Making changes to cover topics

Yes – please contact us before the work starts if you’re adding a bathroom, en suite or downstairs toilet. We can check whether your existing home insurance remains suitable and whether any changes are needed. Adding a bathroom may involve new plumbing, changes to the layout or structural alterations. The insurance requirements can differ from simply replacing an existing bathroom suite. Your policy may also require advance notice of structural work, so get in touch while you’re planning the project. What information should I provide? Please tell us: What work is planned, including any walls being removed or altered. The estimated cost, start date and duration. Whether you’ll continue living in the property throughout the work. Whether the number of bedrooms or bathrooms will change. Whether the work forms part of an extension or loft conversion. These details help us check the insurer’s requirements and confirm any changes to your cover, premium or policy conditions. More extensive projects may need home renovation insurance. Will the new bathroom be covered? Once installed, permanent bathroom fittings normally form part of the buildings covered by buildings insurance, subject to your policy terms. Home insurance does not pay for the planned installation, and faulty workmanship or defective materials are normally excluded. When the work is complete, let us know so we can check that your property details and rebuilding cover remain accurate. If the work has already started or finished, contact our team as soon as possible.

Please contact us as soon as possible if the policyholder moves into a care home, whether the stay is temporary or permanent. When you contact us, please tell us: when the policyholder left the property whether anyone else still lives there how long the house is expected to remain empty, if known who will look after the property and carry out any required checks Moving into care does not automatically mean the existing policy must be cancelled. We can check whether cover can continue and explain any changes, conditions or alternative insurance that may be needed. If nobody is living at the property, it may be treated as unoccupied even if furniture remains and relatives visit regularly. Specialist unoccupied home insurance may be required, depending on the policy and circumstances. If you are managing the policy for a relative, let us know. We may need their permission or evidence of your authority to act on their behalf. If replacement cover is needed, confirm it is in place before cancelling the existing policy. For more information, read our guide to home insurance when moving into a care home.

If you jointly own your home, it is important that your home insurance policy accurately reflects the ownership arrangement. Whether every co-owner needs to be named on the policy can depend on the insurer and the circumstances, but you should make your insurer or broker aware of all legal owners of the property. A co-owner may have a legal or financial interest in the home, particularly where they are named on the title deeds or mortgage. Providing accurate information when arranging cover helps ensure your policy is set up correctly and can make things clearer if you need to make a claim. What is the difference between a co-owner and a named policyholder? A co-owner is someone who legally owns all or part of a property. A named policyholder is someone whose name appears on the home insurance policy and who is covered by its terms. These will often be the same people, but not always. For example, someone may live in a property without owning it, while a co-owner may have a legal interest in the home without living there full time. For more information about the relationship between ownership and insurance, read our guide on whether you can insure a property you do not own. When should you tell your insurer? You should contact your insurer or broker if: you are buying a home jointly; someone is being added to or removed from the property deeds; you are getting married, separating or divorcing; a co-owner has moved out; or you are unsure whether the names shown on your policy are correct. It is important to keep your policy details up to date. Insurers may have different requirements depending on the property, the type of cover and each person’s connection to the home. What if the co-owner does not live at the property? A co-owner who does not live at the property may still need to be considered when arranging insurance, especially if they retain a legal or financial interest in the home. This can be relevant for second homes, inherited properties, homes going through probate, or properties that continue to be owned jointly after a separation. Explain the ownership arrangement when arranging or updating cover so your insurer or broker can confirm how the policy should be set up. What should you do? Check your policy schedule to see whose names are shown. If a legal owner is missing, or the ownership arrangement has changed, contact your insurer or broker as soon as possible to discuss updating the policy. If you are approaching renewal, you may also find our guide on making changes to your policy at renewal helpful.

The fastest way to make changes to your policy is through Live Chat. Before requesting changes, please note: All policy modifications incur a £30 fee You’ll need your policy number ready Some changes may affect your premium For more details about specific changes, visit our Amend Your Policy.

While you can’t modify your policy directly online, you can request changes by: Completing our online policy amendment form Providing detailed information about your requested changes Waiting for us to process your request Tips for faster processing: Be specific about what you want to change Include all relevant details and dates Provide any required supporting information Example: For home renovations, include: Project timeline Total cost Property occupancy status Detailed work specifications Updated rebuilding costs

If you make a change to the Statement of Fact, for example, adding a lodger or inform us that renovations are in progress etc, a £30 administration fee will apply. Sometimes changes will result in an amendment to the premium, for example adding cover, change of address. This could mean a refund or an additional premium to pay and will be in addition to any administration fee that applies. Changes to risk can also adjust the terms of the policy i.e. if you are going to leave your home unoccupied, the insurer may ask for increased security checks.