Buildings & Contents Insurance in Preston
Your home is likely the most valuable thing you will ever own, and your mortgage lender will expect it to be properly insured. Buildings and contents insurance protects the property itself and everything inside it against events like fire, flood, storm and theft. At The Mortgage Room we help homeowners across Preston and Lancashire arrange the right cover as part of getting the whole mortgage picture sorted, so nothing important gets overlooked.
Buildings insurance vs contents insurance
The two cover different things and are often bought together. Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home, the walls, roof, floors and permanent fixtures, against damage. Contents insurance covers your possessions inside, from furniture and appliances to clothes and valuables. You can hold them separately, but a combined policy is usually simpler and can work out more cost-effective.
What lenders require
When you take out a mortgage, your lender will require buildings insurance to be in place from the point you become responsible for the property, often from exchange of contracts. This protects their security, your home, as well as yours. Contents insurance is not usually a lender requirement, but it is strongly recommended, because replacing everything you own out of pocket after a fire or flood would be devastating. We make sure your buildings cover is ready when the lender needs it.
What buildings and contents cover typically includes
- Buildings: damage from fire, flood, storm, subsidence and similar insured events.
- Contents: your possessions against theft, fire and many types of accidental damage.
- Optional extras such as accidental damage cover, personal possessions away from home, and cover for high-value items.
- Alternative accommodation costs if your home becomes uninhabitable after an insured event.
Accidental damage and optional extras
Standard policies cover the main risks, but you can usually add accidental damage cover for those everyday mishaps, a foot through the ceiling, red wine on the carpet, a cracked screen. You can also add cover for items you take out of the home, like a laptop, bike or jewellery. We help you decide which extras are genuinely worth having for your circumstances, so you are neither under-insured nor paying for cover you will never use.
Getting the sums insured right
Two figures matter: the rebuild cost of your home for buildings cover, which is not the same as its market value, and the total value of your possessions for contents cover. Under-insuring on either can leave you short at claim time, while over-insuring wastes money. We help you arrive at realistic figures so your cover actually does its job when you need it.
Protecting your home goes hand in hand with protecting the people in it. See our life insurance and income protection advice too.
Why Preston homeowners choose The Mortgage Room
Because we arrange your mortgage, we make sure your buildings cover is in place exactly when the lender needs it, with nothing forgotten in the rush to completion. You get plain-English advice, sensible cover, and appointments to suit you including evenings and weekends. We help homeowners across Preston and the wider area. Explore all our protection advice.
Buildings and contents insurance FAQs
Do I have to have buildings insurance?
If you have a mortgage, your lender will require buildings insurance in place, often from exchange of contracts. It protects both their security and your home.
Is contents insurance required too?
Not usually by the lender, but it is strongly recommended. Replacing all your possessions after a fire or flood would be extremely expensive without it.
Should I buy buildings and contents together?
A combined policy is usually simpler and can be more cost-effective than buying the two separately, though you can hold them apart if you prefer.
How do I know how much to insure for?
Buildings cover is based on the rebuild cost, not the market value, and contents on the total value of your possessions. We help you set realistic figures.
What is accidental damage cover?
An optional extra covering everyday mishaps like spills or breakages that a standard policy might not include. We help you decide if it is worth adding.
Does it cover items I take out of the house?
It can, with an optional personal possessions extension covering things like laptops, bikes and jewellery away from home.
Do you charge for your advice?
We discuss any costs with you clearly and up front, with no obligation. Fee wording is being confirmed under our network, The Right Mortgage.
Protect your home and everything in it
Book a free, no-obligation chat and we will make sure your home is properly covered from day one.