Quantcast
Menu

Insurance

What are the contents of your home worth?

Christina Hoghton
Written By:
Christina Hoghton
Posted:
Updated:
27/02/2024

Brits are woefully underinsured on their home contents and possessions, including antiques and high value items

You might have cash in the attic, but are you protecting it with adequate insurance?

According to reseach recent by Direct Line Home Insurance, two in five households own antiques and vintage items but 41% have not listed them with their home insurer.

And almost half (44%) of Brits admit they struggle to estimate the value of their personal possessions, nor do they keep receipts for major purchases.

Hidden value

One in six have unwittingly given away high value personal items to friends, charity shops and other lucky recipients, highlighting the hidden value of our belongings.

Direct Line reckons that millions of Brits are leaving their prized possessions exposed by failing to recognise the value of their home’s contents. A massive 85% admit they haven’t considered photographing their home contents to help in the case of an insurance claim.

The top 10 most popular antiques and vintage items owned by Brits are:

  • Jewellery
  • Vinyl
  • Ornament
  • Picture
  • Vintage toys
  • First edition books
  • Sports memorabilia
  • Vase
  • Pop memorabilia
  • Table

A third of respondents admitted they have never even thought about having their possessions valued. And for more than eight million (16%) they only realised they were underinsured when they had an unfortunate event such as a fire, flooding or theft.

Katie Lomas, head of Direct Line Home Insurance, said: “We urge people to regularly value their contents and make sure they are comprehensively insured on a policy that protects the full value of their prized possessions. For many the impact of under-insurance is only realised when it’s too late, but this is preventable.

“When purchasing expensive items – whether it is a TV or a piece of jewellery – we would always advise people to keep a receipt. Regularly photographing the contents of your home is also an easy way to help keep a visual inventory.”