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Original poster

do you have contents insurance? do you know anyone who doesn't?

30 replies

Linnet · 02/08/2007 23:06

I discovered the other day, through conversation, that one of my friends doesn't have any contents insurance. She lives in a rented flat so doesn't need buildings insurance but I thought she would have had contents covered.

One of the first things I did when i got my first flat was to sort out insurance, and I had very few posessions at the time. I know should something drastic happen the insurance won't replace sentimental items like photo's etc but at least you'd be able to start again with the basics of furniture etc.

Is it common for people not to have contents insurance? I've never known someone not to have any before and it's surprised me.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 02/08/2007 23:07

Yes. We live in a rented flat and have £25,000 worth of contents insurance. I have never gone w/o contents insurance, even when I was very, very skint - always felt it was an essential after a friend's flat in a converted house burned to the ground and she had FA.

Flamestorm · 02/08/2007 23:08

I didn't for about 3 months in my first flat... then we were evacuated for 12 hours due to a huuuuuuuuuge fire nearby and I was worried sick we'd lose everything.

Never gone without since.

2shoes · 02/08/2007 23:09

we live in a HA hose and have contents insurance. how ever skint we have been i have made it a priority,

pirategirl · 02/08/2007 23:09

i dont have any.

expatinscotland · 02/08/2007 23:10

It was all those little things you don't think about that add up - cutlery, cooking equipment, sheets for the bed, kettle, work clothes, etc. that added up.

expatinscotland · 02/08/2007 23:10

the council offers it to HA and council tenants pretty cheap. DH had it even when he was on JSA and a council tenant.

berolina · 02/08/2007 23:13

We rent, and got it as soon as we moved in together - a joint contents and personal liability package. Wouldn't be able to sleep at night otherwise. It's not a big amount, but without it we'd be screwed if anything happened. Thought everyone had it tbh - imagine my surprise when at the office one day, two work colleagues (one of them a good ten years older than me) started talking about whether it might be a good idea to get it

Boredveryverybored · 02/08/2007 23:13

I live in rented atm and have contents have always had it. Wouldn't have the nerve not to. I'd bet anything that the second I stopped being insured my house went up in flames!

sparklygothkat · 02/08/2007 23:14

I have 50k worth of insurance, in HA house

twinsetandpearls · 02/08/2007 23:18

I learnt the hard way when I moved into my first house as a single mum, thought I would do my insurance next month and got burgled within a few weeks of moving in.

I didn;t think I had a lot to take but what little I had cost a lot to replace.

Original poster

Linnet · 02/08/2007 23:18

I'm the same Berolina, I would not be able to sleep at night if I didn't have any.
I also rent, always have and Insurance is one of my essential payments along with rent council tax etc.

I was just very surprised to discover that she didn't have any.

I'm now wondering what would happen to the people in the flat downstairs if my friend was to have a leak go into their flat. the downstairs flat wouldn't be able to claim on my friends insurance since she doesn't have any, would their own insurance pay out? I'm just curious now.

OP posts:

crokky · 02/08/2007 23:19

Even if people think that they have nothing, they do really - things that you don't think of are really expensive - like a bed and kitchen appliances! You don't have to have loads of gadgets to make replacing the house contents really expensive. Doesn't contents insurance cover things like all the carpets as well? Would not go without it, terrible risk imo.

pirategirl · 02/08/2007 23:19

i am going to get some. Any recommendations??

berolina · 02/08/2007 23:20

I think they would pay (re. leak question) - your friend's contents insurance (assuming she had any) would't pay, it'd have to be her personal liability. We had a leak from the flat above us in our first flat, and it was his PL that paid for the drying out, compensation etc.

sparklygothkat · 02/08/2007 23:20

my ILs only have £16k of insurance, but I am sure they need more..

Original poster

Linnet · 02/08/2007 23:21

Pirategirl I used to have mine through Norwich union, then I moved to my bank which is Lloyds TSB.

It's not very much to pay every month. check out some banks etc online and see what quotes they give.

OP posts:

berolina · 02/08/2007 23:22

Mine is not in the UK, but I'm happy with it. For the relative peace of mind it gives us, it's a bargain.

berolina · 02/08/2007 23:22

sorry, not 'but'.

crokky · 02/08/2007 23:22

pirategirl, don't have any specific recommendations, but watch out for the small print. My friends sister had a burglary, having bought a new tv, dvd player and video (all of the same brand) the previous week. Because she had a crappy policy, the insurers replaced her stuff with the cheapest possible stuff and none of it was anything like the quality of the stuff that had been stolen. Seeing as she had the receipts for this one week old stuff, you would think that insurers would replace with identical stuff - but no!

margosbeenplayingwithmynoonoo · 02/08/2007 23:25

I'm surprised at the amount of people who aren't covered - I work for a financial institution so deal with this a lot.

pirategirl · 02/08/2007 23:27

yes, thats someting to look for isnt it, i just did a basic quick search and tesco cam eup with 98 quid for the yr, but to change it too accidental damage it was 168. that was for 15000, which tbh i think is enuff for my paltry possesions.

Like you say, i will have a look about.

lunalovegoodasgold · 02/08/2007 23:35

I used to work in insurance. These companies work for shareholders, not policyholders, read the small print. You would probably be screwed even if you had paid your no claims premiums for years.
For me, if my photos are destroyed by fire or flood, let the rest of it go too.
With the money you had saved by not paying premiums you could get your new stuff in the highly unlikely event of a fire/flood.
Insurance companies are business not charities, they will fight you every way to avoid paying, even if you have been a long term policy holder.

margosbeenplayingwithmynoonoo · 02/08/2007 23:38

I also think that you never know how god the insurer is until you have to claim.

I found my union insurance was very good when a pipe burst in my kitchen.

Ladymuck · 02/08/2007 23:56

Am with esure. Made my first claim on my contents policy last week - covered laptop, buggy, some books which had been thrown out of a car during a collision. New laptop arrived on Tuesday - effectively an upgrade on what we had (which itself was over 2 years old). Cheque for everything else has also been posted. I was on 9 years no claims (=44% discount), now am on 8 years no claims (=43% discount) Couldn't believe how easy the process was.

NurseyJo · 02/08/2007 23:59

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