Do you add 'accidental damage' to your home insurance?

[Hurraahhnaptime]

I'm buying my first house and have never had home insurance before. Is there any point to having accidental damage covered? Everything we own is second hand and not high value items. I'm getting general home and contents insurance but not sure what to add as extras. How about legal costs and emergency accommodation cover? So many choices!

Yes we have accidental damage and legal costs. Accidental so that if, for example, the bath overflows and ruins the ceiling underneath or we drop paint or something on the carpet then the problem can be resolved. Legal cover so if someone injures themselves while on our property and sues us the insurance will cover it.

Accidental damage is foot through ceiling, spilled paint on floor, knocked over TV etc.

Other stuff - can you afford it if it happens?

Legal cover is worth having, I would maybe hold off accidental damage if you have inexpensive furniture and are generally careful.

Yes to accidental damage especially with children imo. Legal costs not as important I think.

No, I have the bare bones, I want cover for major disaster (fire) and theft.

Legal cover is relatively inexpensive and it can come in handy. My house insurance covered a claim I made against a driver that knocked me off my bike for injury and damage. Was excellent, I hardly had to do anything!

Accidental damage I'm less enthusiastic about. Depends on your personal circumstances - if you are a klutz with small children and have a lot of expensive stuff then yes. If not then maybe not.

But what is the excess? Is there any point of having cover for a £200 carpet if you spill paint on it ( which is fairly unlikely anyway if you're careful) if you have to pay a £150 excess and lose your no claims bonus?

We have accidental damage and extra legal cover.

The higher the excess the lower the premium.

I wouldn't bother and I have 4 kids. Don't think it's worth it. Fire, theft and flooding are the important ones imo.

pps, I usually have maximum excess because I'm only wanting fire or theft covered mainly, I'm not bothered about having cover for stuff under say £500. So I wouldn't even claim on the insurance anyway for that cost.

We have accidental cover and legal. The overflowing bath is a great example of needing the cover. Whilst your furniture might be cheap think more about walls, doors, floors, kitchens and bathrooms. Very expensive to sort some of those.

I do, but if you'd met DP you'd understand why

OP, how much are we talking extra, do you have the premium price with all bells and whistles and the bare bones one?

Yep, have more than had my money's worth in accidental damage claims looking at you, 'D'S but we're a techy family with lots of iPads, iPhones, MacBooks etc