Buildings & Contents Insurance

Your home is more than just bricks and mortar – it’s where life happens and what matters most is kept safe. Whether you’re a homeowner, landlord or tenant, the right buildings and contents insurance protects your property and possessions against life’s unexpected events.

Buildings & Contents Insurance Dunfermline

At Empire Mortgages, we provide expert advice on buildings and contents insurance, helping you find the right policy at the right price.

Home insurance is usually made up of two parts. Buildings insurance protects the structure of your home, while contents insurance covers the items inside. You can take them out together or separately.

What Does Buildings Insurance Cover?

Buildings insurance protects the physical structure of your home, including:

Damage from fire, flood or storms.
Subsidence or structural damage.
Permanent fixtures such as fitted kitchens, bathrooms, doors and windows.
Outbuildings and garages, including sheds and summerhouses.

If your home were damaged or destroyed, buildings insurance would cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding it, up to the limits of your policy.

What Does Contents Insurance Cover?

Contents insurance protects the belongings inside your home, including:

Furniture, carpets and curtains.
Home appliances and gadgets, such as TVs and laptops.
Personal possessions like jewellery, clothes and phones.
Theft, fire, flood and accidental damage, where included.

A simple rule: if you turned your home upside down, anything that would fall out is usually contents, and anything that stays put is buildings.

Optional Extras to Consider

Standard policies don’t always include everything. Depending on your needs, you may want to add:

Accidental damage – for mishaps like spilling paint on a carpet.
Personal possessions – for items you take out of the home, such as phones and bikes.
High-value items – valuables that need to be listed separately.
Home emergency – for urgent problems like a broken boiler.
Legal expenses – help with the cost of certain legal disputes.

What Isn’t Usually Covered?

Understanding the exclusions is just as important as knowing what’s included. Most policies won’t cover:

General wear and tear, or damage that builds up gradually.
Damage caused by poor maintenance.
Losses while your home has been empty for longer than your policy allows.
Items worth more than your single-item limit, unless they’ve been listed.

We’ll help you understand the small print, so you know exactly where you stand.

How Much Cover Do You Need?

Rebuild Cost vs Market Value – Buildings insurance should cover the cost of rebuilding your home from scratch, not what it would sell for. These figures are often very different.

Your Home Report – In Scotland, your Home Report usually includes a reinstatement figure for insurance purposes, which is a helpful starting point.

Valuing Your Contents – It’s easy to underestimate your belongings. Going room by room and adding up the cost of replacing everything new helps you avoid being underinsured.

Combined or Separate Policies?

Many homeowners choose combined buildings and contents insurance because it keeps everything in one place, with one renewal date and one point of contact if you need to claim.

Separate policies can suit some situations – for example, a flat where the building is already insured under a shared policy, or a tenant who only needs contents cover.

We’ll help you decide which approach makes the most sense for your home and budget.

Buildings Insurance and Your Mortgage

Most mortgage lenders insist on buildings insurance as a condition of your mortgage, and you’ll need it in place before your purchase completes. Your solicitor will confirm when cover needs to start.

If you’re buying a flat, the building may already be insured under a common policy, often arranged by a property factor. In that case, you may only need contents insurance.

We can arrange your insurance alongside your first-time buyer mortgage or home mover mortgage, so everything is in place on time.

Insurance for Landlords and Tenants

If you rent out a property, standard home insurance usually won’t cover you. You’ll need specialist landlord insurance, which can include buildings cover, landlord contents and loss of rent.

If you’re becoming a landlord through a buy to let or let to buy mortgage, we can help you arrange suitable cover from the start.

If you rent your home, your landlord insures the building, but you’ll need contents insurance to protect your own belongings.

Keeping Your Premium Down

There are a few simple ways to keep the cost of your home insurance under control without cutting the cover you need:

Choose a voluntary excess you could comfortably afford.
Improve your home’s security with good locks and an alarm.
Build up a no-claims history where you can.
Review your cover at renewal rather than auto-renewing.

Making a Claim

If something goes wrong, contact your insurer as soon as possible and follow their instructions. For theft or vandalism, report it to the police and keep the crime reference number.

Take photos of any damage, keep receipts for emergency repairs and don’t throw away damaged items until your insurer says so.

Keeping receipts and photos of valuable items before anything happens can make the process much smoother. For larger claims, your insurer may send a loss adjuster to assess the damage.

Why Buildings & Contents Insurance Matters

Many people underestimate the cost of repairing or replacing their home or possessions after unexpected damage or theft. Without proper insurance, you could face thousands of pounds in costs.

Protect your investment – your home is likely your biggest asset.
Peace of mind – knowing your property and belongings are protected.
Mortgage requirement – most lenders insist on buildings insurance.

