Home insurance can help protect your property, possessions and finances against unexpected events such as fire, theft, flooding and accidental damage, depending on the cover you choose.
At Empire Mortgages, we help homeowners, first-time buyers, home movers and landlords across Dunfermline and Fife understand their home insurance options and arrange suitable protection for their circumstances. With more than 60 years of combined experience, our advisers take the time to understand your property, possessions and protection needs before helping you explore appropriate cover.
Home insurance is designed to provide financial protection for your property and the belongings inside it.
There are two main types of cover: buildings insurance and contents insurance. These can usually be arranged separately or combined under one policy.
Buildings insurance is designed to protect the structure of your property, while contents insurance helps protect the possessions you keep inside your home. The right level of protection will depend on your property, belongings and individual circumstances.
Home insurance can be arranged in different ways depending on the level of protection you require.
Buildings Insurance – Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of your home, including elements such as the roof, walls, floors and permanent fixtures. Depending on the policy, it may provide protection against events including fire, flooding, storms, escape of water and subsidence. If you own your property with a mortgage, your lender will usually expect appropriate buildings insurance to be in place.
Contents Insurance – Contents insurance is designed to protect the possessions inside your home. This can include furniture, televisions, electrical equipment, clothing and personal belongings. Depending on your policy, cover may apply if these items are damaged, destroyed or stolen. The amount of cover required should reflect how much it would realistically cost to replace your possessions.
Combined Buildings & Contents Insurance – Many homeowners choose to arrange both types of protection together. A combined buildings and contents insurance policy can provide cover for both the structure of your home and the belongings inside it under one arrangement. Empire Mortgages can help you understand the differences between these options and consider the level of protection that may suit your needs.
Home insurance itself is not generally a legal requirement, but buildings insurance is normally required when you purchase a property with a mortgage.
This helps protect both you and the lender if the property is seriously damaged or needs to be rebuilt.
Contents insurance is usually optional, although many homeowners choose to arrange it because replacing furniture, electrical equipment and other possessions following a major event could be expensive.
When buying a property, it is important to make sure the necessary insurance is arranged at the appropriate stage of the purchase.
The exact protection provided will depend on the policy you choose.
Buildings insurance may provide cover against events such as fire, storms, flooding, escape of water, subsidence, theft-related damage and other insured risks.
Contents insurance can help protect personal possessions against loss or damage caused by events covered under the policy.
Some policies also include additional features or allow extra protection to be added for specific circumstances.
It is important to read the policy wording carefully so you understand what is covered, the limits that apply and any excess you would need to pay when making a claim.
Home insurance does not cover every possible type of damage or loss.
General wear and tear, poor maintenance and gradual deterioration are commonly excluded. There may also be restrictions relating to properties left unoccupied for extended periods.
Valuable individual possessions may have limits unless they are specifically declared, and some types of accidental damage may only be covered where additional protection has been selected.
Policy exclusions vary between insurers, which is why understanding the terms and conditions is just as important as comparing the price.
Choosing the right level of cover is important because being underinsured could leave you facing significant costs following a claim.
For buildings insurance, the amount of cover should generally reflect the cost of rebuilding the property rather than simply its current market value.
The rebuild cost can include materials, labour, demolition, site clearance and professional fees.
Contents insurance should reflect the amount it would cost to replace the belongings throughout your home.
It can be helpful to consider each room individually and include furniture, electrical equipment, clothing, kitchen items and other possessions that may otherwise be easy to overlook.
Depending on the insurer, additional protection may be available alongside standard buildings and contents insurance.
Accidental damage cover can provide additional protection where something is unintentionally damaged in the home.
Personal possessions cover may extend protection to certain belongings when they are taken away from the property.
Home emergency cover can provide assistance following certain urgent household problems, while legal expenses cover may help with specified legal costs.
Additional protection may also be available for high-value possessions.
Not every extra will be necessary for every household, so the important thing is choosing cover that reflects your circumstances rather than automatically adding every available option.
The cost of home insurance varies depending on the property and the cover required.
Insurers may take into account factors such as the type and age of the property, location, rebuild cost, level of contents cover, previous claims, security features, selected excess and any optional extras included.
The cheapest policy is not necessarily the most suitable.
It is important to compare not only the premium but also the level of protection, exclusions, cover limits and excesses to make sure the policy offers appropriate value.
