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Contents Insurance

  • Protect what matters most at home with contents insurance – from just £64 a year¹.
  • Plus, enjoy exclusive rewards when you compare with us.
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We compare prices from 82 trusted home insurance providers³ – helping you find the right cover at the right price. Some of the providers we work with include:

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What is contents insurance?

Contents insurance is a type of home insurance that helps protect the belongings inside your home. It can cover the cost of repairing or replacing your items if they’re damaged, destroyed, or stolen.

This is different from buildings insurance, which covers the physical structure of your home — like the walls, roof, and permanent fixtures such as your kitchen or bathroom fittings.

You can take out contents-only insurance, which is ideal if you rent and your landlord is responsible for the building.

If you own your home, combining contents and buildings insurance into one policy could be more cost-effective — but it’s always worth comparing your options.

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What does contents insurance cover?

Contents insurance helps protect your personal belongings – generally, anything you’d take with you if you moved home. Exact cover can vary by provider, so it’s important to check the policy details to understand what’s included and your level of protection.
Here are some examples of what contents insurance can typically cover:
Jewellery and watches:- 1. Tech items – including TVs, phones, tablets, and laptops (some policies also cover digital assets)
2. Appliances – such as washing machines, fridges, and freezers
3. Furniture – like sofas, tables, and beds
4. Furnishings – including carpets, rugs, and curtains
5. Ornaments, books, artwork, and collectables
6. Clothing
7. Cash and important documents
8. Sports equipment and musical instruments
9. Food in your fridge or freezer
10. Items stored in garages, sheds, or outbuildings
11. Locks and keys replacement
If you own high-value items, you may need to list them separately to ensure they’re fully covered.
Many policies also offer additional benefits, like increased cover during special occasions (e.g. weddings or Christmas), temporary alternative accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable, and cover during your move if handled by professional movers.

How does contents insurance work?

Contents insurance is designed to protect your belongings by covering the cost of repair or replacement if they’re damaged, stolen or destroyed. The way providers calculate your level of cover can vary, typically in one of the following ways:

Bedroom-rated

Your cover is based on the number of bedrooms in your home. The insurer estimates the value of your contents accordingly.

Sum-insured

You estimate the total value of all the belongings in your home, and your cover is based on that figure. It’s important to be accurate to avoid being underinsured.

Unlimited cover

Some policies offer unlimited contents cover, so you don’t have to calculate the total value. However, there may still be limits for individual items.

Do I need contents insurance?

Contents insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s worth considering how much it would cost to replace your belongings if they were damaged, destroyed or stolen due to a fire, flood, or burglary. Whether you rent, own, or share a home, contents cover can offer peace of mind.

1. Homeowners

If you own your home, contents insurance covers your belongings, while buildings insurance protects the structure of your property. You can often save by buying a combined policy.

2. Renters

As a tenant, you’re responsible for insuring your own possessions, including furniture or appliances you own. Your landlord should have buildings insurance for the property itself.

3. Landlords

If you let out a furnished property, landlord contents insurance helps protect your items – such as furniture or appliances – from theft or accidental damage by tenants or guests.

4. Students

Student contents cover can protect your tech, clothes, books and other belongings while living in halls or shared accommodation.

5. Holiday homeowners

If you own a second home, especially one that’s unoccupied for long periods or rented out, you may need specialist contents insurance designed for holiday homes.

6. Tenants in shared homes or HMOs

If you live in a shared house or flat, room-only contents insurance lets you protect your belongings without covering your housemates’ items.

What risks does contents insurance cover?

Contents insurance typically protects your belongings against unexpected and sudden events that are out of your control, including:

1. Theft or attempted burglary

2. Vandalism or malicious damage

3. Fire, smoke, or explosions

4. Flooding, water leaks, or burst pipes

5. Storm or weather-related damage

Always check your policy documents to see exactly what’s included, as cover can vary between providers.

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"The best part was how transparent everything felt. No hidden fees or confusion—just honest comparisons and great value."

Natalie W.

What isn’t covered by contents insurance?

While contents insurance protects many of your belongings, there are certain exclusions to be aware of. Typically, your policy won’t cover:

  • Everyday wear and tear

  • Damage caused by poor upkeep or neglect

  • Items worth more than your policy’s single-item limit (unless declared)

  • Accidental damage – unless added as an optional extra

  • Intentional damage by someone living in your home

  • Lost or misplaced possessions

  • Theft without signs of forced entry (e.g., unlocked doors or windows)

  • Damage due to DIY errors or faulty workmanship

  • Mechanical or electrical failure of appliances or gadgets

  • Belongings taken outside the home (unless you add personal possessions cover)

  • Pet-related damage (e.g., chewing or scratching)

How does contents insurance pay out?

The way your contents insurance pays out depends on the type of policy you have. Here are the two main types:

Current value (indemnity cover):

This pays out the item’s value at the time of the claim, taking into account depreciation and wear and tear. While it may cost less in premiums, the payout might not be enough to replace the item with a brand-new equivalent.

New-for-old cover:

Most modern contents insurance policies offer this type of cover. If you make a claim, your insurer will pay the cost of replacing the damaged or stolen item with a brand-new one of the same kind or similar specification.

How does excess work on contents insurance?