Why Choose Empire Mortgages for Your Home Insurance?

When it comes to insurance, you deserve clear advice and access to competitive cover – not confusing jargon or one-size-fits-all policies. Here’s why people choose us:

Clear, jargon-free advice – we explain your options in plain English, so you know exactly what you’re covered for.
Personalised recommendations – no two households are the same, so your cover shouldn’t be either.
Experienced advisers – over 60 years of combined experience in financial services.
We save you time – no endless form-filling or comparing policies; we do it for you.

Protecting your home should be easy. With Empire Mortgages, it is.

Buildings and Contents Insurance in Dunfermline & Across Fife

Based in Dunfermline, we help homeowners, landlords and tenants throughout Fife, including Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Cupar, St Andrews, Leven and surrounding areas.

Our local knowledge and experience mean we can help you find buildings and contents insurance that fits your home and budget.

Whether you own a family home, a flat with a shared policy or a rental property, we’ll make sure you have the right cover in place.

Protecting More Than Your Home – It’s also worth thinking about how you’d keep up with your mortgage if you couldn’t work. Find out more about our life insurance, income protection and critical illness cover advice.

Contact Empire Mortgages Today

Don’t leave your home and belongings at risk. Speak to one of our friendly, expert advisers today and get expert advice on buildings and contents insurance. Contact us today for a free consultation.

We're 5 Star Rated - What Our Clients Say

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
    Paula Wallace 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Craig has been helping us with our mortgage since we bought our first home in 2016. Now we are settling into our second home with yet more excellent service from Craig, Terri and his fabulous team at Empire Mortgages. Highly recommend 😊
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Lynne S 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Highly recommend! I have had Nathan as my mortgage advisor for a good 4 years. So helpful, always gets the best deals and super lovely and great at what he does! He was with me every step of the way when I was getting my first mortgage, he made it all so easy and no stress at all.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Sharon Millen 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Always a professional job, great service wouldn't use anyone else - Nathan is fabulous 😀
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Fraser Allan 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brilliant company, always guided me with expert mortgage advice.

Friendly and helpful.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Sai Chand A Pinnoju 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. One year in my new home, and I couldn’t be happier with how smoothly the whole journey went. Thanks to Empire Mortgages Ltd and a special mention to Nathan Hunter for making the mortgage process completely stress-free. I genuinely had to do very little other than trust Nathan and leave everything in his capable hands.

Buying a home can be overwhelming, but having the right person guiding you makes all the difference. A year on, with no issues whatsoever, I can truly say when you choose the right people, you’re sorted for life. Hassle-free, stress-free and highly recommended!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Brian Sparling 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I can highly recommend both Empire Mortgages Ltd and Nathan Hunter...Nathan made the process really easy and straight-forward, talked through all the options and made some recommendations based on what I needed. He kept me updated on progress even when I was away on holiday. I wont be using anyone else for mortgages now!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Laura Pettigrew 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brilliant service from beginning to end. Craig has been our adviser for 10 years and both and the Team done a stellar job as always. I still cannot believe how quick and easy our application to offer journey has been. Thanks again
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Nicole 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great, thorough, informative service from start to finish. And very personable too!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Michael 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Nathan and the guys provide a first class service and made getting a mortgage for our first house and easy and straightforward process. They kept us up to date with everything and since then they have helped get us the best deal for us everytime we need to renew.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Abbie Pringle 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would highly recommend Nathan at Empire Mortgages Ltd. He has always been a great help. He’s friendly and very informative. We are really happy with the service provided and will continue using Empire Mortgages Ltd in the future.

Buildings and Contents Insurance FAQs

Do I need both buildings and contents insurance?

If you own your home, we recommend both. If you rent, your landlord covers the building, but you’ll need Contents Insurance for your belongings.

Is buildings insurance a legal requirement?

It isn’t a legal requirement, but if you have a mortgage, your lender will almost always require it as a condition of the loan.

How much should I insure my home for?

Buildings Insurance should cover the rebuild cost of your home—not its market value. We’ll help you estimate this accurately.

Can I insure expensive items like jewellery?

Yes, but some high-value items might need to be listed separately. We’ll make sure they’re properly covered.

I’m buying a flat – do I need buildings insurance?

Possibly not. Many flats are covered by a shared buildings policy, often arranged by a factor. We’ll help you check what’s already in place and whether you need anything extra.

What happens if I don’t have insurance?

Without insurance, you’ll have to cover repair or replacement costs yourself, which can be financially devastating.

Refer a Friend Scheme

Recommend a friend who is new to Empire Mortgages and if they then take out their mortgage with us, you’ll each receive £50 worth of vouchers.

Buildings & Contents Insurance