By Tahir Abbas, Editor · Last updated 1 November 2026
Home insurance protects your house and everything in it: the building itself and your belongings. It pays to repair or rebuild after fire, storm, flood or burglary, and covers your liability if someone is injured on your property.
This guide explains what home insurance typically covers, what it leaves out, who it suits, and how to compare policies before you buy.
What home insurance typically covers
- Buildings cover: the structure, roof, walls and permanent fixtures
- Contents cover: furniture, electronics, clothing and personal items
- Fire, storm, flood, burst pipes and subsidence, where included
- Theft and vandalism
- Liability for injuries to visitors and damage to neighbours’ property
What home insurance typically does not cover
- Wear and tear and gradual damage
- Damage from lack of maintenance
- High-value items above the policy’s single-item limit, unless declared
- Damage while the home is unoccupied beyond the policy’s limit
- Certain floods or subsidence, where specifically excluded
Who home insurance is for
Every homeowner. Mortgage lenders usually require buildings cover, and contents cover protects the value of everything you own. Renters need contents cover too — see our Renters Insurance guide.
How to choose and compare home insurance
- Check the rebuild value, not the market value, for buildings cover
- Compare contents limits and single-item limits against what you own
- Look at the excess and whether accidental damage is included
- Consider security discounts for alarms, locks and smoke detectors
Back to Property & Lifestyle Insurance and Insurance.
Sources and Disclosure
This guide is general information, not financial advice. Plan features described here are general and vary by insurer and state; always read the sample policy before you buy. For the rules governing insurance in your state, see the consumer resources of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Disclosure: Being Insurance is an independent comparison site. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. That never changes which companies we list or the order we present them in.