Home insurance: add-ons, fees and charges explained

Why would you need home insurance add-ons?

Everyone's home is different, and the features that your home insurance policy offers as standard may not be enough.

Insurance add-ons provide a way to get cover that matters to you without paying extra for features you simply don't need.

Our home insurance reviews list some of the add-ons available from each insurer, as well as what's covered as standard.

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What is home emergency cover?

Home emergency cover is distinct from your main home insurance policy in that it's designed to provide rapid assistance in the event of an urgent problem – for example, a burst water pipe or a broken boiler.

The cover, which may cost around £50 a year, can be useful for emergencies ranging from plumbing issues to problems with pests or vermin and electrical faults. 

What the policies offer, and the levels of cover, vary significantly between home insurers, so make sure you check the terms and conditions of your policy.

• Find out more:Best home insurance 2024 

What is accidental damage cover?

Accidental damage cover usually refers to one-off incidents – general wear and tear isn't included.

Standard home contents insurance policies often cover some items for accidental damage, such as your TV.

Cover for a wine spill, or a rowdy toddler drawing on your sofa, won't come as standard, though, so you'll need to extend your cover for this type of accident.

Are personal possessions covered?

You can use home insurance to cover portable items, such as your handbag, mobile phone or tablet, while you're away from home or abroad, under a personal possessions add-on.

However, restrictions apply, so check with your insurer before you buy. Also consider the excess for claims, and whether it would be worth you making a claim.

• Find out more: contents insurance policies compared

Should I get legal expenses cover?

This add-on covers the cost of legal proceedings if you need to take action or defend a claim.

It typically covers the legal expenses incurred in most personal injury, consumer, property and employment disputes, as well as any award of the other party's legal costs. A few insurers will include this cover as standard, but most will charge an additional fee.

For a claim to be taken up, your insurer must be satisfied that you have a reasonable or better-than-average chance of winning your case at any time, not just when the claim is first raised. 

Some home insurers have clauses that limit the hourly rate they pay their panel solicitors (which is likely to be way below the industry's agreed rate).

Legal expenses cover is not the same as liability cover. The latter is typically included in standard home insurance, and covers you if you're liable for damages.

What is downloads cover?

If your phone, laptop or tablet is stolen from your home, downloads insurance will pay out for any lost digital content.

Downloads cover can include music, mobile phone ringtones, TV programmes, films, games, software and computer programs stored on an MP3 player, desktop PC, laptop, mobile phone or home entertainment system.

Home insurance fees and charges

Many home insurance providers charge extra if you want to make even common changes to your home insurance policy.

Setup fees and APRs

Some insurance companies (typically brokers) will take a fee of up to £30 for setting up the policy or renewing it.

If you're paying in instalments, you'll be saddled with one of the most common and costliest extra charges: interest. Among providers in our survey, annual percentage rates (APRs) for paying monthly range from 2% to 34%. 

Payment default

Eight of the 37 firms we reviewed charged payment default fees if you miss a monthly payment, the highest being £20.

Adjustment and duplicate document fees

If, while the policy is running, you need to make some alterations (for example, if someone moves in or out of your home), you may find yourself on the hook for an 'adjustment fee'. If you need extra copies of paperwork sent to you, this can incur a duplicate document charge.

Cancellation fees and switching fee contributions

If you decide to cancel your policy ahead of renewal, most providers will charge an early cancellation fee. An insurer can even charge a fee if you cancel within the 14 -ay cooling off period when you first take out the cover, provided it reflects the cost the insurer has incurred setting up the cover.

However, you may find insurers that offer to take the sting out of switching to them early by reimbursing some or all of your cancellation fee.

Home insurers charging no fees

We've compared the fees charged by home insurers. Our Which? fee score shows how competitive the insurer's fees are compared to its rivals. The higher the score, the fewer (or lower) fees that are charged.

Which? members can log in to see which insures charge no fees - and which insurers charge the highest fees. 

If you're not already a member, join Which? and get full access to these results and all our reviews.