When comparing home insurance, price is only one consideration.
Two policies with similar premiums can provide very different levels of protection.
It is important to compare the buildings and contents limits, excess, exclusions, individual item limits, optional extras and any restrictions that could affect a future claim.
You should also consider whether the policy accurately reflects your property and the value of the belongings you want to protect.
Different homeowners can have different insurance requirements, which is why your protection should reflect the way your property is owned and used.
First-Time Buyers – Buying your first home brings new financial responsibilities, including protecting the property and your belongings. Buildings insurance will usually need to be arranged as part of the mortgage process, while contents insurance can help protect the possessions you bring into your new home. Empire Mortgages can help you consider insurance alongside your first-time buyer mortgage, making the move into homeownership more straightforward.
Home Movers – Moving home is a good opportunity to review your existing insurance. Your new property’s size, value, rebuild cost and security may all be different, meaning your previous policy may no longer provide the right level of cover. If you are arranging a home mover mortgage, reviewing your home insurance at the same time can help ensure your new property is properly protected.
Buy to Let Landlords – A standard home insurance policy may not be suitable for a property that is being rented to tenants. Landlords may require specialist cover designed around rental properties and the additional risks associated with letting a home. If you are purchasing an investment property, Empire Mortgages can also help you explore suitable buy to let mortgages.
New Build Homes – New build properties may have different insurance considerations from older homes. Even where structural warranties are in place, buildings and contents insurance can still provide important protection against events not covered by the warranty. If you are purchasing a newly built property, we can help you consider insurance alongside your new build mortgage.
High-Value Homes – Higher-value properties and households with expensive possessions may require increased cover limits or more specialist protection. Items such as jewellery, artwork, watches and high-value technology may need to be declared individually depending on the insurer and policy limits.
At Empire Mortgages, we understand that protecting your home is just as important as arranging the mortgage used to buy it.
With more than 60 years of combined experience, our advisers provide clear and personalised guidance designed around your property, possessions and individual circumstances.
We take the time to explain the different types of protection available and help you understand the policy features, limits and exclusions that could matter to you.
Whether you are buying your first home, moving property, remortgaging or simply reviewing your existing cover, we are here to help make the process clearer.
Appointments are available in person, over the phone or through video call.
Your home is likely to be one of your most valuable assets, and the right insurance can help protect both the property itself and the possessions that make it your own.
At Empire Mortgages, we provide personalised advice on home insurance, helping homeowners across Dunfermline and Fife understand their options and choose appropriate protection for their circumstances.
Whether you are buying a new property, moving home or reviewing your existing cover, our advisers are here to help.
Speak to Empire Mortgages today about protecting your home and belongings.
Buildings insurance is normally required when buying a property with a mortgage because the lender has a financial interest in the property. Contents insurance is generally optional but can help protect the possessions inside your home.
Buildings insurance protects the structure of your property and permanent fixtures, while contents insurance protects the belongings kept inside it. Many homeowners choose to combine both forms of protection under one policy.
Buildings insurance should generally provide enough cover to rebuild your property if it were completely destroyed. This figure can be different from the property’s market value.
Your contents cover should reflect how much it would realistically cost to replace the possessions throughout your home. This may include furniture, clothing, appliances, electrical equipment and other personal belongings.
Many standard home insurance policies provide some level of protection against flooding, but the exact terms, exclusions and excesses depend on the insurer and property. Always check the policy wording carefully.
Some policies include a degree of accidental damage protection, while others offer it as an optional extra. The type of damage covered can differ between insurers.
Buildings insurance normally needs to be in place from the point required by your mortgage lender or solicitor during the purchase process. Your adviser or solicitor can confirm the appropriate timing for your transaction.
Yes. You can review your policy at renewal and compare alternative providers. Before changing, make sure the new policy provides suitable cover and that there are no gaps between your old and new insurance.
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.
The guidance provided within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore primarily targeted at consumers based in the UK.
Empire Mortgages Ltd is an Appointed Representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network, a trading name of TenetLime Ltd. TenetLime Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Tenet Lime Ltd is entered on the Financial Services Register (www.fca.org.uk/register) under reference 150643.
Empire Mortgages Ltd may charge a fee for mortgage advice. The amount of the fee will depend on your circumstances and will be discussed and agreed with you at the earliest opportunity. Our typical fee is £295 payable on receipt of a full mortgage offer.
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