Commercial Property Insurance

Building and Contents Insurance

People often use the terms “home insurance” or “household insurance” in a general way to refer to insurance that covers any aspect of their home and belongings. However, these policies are usually split into separate sections – “buildings” and “contents” – and not all policyholders will be covered under both sections. It is also possible to buy a “contents-only” or a “buildings-only” policy.

Here at Trevellyan, we offer access to both these insurances, with our brokers searching for the right deal to meet your needs.

Experience our service today and cover what matters most to you…

Buildings Insurance

Covers the structure of a building, plus permanent “fixtures and fittings” such as baths, fitted kitchens etc. The test is – can it reasonably be removed and taken to another home? If it can, then it is part of the “contents” and it will not generally be covered by a buildings policy. Buildings policies usually include outbuildings – garages, garden sheds etc.

Contents Insurance

Covers your possessions – your television set, furniture, clothes etc.  In other words, just about everything, you would take with you if you moved.

While many homeowners buy both types of cover, some have only one.  There may be a very good reason for this.  Typically, for example, people who live in blocks of flats will only need to buy a policy to cover their contents.  Landlords will be responsible for arranging buildings insurance to cover the entire block.  Some policyholders obtain contents insurance from one insurer and buildings insurance from another, because this may work out cheaper than insuring both contents and buildings together.

Even if a policyholder has both contents and buildings insurance, the scope of cover may vary so that, for example, an accidental damage claim might succeed under one section but not under the other.  It is confusion about the nature and scope of cover that leads to disputes.  The onus is on firms to ensure that the cover they sell is suitable for the needs and resources of their policyholders and that the policyholders understand what they are buying.