Comparing and switching home insurance

If you’re looking to compare, switch or purchase home insurance, bear in mind:

Home insurance can offer varying levels of cover. Buildings insurance covers the building, including outbuildings such as sheds. Contents insurance covers the possessions in your home.

At John Lewis Finance you can choose from a wide range of flexible and unique home insurance policies, including separate or combined buildings and contents cover.

A good quality home insurance policy will offer you add-ons and even extras included as standard. All John Lewis Home Insurance policies include Identity Theft cover and our Bronze, Silver and Gold policies offer optional add-ons to help you choose the cover that's right for you.

Every provider and policy is different, so check what a policy does and doesn’t include before you buy. And make sure you shop around - it might be worth paying a little more for extra peace of mind.

Accidental damage cover protects you in the event of a one-off mishap, such as wine being accidentally spilled on your carpet. Some policies offer this as an optional extra so check what's included in your policy.

With Bronze, Silver and Gold cover from John Lewis Home Insurance, there are optional Accidental camage add-ons for both buildings and contents. It is also included with Specialist Home Insurance.

If your home becomes uninhabitable following loss or damage covered by the policy and you have to stay elsewhere while repairs are carried out, our alternative accommodation cover means we could pay for suitable alternative accommodation for you, your family and even your pets.

It’s reassuring to know that if something does go wrong you could get help day or night if you've taken out our home emergency cover.

Home emergency cover is often the kind of policy you have to take out separately, for example through your utilities supplier, but with our Bronze, Silver or Gold policy you can add on optional 24-Hour home emergency cover. If a pipe bursts in your house, making it unsafe or risking further damage to your home or contents, we can find a reliable tradesperson and pay towards parts and labour.

Many home insurance policies offer cover for this, but do check the limits as some can be quite low. Bronze, Silver and Gold Home Insurance policies from John Lewis offer optional cover for your personal possessions anywhere in the world. Our Specialist Home Insurance includes this as standard.

If you’ve decided you want to switch, here are some tips on how to do it:

Some companies charge a fee to cancel mid-term, so check out your policy before you decide to switch. Our Bronze, Silver and Gold policies allow you to make changes to your policy without admin fees or hidden charges.

When looking at what’s around, bear in mind that many offers may only be applicable in the first year. If you're an existing Bronze, Silver or Gold customer with John Lewis Home Insurance, you won't pay more than a new customer for the same cover.

Price comparison websites might be worth a look, but remember it’s not always the cheapest deal that’s the most comprehensive and reliable when you come to claim.

It is quick and easy to switch to John Lewis Home Insurance. Why not get a quote now? Just answer a short series of questions, and we’ll guide you through the process.

If you already have our Home Insurance and pay annually, you can renew online, if your details haven't changed. Customers paying via Direct Debit will automatically be renewed.

If you need to update or cancel your Essential, Plus or Premier policy, call us on 0330 102 2742.