Protecting our home is second nature to most of us, and it’s vital that the right home insurance policy is in place to keep it safe. Fire, theft, and even flooding could leave a family with nothing if they don’t have cover. Straightforward to arrange, buildings and contents insurance which protects the home need not be expensive. Cost could also be kept down by following some simple rules.

Is it buildings, contents or home insurance?

To firstly cut through some of the jargon, buildings and contents insurance are two aspects of home insurance. So, home insurance is a collective word for both of these types of cover- they’re not three different products.

A buildings insurance policy protects the actual structure of the building itself. Such policies are often taken out alongside a mortgage and are mainly geared towards paying for the rebuilding of a property in the event of an accident. Most policies give protection for things like fire, flooding, damage caused by burglars, and even things like vandalism and rioting.

Buildings insurance is sometimes wrongly thought of as a legal requirement. In actual fact many home loan lenders simply require that a mortgage applicant should show proof of having a policy when they apply for their loan.

Buildings insurance can be taken out to cover not just the replacement of the property itself, but also what is known as fixtures and fittings. This refers to the permanent installations in the home, including things like skirting boards, doors, light fittings, and kitchen and bathroom fittings.

Buildings insurance can also include things like garages, exterior walls and garden sheds. What is actually included may vary from one provider to another, so it can pay to check exactly what is included when getting a quote.

Contents insurance is different in that it protects all of the general belongings in the home. Typically this means clothing, furniture, electrical goods, and personal items like jewellery and other general possessions. As a general rule, think about what you would take with you if you were to move house. Whatever is on the list will normally be covered by contents insurance. High value items, however, may need additional cover.

Home insurance cover which includes buildings insurance and contents insurance can be purchased, or just one or the other. You’ll not normally need buildings insurance if you’re a tenant living in a rented property as the house or flat doesn’t belong to you. It is ’the landlord’s responsibility to have protection for damage to the structure itself.

Protection inside and outside the home

Contents insurance will often include some handy extras like protection for accidental damage, say if you were to drop a laptop on a hard kitchen floor and break it. You may also be able to get cover for contents in your garden, such as a bike in a garden shed or gardening tools left outside.

When it comes to keeping costs to a minimum, a better secured home may attract a cheaper insurance premium from a provider. Making it harder for thieves with burglar alarms and better locks means the insurer might accept that there’s a lower risk of you becoming a victim of burglary and reward you with lower premiums.

Many insurance companies allow you to purchase buildings and contents insurance together, but there’s nothing to stop someone buying the two things from separate companies if it works out cheaper. Using a home insurance comparison website such as the Tesco Compare service could help you compare different quotes and get an overview of the market quickly, helping you choose something appropriate at a price that suits your budget.