Wondering "is my house insured?" It’s one of those nagging life admin tasks that sits in the back of your mind until something goes wrong. And then you're not sure what’s covered, or if you’ve sorted it at all. Here's how to find out if you're insured and if you have the right level of cover in place.
Is my home insured?
There’s no national home insurance database like there is for car insurance, so there’s no single place to check.
But here’s what you can do:
- Check your emails for confirmation from an insurer or a renewal notice. Try searching for 'home insurance' or 'policy'.
- Look at your bank statements for regular payments to an insurance company.
- Ask your mortgage advisor or broker - they may have a record of the insurer details you gave them when you got your mortgage.
- Scroll through our home insurance providers, it might jog your memory.
If you still can’t find anything, it’s likely your house isn’t insured. If this is the case, you can compare home insurance quotes to find a policy that suits your needs.
Is house insurance a legal requirement?
No, you don’t have to insure your home by law. But if you’ve got a mortgage, your lender might need you to have buildings insurance. If you’re renting, your landlord is responsible for buying buildings insurance or a specific landlord insurance policy.
Another type of home insurance policy that people buy is contents insurance. This helps to protect your belongings, so it even comes in handy for those who rent.
Without insurance, you’re responsible for the full cost of repairs or rebuilding if something goes wrong, which can be very costly.
When is my house insurance due?
If you already have a policy, your home insurance renewal date will usually 12 months after the start date. You can often find it:
- In your policy documents
- On your insurer’s website, if you sign in to your account
- In a reminder email or letter from your insurer.
How do I know if I already have home insurance?
It’s not always obvious, especially if someone else in the household arranged it. Here's what you can try:
- Ask your partner or housemates if they’ve sorted it.
- Look through any old paperwork or emails around the time you moved in. It may have just auto-renewed, so it will feel like a long time since you had to look at it.
It’s not worth risking being uninsured if something happens. So ensure you get a policy sorted as soon as possible.
Tips for getting your home insured
If it turns out you’re not insured, or your policy is up for renewal, here’s how to get the right cover:
- Choose your policy type and work out how much cover you need. Buildings, contents, or both? Use our contents calculator to estimate your belongings.
- Be honest and tell about any changes or home renovations you have made or are planning to make.
- Don’t auto-renew. You could save money by comparing home insurance quotes and switching.
cookie usage