Helen, sixty-one, retired from teaching two years ago and now spends most of her time in the garden of the cottage she and her husband bought in the Cotswolds back in 2016. "It's the sort of house where you think about the roof a lot more than you used to," she says, laughing. "Stone walls, an old boiler, the works."
When they bought the house, a friend in the trade had suggested taking out buildings cover with one provider and contents cover with another, on the basis that "you get the best of both." Helen never questioned it. "We just renewed both policies every year, on their own separate dates, and never really thought about it again. Nine years, give or take."
What finally made her look properly wasn't the renewal letter — it was a storm. "We had one of those nights where the wind was doing something to the roof tiles, and I lay awake wondering what on earth we'd actually claim for, and from which policy. I realised I genuinely didn't know."
"I could have told you the make of our car off the top of my head. I couldn't have told you which insurer covered our roof."
The next morning, slightly rattled, she sat down and actually compared what buildings and contents cover would cost as a single combined policy, instead of two separate ones. "I wasn't expecting much of a difference, if I'm honest. I just wanted peace of mind about what we were actually covered for."
What she found surprised her. Buying buildings and contents as two separate policies had been costing more than a single combined one would — not hugely more, but enough that, spread across nine years, it added up to a meaningful sum. "I'd assumed splitting them somehow got you a better deal on each. It doesn't work like that at all, as it turns out."
| Cover type | Average price |
|---|---|
| Buildings only | £167 |
| Contents only | £50 |
| Buying both separately | £217 |
| Combined policy | £183 |
"Seeing it laid out like that made it obvious. £217 if you buy them apart, £183 if you buy them together — for what's essentially the same cover. I felt a bit silly, but also relieved I'd finally checked."
Price wasn't the only surprise. While working out contents cover, Helen was asked to estimate the total value of everything in the house — furniture, electronics, jewellery, the lot. "I'd never actually sat down and added it up before. When I did, the number was quite a bit higher than what our old policy had listed. We'd have been underinsured if anything had actually happened."
What Actually Made the Difference for Helen
- Comparing 93 insurers at once, rather than juggling two separate renewals
- Discovering a combined policy was cheaper than buying buildings and contents apart
- Properly totting up the value of their contents for the first time in years
- A guarantee to beat her renewal price, or be paid the difference plus £20
- One renewal date to remember, instead of two
Pay annually
Monthly payments usually carry interest, so paying upfront tends to be cheaper.
Raise your excess
A higher voluntary excess can lower your premium — if you can comfortably afford it.
Estimate contents carefully
Too low and you're underinsured; too high and you're paying for cover you don't need.
Don't auto-renew
Shopping around each year is often considerably cheaper than letting a policy roll over.
Her advice for anyone who's been doing what she did for years: "Just check, even if you think everything's fine. It took less time than I expected, and I ended up both saving money and actually knowing what we were covered for. Before, I had neither."
Jenny says the process was very easy, and she found a great price plus a shopping voucher on top.
Scott mentions his existing provider wouldn't match the price, so he switched and received a £20 voucher for doing so.
Yogesh says the quotes were competitive and he saved over £70 compared to his previous insurer.
See What You Could Be Saving
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Is combined cover always cheaper than buying separately?
Not always, but it's very common — insurers often price a bundled buildings and contents policy lower than the two purchased apart. It's worth comparing both ways.
What's the difference between buildings and contents cover?
Buildings cover protects the structure of your home — walls, roof, fixed fittings. Contents cover protects your belongings inside it, like furniture, electronics and valuables.
What happens if my renewal quote is cheaper elsewhere?
Some providers offer to beat a like-for-like renewal price, or pay the difference if they can't. It's worth checking this before you let a policy auto-renew.
How do I know how much contents cover I need?
Add up the replacement cost of everything you own — furniture, electronics, clothes, valuables. Underestimating can leave you underinsured if you ever need to claim.