It’s often said that knowledge is power and when it comes to home insurance it pays to read the small print. Admittedly not every homeowner has the time to carefully investigate policy details, but it’s certainly worth taking a closer look to check that you’re covered in the following scenarios:

1. Doors & Windows Most insurance agreements state that you owe a ‘duty of care’ and that means locking your doors and windows. Insurance providers are within their rights to reject burglary claims if there aren’t signs of forced entry; so lock-up and think carefully about where you leave your spare keys.
2. Home Security Most homeowners know that you can get discounted cover for making your home more secure, but you have got to play by the rules. If you’re benefitting financially from fitting a burglar alarm; it’s essential that it’s armed or a claim could be turned down.
3. Home Safety Insurance providers will often reward safety conscious homeowners with lower premiums for taking additional safety steps, such as fitting fire and smoke alarms. Again it’s essential to make sure that everything is in good working order, and is regularly tested, or you could find out the hard way.
4. Building Works If you’re having work done on your house; your risk will go through the roof. As everybody knows accidents can and do happen, and you’ll probably need to pay an additional premium to cover your property while the work is being undertaken.
5. Home Working Some of the biggest businesses in the world were born in spare bedrooms (think Apple and Dyson) and most insurers are happy to help with ‘small business insurance’. However, working at home increases the risk of making a ‘home insurance’ claim and you need to let your insurer know. Some providers won’t charge to extend cover while others will; either way you need to know exactly where you stand.
6. Criminal Record If you are one of the 25% of the adult population with a criminal conviction you must inform your insurer or you could risk invalidating your cover. Landlords should also check their tenants’ criminal past or they could have claims rejected.
7. Crime Report If you intend to make an insurance claim for burglary or vandalism you’ll need to report the incident to the police and get a Crime Reference Number or you could be left out-of-pocket.
8. Away from Home Most home insurance policies won’t provide cover for properties that are empty for longer than 30 days, so if you are planning to be away for longer than a month you’ll need to get specialist cover. Not only do unoccupied properties make easy pickings for burglars, but when something goes wrong (such as a burst pipe) the damage can be catastrophic.
9. Online Bragging Broadcasting that you are away for a fortnight on Facebook is akin to inviting burglars into your home. Don’t think that criminals aren’t checking your social media feeds (because they are), and so are insurance claims investigators who are within their rights to reject a claim.
10. House Proud If you wade through the small print you’ll find that most home insurance policies require that your property is kept in ‘good condition’ or is ‘well maintained’. Insurers generally don’t spell-out every situation, but if you don’t fix that leaking roof or burst pipe; you’re asking for trouble.

If you’re looking for a great deal on Home Insurance visit Quoteline Direct. We guarantee to beat your renewal premium by at least 10% (based on like for like cover) and hopefully a whole lot more. 
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