-
How to make a claim
-
Manage your policy online
-
Check your documents
-
Buy another policy
-
Cancel your policy
What is home insurance?
Home insurance financially protects your home and its belongings against theft, loss and damage. A home insurance policy helps cover the cost of repairing your home in the event of unavoidable damage, like fire or flooding, and replacing stolen valuables if there’s a break-in.
There are two parts of home insurance – buildings insurance and contents insurance. Buildings insurance protects the physical structure of your home, whereas contents insurance protects your belongings inside the home. These can be bought individually or together as a buildings and contents insurance policy.
Who is home insurance for?
While home insurance isn’t a legal requirement, it’s still useful for protecting your home. Because a home is likely to be the most expensive thing you own, it’s worth protecting your pocket from the cost of damage, loss or theft.
Most mortgage providers will require you to take out buildings insurance in order to approve your mortgage application.
Our buildings and contents insurance is suitable for anyone who owns a home. But there are policies designed for all types of occupants. Those who may consider home insurance include:
Homeowners
If you’re paying off a mortgage or you own your home outright, then you may want to take out buildings insurance. However, you’re responsible for both the home’s structure and any belongings, so buildings and contents insurance may be more suitable.
Landlords
Landlords are legally required to have insurance that will protect the property and its occupiers. This usually comes under landlord insurance, which covers your buildings, contents, accidental damage, landlord liability and alternative accommodation. At Sainsbury’s Bank, we do not offer this type of insurance.
Renters
If you live in a rented property, then buildings insurance is covered by the landlord. But you’ll need a contents insurance policy for your own belongings, as your landlord’s insurance won’t cover this.
Holiday homeowners
You’re unable to cover a second home with standard home insurance. For this, you’ll need specific insurance to cover the risks associated with renting your second home out and leaving it empty for long periods of time.
Choose buildings insurance, contents insurance, or both
Insure your house, its contents or a combination of the two. It's up to you.
- Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home, plus permanent fittings like your roof, walls, fitted kitchen and bathroom. It can also include cover for alternative accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable.
- Home contents insures the value of everything in your house – such as furniture, electricals, clothing and jewellery – with each item only covered up to a certain amount. Additional accidental damage can be included for an extra cost.
- Combined buildings and contents insurance covers your home and belongings with one neat package. This could be more cost-effective than buying two separate policies and can be easier when making a claim.
Compare our home insurance policies
We have two levels of cover to choose from, Home or Home Plus.
Here's just some of the features you get as standard with Sainsbury's Bank Home Insurance:
- Alternative accommodation – if you can't live in your home following a valid claim, we can help pay for your accommodation while your place is being fixed.
- Accidental damage – you get some cover as standard, but you can upgrade this as an optional extra.
- No claims discount – money off next year's premium if you don't make a claim.
On top of this, with Home Plus we’ll include:
- Home Emergency Cover – for unexpected events like boiler breakdowns or blocked drains.
- Family Legal Protection – help cover unexpected legal costs.
Comes with a 24-hour legal helpline too.
What’s covered?
Home insurance helps cover the cost of theft, loss or damage to your home as standard, but there is optional cover too.
Here is a breakdown of what you can get with home insurance:
Buildings | Home | Home Plus |
---|---|---|
Sum insured up to £1 million as standard. | ||
Accidental damage to fixed ceramic hob, sanitary ware, fixed glass. | ||
Alternative accommodation up to £50,000 if your home is uninhabitable after an incident covered under your insurance. | ||
Trace and access – we'll find and fix water or oil leaks from your home appliances or installations. | ||
Home Emergency Cover – from boiler breakdowns to kitchen floods, we’re here for you 24/7. | Optional | |
Family Legal Protection – cover the costs if you have to go to court for a private legal dispute. | Optional |
Contents | Home | Home Plus |
---|---|---|
Sum insured up to £75,000 as standard (single valuable item limit £2,000). | ||
Accidental damage to TV, DVD and games consoles. | ||
Alternative accommodation up to £15,000 if your home is uninhabitable after an incident covered under your insurance (up to £50,000 when combined with Buildings cover). | ||
Garden Contents cover up to £2,000 on plants, garden items and children’s toys. | ||
Home Emergency Cover – from boiler breakdowns to kitchen floods, we’re here for you 24/7. | Optional | |
Family Legal Protection – cover the costs if you have to go to court for a private legal dispute. | Optional |
Cover limits, exclusions and excesses apply. For more detail about what's covered and what's not, have a look at our policy documents.
