What Does Buildings Insurance Cover?

Buildings insurance policies differ in their terms and conditions, and in the cover they offer. However, in general, they provide cover against damage or loss caused by the following:

• Burst pipes, tanks, damaged boilers
• Civil riot or malicious persons
• Collision by vehicles or animals (for example, if someone drives into your home)
• Falling objects: trees, aerials, parts of aircraft
• Earthquake
• Explosion
• Fire
• Lightning
• Storm and Flood
• Subsidence, heave and landslip
• Theft

If your house is rendered uninhabitable or completely destroyed, you should be able to claim the cost to carry out the necessary repairs or to rebuild. The policy will help to meet any reasonable cost of alternative accommodation whilst the rebuilding work is undertaken.

Smaller claims can be made for damage caused by less devastating events such as floods, smoke, or broken windows.

What's Covered?

A buildings insurance policy covers the structure of your house, but will also provide cover for permanent fixtures and fittings such as toilets and baths, fitted kitchens and bedroom cupboards. Interior decorations are also covered. The policy may include any legal costs arising from damage to your home.

Policies often also include outbuildings such as garden sheds, garages and greenhouses. However, fences, walls, gates, paths, drives and swimming pools may not be covered - so you need to check the policy if you need protection for these additional areas.

Extensions of Cover

With most policies, you will be able to purchase extra cover for an additional premium. These can often be extremely useful.

Pipes and Cables

The underground pipes and cables supplying gas, electricity, oil, water, or sewage, can be insured against accidental damage. However, they cannot be insured against wear and tear.

Breakages

Damage to baths, washbasins or toilets can be covered at an additional premium, as can the glass in doors, windows and skylights.

Liability

Householders have a duty to exercise reasonable care in everything they do. If someone or their property is injured or damaged as a result of your carelessness or negligence, then you could be held legally liable for this and have to pay compensation. Contents and buildings policies cover you against this risk. The buildings policy covers you as owner of your home, whilst the contents policy covers you as its occupier.

Exclusions

Building insurance rarely covers the cost of repairing your property against problems caused by normal wear and tear. So, although you cannot make a claim to have your roof repaired simply because it is old and leaking, you would able to claim if it was leaking because a tree or other object had fallen onto it.

Your policy may exclude other certain events, such as damage caused by terrorism or flood. These exclusions will vary between insurance companies and from policy to policy. Consequently, it is vital to check your policy details, so that you know those risks you do not have insurance against. If there is anything you do not understand, always ask your agent for an explanation.