This article was updated on 24th August 2026
Previous home insurance claims can affect the price of a new policy, the terms you are offered and whether an insurer is willing to provide cover.
However, making a claim does not automatically mean your insurance will be refused. Insurers usually consider the type of claim, how recently it happened, the amount involved and whether similar incidents have occurred more than once.
This guide explains how claims history can influence home insurance, how long incidents may remain on record and what you can do if previous claims make finding cover more difficult.
Your claims history is the record of relevant incidents, losses and insurance claims associated with you or your property.
This may include claims involving:
Depending on how an incident was recorded, your history may also include claims that were declined, withdrawn or settled without a payment, as well as incidents reported for notification purposes only.
Insurers can consider this information when deciding whether to offer a policy and what terms should apply.
Insurers assess the likelihood of future claims when deciding whether to provide cover.
A previous incident does not necessarily mean the same thing will happen again. However, some claims may indicate that a particular property or type of risk needs closer assessment.
For example, repeated escape-of-water claims might raise questions about the condition of the plumbing. Several burglary claims could prompt questions about security, while a recent flood claim may lead an insurer to consider the property’s flood exposure.
Insurers may look at:
A single minor claim several years ago is likely to be assessed differently from multiple recent claims involving the same problem.
Yes. Some insurers may refuse an application if the claims history falls outside their underwriting criteria.
This may be more likely where there have been several claims within a relatively short period, a substantial recent loss, ongoing damage or an unresolved underlying issue.
However, refusal is not the only possible outcome. An insurer might instead:
Every insurer has its own criteria. Being declined by one provider does not automatically mean you cannot obtain cover elsewhere.
Our home insurance with claims history page explains how specialist cover may help where previous claims make standard policies harder to arrange.
No. A declined claim and refused insurance are different.
A declined claim means an insurer has decided not to pay for a particular incident. This might happen because the event is not covered, an exclusion applies or the insurer believes the policy conditions have not been met.
Refused insurance means an insurer has decided not to offer a new policy or provide cover under the circumstances presented.
A claim can be declined while the insurance policy remains in force. Equally, a previously settled claim can still influence whether another insurer is willing to offer cover.
If you are unsure which decision applies, ask your insurer or broker to confirm the position clearly.
For more information, see our guide to home insurance that has been refused, cancelled or not renewed.
Insurance incidents may be recorded on the Claims and Underwriting Exchange, commonly known as CUE.
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau, which provides access to this information, states that records can include home insurance incidents whether or not they resulted in a claim.
Information is held for six years from the date the claim or notification is closed.
This does not mean every insurer will ask about the same period or assess every incident in the same way. Always read the application questions carefully and provide accurate information for the period specified.
If you are unsure what information is recorded, you can request access to your personal data through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.
It depends on the question the insurer asks.
Some applications ask about claims, losses or incidents, rather than only claims that resulted in a payment. If the wording covers an incident you reported, you should answer accurately, even if the claim was withdrawn, declined or settled without a payout.
A declined claim is not automatically the same as having an insurance policy refused, cancelled or avoided. Do not describe it as such unless the insurer also made that separate decision.
If a question is unclear, ask the insurer or broker for guidance before completing the application.
Providing incomplete or incorrect information could affect the policy or a future claim, depending on the circumstances.
Not necessarily. Before making a claim for relatively minor damage, consider the cost of the repair, your policy excess and any potential effect on future insurance terms.
For example, if covered damage costs £400 to repair and your policy excess is £250, the insurer’s payment may be around £150, subject to the policy terms.
Depending on the circumstances, paying for the repair yourself may be more practical than claiming. However, this does not mean you should ignore your policy’s reporting requirements.
Important: Your policy may require you to tell your insurer about certain incidents even if you decide not to make a claim. Reporting an incident and claiming for it are separate issues, and a notification may still be recorded.
For more substantial damage, or where you cannot reasonably cover the cost yourself, making a valid claim may still be the right decision. Insurance is there to help protect you against covered losses.
If previous claims are affecting your ability to arrange home insurance, it can help to gather clear information about what happened and what has changed since.
Useful information may include:
For example, replacing defective pipework after repeated leaks or improving locks and alarms after a burglary may provide useful context when an insurer assesses the risk.
If you believe a claim or incident has been recorded incorrectly, contact the organisation responsible and ask it to investigate or correct the information.
Our article on getting home insurance after a burglary claim provides more guidance on one common situation.
Ask your insurer to explain its decision and identify the relevant policy wording, exclusion or evidence.
If you remain unhappy, you can submit a formal complaint to the insurer. If the complaint is not resolved, or you do not receive a final response within the relevant timeframe, you may be able to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
This process relates to the handling of the claim itself. It does not automatically mean your policy has been cancelled or that every insurer will refuse future cover.
If your claims history makes it difficult to obtain cover through a standard insurer, a specialist broker may be able to consider the circumstances in more detail.
Intelligent Insurance helps customers arrange home insurance with a claims history, including situations where previous incidents have made finding suitable cover more difficult.
If another insurer has already declined your application, you can also find out more about our refused home insurance cover.
Cover will depend on the property, the claims involved and the insurer’s underwriting criteria.
It can, depending on the type of claim and the insurer’s criteria, but a single claim does not automatically result in refusal. A large, recent or unresolved claim may be assessed differently from a smaller incident that was settled several years ago.
No. Previous claims may affect the premium, excess or terms offered, but there is no fixed increase that applies to every policyholder. The outcome depends on the insurer and the circumstances.
It may, depending on why the claim was declined, how the incident was recorded and what future insurers ask. However, a declined claim is not automatically the same as being refused insurance.
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau states that information is retained for six years from the date the claim or notification is closed.
Check your existing policy’s notification requirements and read any future application questions carefully. Some insurers ask about incidents or losses even if no claim was paid.
Possibly. Some insurers may decline the application, but others may consider the circumstances, completed repairs and steps taken to prevent further incidents. A specialist broker may be able to help identify suitable options.
Find out how a burglary claim can affect your home insurance and how to improve your chances of finding suitable cover.
This guide explains what rebuild cost means, why it is important, and when you may need specialist advice.
This guide explains why unoccupied home insurance claims are sometimes declined, the most common underlying reasons, and you can reduce the risk of issues if you need to claim.