Optional extras
You can also tailor your home insurance by adding additional cover to your policy. Whether it’s buildings, contents or both – it’s your call. Stretch your safety net even further with our optional add-ons.
- Home Emergency Cover – from burst pipes to boiler breakdowns
- Family Legal Protection – cover the cost if you have to go to court for a private legal dispute
- Personal Possessions Cover – for your belongings when you’re out and about
- Enhanced Accidental Damage Cover for Buildings and Contents – boost your cover for small slip ups and incidents in and out of the home
-
Key Cover - we can refund some of the costs associated with reparing or replacing your keys if they're lost or stolen
Why choose Sainsbury's Bank Home Insurance?
In short, you get more than just good cover for your home.
- Choose the level of cover you want – we have Home or Home Plus Insurance to cover your buildings, contents or both
- Get a discounted home insurance quote if you are a Nectar member ‡
Sainsbury’s Bank Home Insurance is arranged and administered by Sainsbury’s Bank and is underwritten by a carefully selected range of insurers. When you get a quote we will tell you who the insurer is before you buy the policy.
Manage your account with our online portal
Our portal is designed to help you keep tabs on your policy and cover options. Here’s the handy things it’ll help you do:
- View policy cover and renewal dates
- Upload documents such as proof of no claims
- Make changes to cover with no admin fee
- Find out how to make a claim
- Cancel your policy
Register for our online portal here:
Not a Nectar member?
No problem, just download the Nectar app or register at nectar.com .
Got a question?
Take a look at the frequently asked questions on our home insurance.
Terms and Conditions
✖ 10% of consumers could achieve this saving in their first year with Sainsbury’s Bank Buildings and Contents Insurance. Based on Online independent research by Consumer Intelligence during 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024.
‡ Guaranteed discount for Nectar members: The discount is based on information related to you and the Sainsbury’s and Sainsbury’s Bank transactions linked to your Nectar account. For more information on how we use your data, go to sainsburysbank.co.uk/privacy.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth paying for home insurance?
It can be worth paying for home insurance. This financially protects your home and its contents against theft, loss or damage, and can help cover the cost to repair or rebuild.
How much is home insurance in the UK?
The cost of home insurance will depend on a range of factors, including your home and its contents, your location, your claims history, and the policy you’re taking out.
What do I need to get a home insurance quote?
To get a home insurance quote, you’ll need to provide:
- Your personal information, including details of any claims you have made on home insurance.
- Property details, including the year, property type, number of bedrooms and the type of locks you have.
- The value of your contents, including the individual cost of any valuables such as bicycles, electronics and jewellery.
Is home insurance a legal requirement?
No, there is no legal requirement to take out home insurance, but taking out buildings insurance is usually a condition of getting a mortgage. Even if you own your home outright, it may still be worthwhile taking out buildings and contents insurance.
How much home insurance do I need?
To work out how much home insurance you need, consider how much your home would cost to rebuild, rather than how much you paid for it. You can calculate your buildings and contents insurance by hiring a residential property surveyor or going from room to room and noting down everything worth insuring.
What is a home insurance policy excess?
A home insurance policy excess is the amount that you’re required to pay towards the cost of a claim. The amount is usually agreed prior, and your home insurer will contribute the rest up to the limit of the cover. Taking out voluntary excess can reduce the cost of your premiums.