Buying a house is probably the biggest financial commitment you will ever invest in, so it is paramount you protect it and take out adequate house insurance. You simply cannot afford to fail to protect your home and its contents.

Some of the things you should ensure you have house insurance for are:

1. The weather – floods and storms
2. Fire
3. Subsidence
4. Burglary
5. Legal liabilities

Your home and possessions are probably one of the biggest things you could protect and it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Although there are things in life we cannot control, there are things you can do to help protect your home, reduce the risk and therefore reduce the cost of your house insurance. The more you can reduce the risks your house faces, the better.

Fire

1. Fit a smoke alarm and check it regularly.

Crime

1. Fit approved locks to doors and windows (In high crime rate areas, insurers will ask you to have a certain level of security installed before offering cover).
2. Fit an intruder alarm. These can reduce your house insurance premium by anything from 5 to 15%.
3. If you leave a property empty in the day, or night, this can increase your premium. It’s better to have somebody home.

Flood

If your home is particularly vulnerable to flooding there are still steps you can take to ensure house insurance is available. You can replace timber floors with concrete and tiles, or chipboard bathroom and kitchens with plastic. Water resistant materials are clearly preferable, such as lime plaster. Ensure your plugs are above the predicted flood level.

Competitive

There are countless offers of house insurance out there and you should shop around to find the best one for you. Remember getting the cheapest one out there isn’t always the most cost effective, especially if you are the victim of a fire, flooding or crime. Terms and conditions vary from policy to policy, so you should always take a serious look at the risks you want to protect against.

You should speak to a professional broker authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for advice to help you assess the right house insurance for you.

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