Home Insurance for First-Time Buyers: Checklist
Updated October 2026
If you have a mortgage, buildings cover is normally needed from exchange of contracts, not just completion. Check with your solicitor and lender.
Work out the rebuild cost, not the market value. A surveyor's report or an online calculator gives a sensible figure.
Estimate contents value room by room. Underinsuring can reduce claims.
Choose a sensible excess. A higher voluntary excess lowers the premium but you must be able to afford it.
Consider accidental damage and home emergency cover only if you will use them, and compare the price on each add-on.