Home Insurance News from Be Wiser

Home contents total "staggering"

An expert has commented that the value of contents in many houses is "staggering".

Neil Laird is home insurance manager at Sainsbury's and highlighted the expense of replacing items should they be stolen.

His firm's 2009 research, based on data provided by Criterion Loss Adjusters, found that the typical home has a high amount of money tied up in goods.

Mr Laird said this means it is "essential" to compare policies on the cover they offer as well as price.

"It's important to make sure you not only have sufficient sum insured cover but also accidental damage cover. Not all policies provide cover for soft furnishings, including carpets, as standard for example," he asserted.

His firm made a number of suggestions to people shopping for a policy.

They should work out how much insurance is needed on a room to room basis, it said.

Pets can also affect damage clauses, so they must be considered in a quote.

Marking expensive items such as computers and TVs could also be advised, as they can then be more easily recovered.

"Quality" cover did not have to be a large expense, Mr Laird concluded.

Direct Line and Churchill are among other organisations that offer home contents insurance.

It might be worth having a finance Q&A with an expert to decide which policy could be best for you.

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