Do I need moving house insurance?

Moving house is one of life’s biggest events especially if you’ve been in your current home for many years and have decided to downsize!

Think of it as the perfect time to declutter and only take with you the things you need and the items you love to make your new property your home.

One thing you probably don’t have too much time to ponder is what to do about your home insurance. So we've prepared this guide to help you understand what insurance you need when moving house.

When do I need to start the buildings insurance on my new property?

Your new bricks and mortar should be insured from the moment you take ownership of the property. Your solicitor or conveyancer will advise you to have buildings insurance ready to start when contracts are exchanged.

So, speak to your current insurer as soon as you know your exchange date. They will explain whether you can increase your current buildings policy to include cover for your new home – which is rare – or whether to take out a fresh policy.

If you’re fully responsible for two buildings at the same time, you’ll usually need two policies.

Your insurer will want to know if the property will be empty for a period of time and can arrange ‘new home’ insurance to cover this period.

If you decide to rent out your old property to tenants, you’ll need landlord insurance.

Or if you’re moving to a rental property yourself, you won’t need to buy buildings insurance as this is the responsibility of the property owner. You may want to buy renters insurance for your contents though.

When can I cancel the buildings insurance on my old home?

Your insurance for your old property can be cancelled from the date you are no longer legally responsible for it – that is, when contracts are exchanged.

However, it seems sensible to keep it covered until you hand over the keys to the new owners. If in doubt, speak to your conveyancer or solicitor to decide what’s the best thing to do.

Are my contents covered when moving house?

Most home contents insurance policies cover the moving process if both the packing and transportation is done by a professional removals company. Check whether this is the case for you before you start arranging your move.

If your contents insurance doesn’t cover your possessions during transit, ask if you can take out moving insurance.

Alternatively, your removals company may offer their own ‘goods in transit’ insurance for extra protection on top of their standard liability cover. Ask about any exclusions or limitations before buying this.

Are contents covered if kept in storage?

If you have moving home insurance, this should cover your contents while they’re being moved into or out of temporary furniture storage too. Once in a storage facility, your belongings will normally be protected by the insurance you buy from them.

Am I covered if I move items myself?

Insurance that covers DIY or ‘man with a van’ moves isn’t common, but you can find it. For example, with a Saga Plus home insurance policy, your contents would be covered as long as your new home is in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Who pays for damage caused accidentally to my belongings?

Reputable moving companies will normally cover any accidental damage caused by them, such as if they drop something when they’re loading or unloading the van, but there may be indemnity limits.

Check whether negligent damage is in their terms and conditions before you book your move with them.

If your home contents policy includes accidental damage cover – like our Saga Plus cover level does – then you’re covered for mishaps during the moving process in the same way you would be at home.

What insurance does Saga offer?

Insurance for your home contents while moving within the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man is included as standard in our highest level of cover, Saga Plus, whether you’re using a professional removals company or not. Accidental Damage cover is included in a Saga Plus policy too.

You can add Accidental Damage cover to a Saga Select policy too and you’ll be covered for drops and breaks – as well as lost items – during your move as long as you use a professional removals company.

When it comes to arranging buildings cover for your new property, take advice from your solicitor first. If you’re already a Saga Plus customer, you can then call us to see whether your current policy can be extended to cover both properties or to arrange a fresh policy for your new property.

We can sort this out for you if you contact us with all the details of your new home, including its age and the number of bedrooms.

Not sure how much insurance you need for your home contents?

A new home could mean new furniture as well as more electrical items and appliances to protect. If you think you might need a higher level of contents cover than you’ve had previously, you can see our guide to estimating the amount of insurance you need.