When you make a claim on your contents insurance, you’ll need to pay an excess – this is the amount you contribute towards the cost of a claim. It usually includes:

  • Compulsory excess – set by your insurance provider.

  • Voluntary excess – an amount you choose when taking out your policy.

For instance, if your compulsory excess is £100 and you’ve chosen a voluntary excess of £200, the total excess on your policy would be £300. That means you’d cover the first £300 of any claim yourself.

Choosing a higher voluntary excess can sometimes lower your premium, but make sure it’s an amount you could afford if you ever need to claim.

How much does home contents insurance cost?


The cost of contents insurance varies depending on your circumstances, but here’s a snapshot based on recent customer quotes:
£41/year – what 10% of people were quoted or less [3]
£64/year – what 51% of people were quoted or less [1]
Your premium is influenced by factors such as:
Where you live – including local crime rates and flood risk
The value of your belongings
Any high-value items you want to insure
Whether you rent or own your home
How secure your property is
Your claims history
Who lives in your home with you
Everyone’s situation is different, so it’s worth comparing quotes to find the right level of cover at a competitive price.
[1] Based on 51% of quotes for contents insurance in March 2025 being under £63.24. [3] 10% of customers were quoted under £40.64 for contents insurance in March 2025.

What contents insurance add-ons can you include?

When comparing contents insurance with Clarity Compare, you’ll have the option to enhance your policy by adding extra cover (for an additional cost), such as:

1. Accidental damage cover

For mishaps like knocking over a TV or spilling paint on your carpet.

2. Home emergency cover

Helps with urgent issues like boiler breakdowns, burst pipes, or smashed windows.

3. Legal expenses cover

Supports you with legal costs if you face a claim (for example, a guest injury or neighbour dispute).

4. Personal possessions cover

Protects valuables like phones, watches, and laptops when you’re out and about.

5. Student contents insurance

Useful if your child is living away at university and needs protection for their belongings.

6. Tenants in shared homes or HMOs

If you live in a shared house or flat, room-only contents insurance lets you protect your belongings without covering your housemates’ items.

How can I estimate the value of my belongings?


To get an accurate contents insurance quote, it’s important to know the total value of your belongings. The best way to do this is to go room by room and list the estimated cost of replacing everything – from large items like furniture and appliances to smaller, high-value items like jewellery, tech, and collectables.

Be sure to use today’s replacement prices, not the amount you originally paid. For example, if your belongings are actually worth £40,000 but you only insure them for £20,000, you could be underinsured and may only receive half of your claim amount.

Overestimating, on the other hand, means you might pay more than necessary for cover you don’t need.

To make this easier, Clarity Compare offers a simple contents calculator tool to help you total up your items when searching for home insurance.

What information do I need to get a contents insurance quote?

Getting a quote with Clarity Compare is quick and easy. To find the right policy for you, we’ll need a few details, including:

1. Your property information

such as your postcode, the year your home was built, and whether you own or rent.

2. Personal details

including your occupation and living situation (e.g. mortgage holder, tenant, homeowner).

3. Home security features

like the types of locks on your doors and whether you have a burglar alarm installed.

4. High-value items

details of any items worth over £1,500 (or bicycles over £350) you’d like to include in your cover.

Why Use Us

5. Contents value

an estimate of the total value of your home’s contents. Our handy contents calculator can guide you through this.

6. Out-of-home cover

if you want to insure personal possessions like mobile phones, jewellery or laptops when you’re out and about.

7. Policy preferences

whether you want contents cover only or combined with buildings insurance, and the amount of excess you’re comfortable paying.

8. Optional extras

such as accidental damage or home emergency cover, if needed.

Why compare home insurance with Clarity Compare?

Fast and simple

Get quotes from up to 37 trusted UK home insurance providers in just a few minutes – no fuss, no delays.

Potential savings

We found that 51% of customers could save up to £202 on their combined buildings and contents insurance just by comparing with us.*

Tailored to you

Our quote tool helps you find the right policy based on your home, your lifestyle, and the level of cover you need.

Affordable cover

You could get contents insurance for as little as £5.27 a month (excluding interest) when you compare with Clarity Compare.

Based on independent research by Consumer Intelligence, March 2025.
51% of customers were quoted less than £5.27 per month in March 2025, based on paying annually (excluding interest on instalments).

Frequently asked questions – Contents Insurance with Clarity Compare

What is unlimited contents insurance?

This type of policy offers no overall limit on how much your belongings are insured for – though individual item limits may still apply.

Yes, standard contents insurance typically covers theft and attempted theft, as long as there are signs of forced entry.

Bicycles are usually covered while at home, but check your policy – you may need to add separate or extra cover, especially for high-value bikes or if you use them outside the home.

Many policies include cover for belongings stored in outbuildings or gardens, but limits may apply – especially for theft. Always check your policy wording.

This is the maximum your insurer will pay out for one item. If you have valuables above this limit, you’ll need to list them separately.

Items like jewellery, watches, laptops, and artwork are considered high-risk due to their value or likelihood of being stolen.

Yes – contact your insurer to update your policy details. Some may allow updates online through your account.

Not always, but it’s helpful for claims – receipts, valuations, or photos can serve as proof, especially for high-value items.

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