How to select a home insurance policy?

ellie27

OK might seem a stupid question. I have insured my home for the last 8 years or so buy since I am buying a new house this week and feel I am on this site constantly I thought I would ask......

Typed in the various details of the house on an insurance comparison site and about 50 different policies came up!!

How do you choose? Going from £141 to £959 per year.

Without going into look at every single policy how do you narrow it down? I know the excess can change the price, and some policies have accidental cover and legal assistance.

To be honest in the past I have just gone with the cheapest quote but thought I would see what others do.

Thanks!

hcb42

i never go for cheapest, I go for the brands I trust..not had a car or home claim in many a year. Obviously cover needs to be comparable and suitable

ellie27

hcb42 wrote: »

......I go for the brands I trust....

So you mean insurance providers you have heard of?

davidmcn

hcb42 wrote: »

I go for the brands I trust..not had a car or home claim in many a year.

So how do you know which brands to trust?

I don't see anything wrong with picking the cheapest - it's not as if there are any fly-by-night operators out there, and many of the brands are just the same companies operating under different names.

nubbins

I use all the comparison sites to see which are the cheapeast and then I cross compare at whos offering the best cashback at topcashback.co.uk, most times I just pick someone I have heard of combined with £50-80 cashback.

dacouch

davidmcn wrote: »

So how do you know which brands to trust?

I don't see anything wrong with picking the cheapest - it's not as if there are any fly-by-night operators out there, and many of the brands are just the same companies operating under different names.

To get in the top three on a comparison site Insurers tend to either strip out cover or reduce staff costs and thus customer service or both.

Old_Git

decide on the type of cover and how much cover you want .Do you want accidental damage or legal cover .

G_M

but there are other differences between policies.

Usually the comparison sites ask you if you want accidental damage and legal cover, so the prices are like for like so far as that is concerned (though you need to double check when you click through and buy the policy).

Likewise the excess, though these can vary and need checking.

But there are other differences:

* all insurers will cancel the policy if the property is 'unoccupied' - but this can be after 30 days, 45 days, 60 days etc - so if you plan to spend time in your 2nd home in France, check first!

* exclusions - all policies will cover fire, theft etc, but each will have exclusion clauses which could mean a claim is denied - read the policies!

* some might no have phone access - only internet. Does that suit? It's a pain when you have a query or, god forbid, a complaint.

* can you claim new for old? Or just the 2nd hand value for what you've lost?

As with most things, the cheapest policies (as a general rule) will have the most basic cover.

davidmcn

dacouch wrote: »

To get in the top three on a comparison site Insurers tend to either strip out cover or reduce staff costs and thus customer service or both.

Possibly true, but how do you determine which of the more expensive insurers have better customer service, and which have just opted to have a bigger profit margin?