainly agree with this. But bear in mind that some companies will offer discounts to insure contents and buildings together (and ask them if they do when you get a quote, because they might not do it automatically). Also bear in mind that when you insure your contents and buildings separately, should you have a fire claim or other claim that affects both sides, you will end up dealing with two different brokers, two loss adjusters, etc. If it's a big difference it might be worth it. If you're only talking a few pounds is it really worth the hassle?

dacouch

Also bear in mind the "Free Contents" policies are only basic policies with no cover away or accidental damage etc. You will have to pay to upgarde to these cover so if you are comparing a "free" contents policy with your current provider it is important to compare like for like. Remember a saving is not a saving if it means you cannot claim for something that would have been covered on your old policy.

Further to amancalledmartin with two seperate policies you will have two seperate excesses to pay and there are very rare times when something is borderline whether its contents or buildings cover and if you have both covers with the same Insurer they will normally pay it.

Thanks for your post Absf and welcome to MSE

Absf

Fare enough re' the excesses, but I have compare like for like and, for the increased level of cover that I wanted, I was better off (to the tune of £60) with two separate policies than going with the one company. What's also worth noting is that my old insurance broker, who for several years had done a good job (I used to double check!), was way out by about £500 this year! So, if anyone here uses a broker, don't rely on them to get you the best price.