Jargon Buster

The information below is designed to help you with your home insurance quote and any cheap building & contents insurance you read about on this website.

Please note these definitions are for guidance only. For full definitions of home insurance please refer to your insurers policy wording on-line.

Accidental damage to buildings

This covers your buildings for damage caused by incidents of an accidental nature, for example putting your foot through the ceiling whilst up in the loft.

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Accidental damage to contents

This covers your contents for damage caused by incidents of an accidental nature, for example spilling paint on your carpet.

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Claims

A home insurance claim is an application to an insurance company to compensate you for a loss. A loss is where an event has occurred that has resulted in damage to or loss of use of something. You may not be insured for all losses or you may have chosen not to make an insurance claim for a loss, even though it was insured.

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Buildings

The home together with its permanent fixtures and fittings, usually including:

• domestic outbuildings
• swimming pools
• tennis courts
• paths, drives, patios and terraces
• walls, gates and fences
• and fixed fuel tanks

which you own or which you are legally responsible for, within the premises.

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Contents

Household goods and personal property within the home, which belong to you or for which you are legally responsible, usually including:

• furniture (some fixed furniture such as fitted wardrobes are covered under buildings)
• radio and television aerials, satellite dishes and their fittings and masts
• property in the open but within the premises
• cash, credit cards, deeds, registered bonds and other personal documents
• medal, stamp or coin collections
• jewellery, precious stones, articles made from gold, silver and other precious metals, watches and furs
• office equipment
• clocks, collectors' items, pictures and other works of art
• photographic equipment, binoculars, guns, telescopes and musical instruments
• rare and unusual figurines and ornaments
• domestic oil in fixed fuel oil tanks
• metered water.

It is important to check the limits of these items in the home insurance policy documents.

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Excess

The amount that you have to pay towards each and every home insurance claim that you make.

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New for old

Settlement of home insurance claims will be at today's values, without making a deduction for wear and tear or age of your property. Some exclusions apply such as clothing over two years old and pedal cycles, please see home insurance policy documents for details.

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Personal possessions

Clothing, baggage, cash/money, credit cards, sports equipment, prams, pedal cycles and other personal belongings that you wear or take with you in everyday life.

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Subsidence / heave / landslip

• Subsidence - A gradual sinking to a lower level or the sudden collapse of something into a hollow beneath it
• Heave - An upward motion or horizontal displacement caused by faulting of rock masses
• Landslip - A downward slip or movement of a mass of rock, earth or artificial fill.

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Valuables

Items which belong to you or for which you are legally responsible, usually including:

• jewellery, precious stones, articles made from gold, silver and other precious metals, watches and furs
• photographic equipment, video cameras, binoculars, telescopes, guns and musical instruments
• clocks, collectors' items, pictures and other works of art
• rare and unusual figurines and ornaments
• collections of stamps, coins or medals.

Pairs or sets of items will be treated as one item.

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Phone for quote: 012 345 678