Need to make a claim?

We are here to help. Please have your policy number available and call us on 08458 50 40 12 to register your claim.

Should you be unable to call us directly to register your claim you can download a copy of our claims form to complete and send to us at the address provided below.

Our lines are available 9-5pm Monday to Friday and 9am-12.15pm on Saturdays. Otherwise, outside of office hours, an emergency help line advisor will take the details of your claim, please note this is not a Nationwide advisor. They will put you in touch with an emergency contractor if necessary and pass on the full details to our registration team who will contact you at the earliest opportunity.

Before you call us you may wish to read the useful claims information below. If you cannot find the answers to your query you can view the current Policy Document or call us on
08458 50 40 12.

If you have a Home Insurance query but do not need to make a claim, please call us on
08457 30 20 10.

Am I covered?
What to do in the event of...
Making a claim
Useful numbers

Check whether you are covered:

Is it buildings or contents cover?

Before making a claim, check the cover that you have taken with Nationwide. Your policy schedule will show whether you have chosen Buildings cover, Contents cover or both.

Buildings insurance covers the fabric of your home such as its walls, floors, doors and roof. It also covers fixtures and fittings such as fitted kitchens and bathroom suites. Your buildings insurance policy will help you repair or rebuild your home following any insured damage.

Contents insurance covers your household items that are not part of the building. This includes you furniture and furnishings, other household goods and your personal belongings such as clothes and jewellery. There are some items that are excluded, for example motor vehicles and accessories, so check your policy document to be sure. Your contents insurance policy will help you replace or repair your lost or damaged belongings following any insured incident.

If you have only taken out buildings cover and your claim relates to contents you should redirect your claim to your contents insurer. Similarly, if you have only taken out contents cover and your claim relates to buildings you should redirect your claim to your buildings insurer.

How to check your Policy Excess

Your excess is shown on your policy schedule. This is the part of any claim that you have to pay. For example, you may have to pay the first £100 and then the insurer will pay the remaining amount up to the limit of your cover. Remember, if you have a claim that affects both your contents and buildings, it is likely that you will have to pay an excess for each part of the claim.

Personal Possessions Cover

Your Contents Insurance schedule will confirm whether you have chosen this cover and what limit (s) apply.

"Personal Possessions" covers the personal items that you normally carry with you away from home, for example clothing, jewellery, camera equipment and mobile phones. Cover is for loss or damage happening anywhere in Europe (or anywhere else in the world up to 60 days in any period of insurance cover). Exclusions apply which can be found in your policy booklet.

Is my policy new for old?

Yes - your contents insurance policy gives "New for Old" cover. This means that if repair is not possible all items will be replaced with the new equivalent without any deduction for "wear and tear" (other than for clothing and household linen where a deduction for wear and tear may be made).

For example, if you have damaged a 5-year-old television, we will replace it with the latest available equivalent model.

Home Emergency Cover

Check your policy schedule and booklet to confirm whether this cover applies.

Separate from our Buildings and Contents Home Insurance products, Home Emergency Cover provides 24 hour assistance if a home emergency occurs and you need a tradesman to make your home safe, secure and prevent further damage. This cover will help with problems such as:

Roof damage.
Plumbing and drainage problems.
Main heating system failure.
Domestic power supply failure.
Toilet unit damage or failure.
Damage to doors and windows.
Loss of keys.
Vermin infestation.

Cover is up to £500 (incl. VAT) in total for:

call-out charges and 2 hours labour.
parts and materials up to £100 (incl. VAT).

What is not covered?

any claim if the incident happened before the start date of your cover.
any claim which is covered under any other insurance, including other sections of this Home Insurance policy.
if your home is being rented out or let.
any costs you incur before you have notified the insurer of a home emergency.
any normal day to day maintenance.

To contact the 24-hour Home Emergency Helpline call: 08458 50 40 13

For more information about what's covered please read the full policy document and the policy summary document.

Accidental Damage Cover

You are insured for "Accidental Damage" to your Buildings and/or Contents if you have chosen to take this additional cover. Your policy schedule will show if you have chosen this option.

"Accidental Damage" means something that has happened suddenly and unexpectedly causing damage to your home or its contents. If you experience this type of damage, let us know as soon as possible.

For spillages, particularly of paint, mop up the liquid but don't try and clean any staining. Using the wrong equipment or technique may cause more or worse damage. We have access to specialist contractors who may be able to clean up as part of your claim.

Things that generally aren't covered:

Wear and tear (items wearing out)
Mechanical or electrical breakdown (electrical equipment that just stops working)
Damage that happens gradually over a period of time
Damage caused by vermin or household pets
Damage caused through cleaning or restoration

What to do in the event of:

Burglary

Finding that somebody has broken into in your home is a devastating experience.

Call the police. If you suspect that a burglar is still in your home, do not enter it.
Do not touch anything as this could affect any forensic evidence the police may need.
Once the police are finished in your home, make a list of everything that you think is missing or has been damaged.
Inform your bank immediately if any credit, debit cards or cheque books are missing.
If your passport has been stolen advise Passport Office.
If your driving licence has been stolen advise DVLA.
The police will give you a crime report number. Please keep a note of this for when you contact us.
As soon as possible call us on 08458 50 40 12.
You may need to secure your home if any windows or doors have been damaged and you should contact your buildings insurer who will assist with this if this is not us.

Fire

A fire can have a traumatic effect on you and your home. Your Buildings and Contents insurance can help reduce the stress after the event during any rebuilding of your home and the repair or replacement of its damaged contents.

Points to remember:

The building may not be safe so do not re-enter your home until the fire brigade tell you it is safe to do so.
Do not attempt to clean up the mess as if you use the wrong equipment, you could end up causing more damage. We have access to specialist contractors who can deal with this for you.
As soon as possible call us on 08458 50 40 12

Storm

Storm damage to fences, gates and hedges is excluded from cover. But damage caused by falling trees or other objects may be covered.
Arrange for any necessary emergency repair to avoid further damage and keep photos of all damage and receipts for all repairs.
As soon as you can call us on 08458 50 40 12.
You will be asked to confirm the exact date when the damage happened.
We may send a representative to assess the damage.

Flood

Flooding can have a serious effect on both your buildings and contents. As well as causing damage, it can also result in significant risk to health. Bearing that in mind, here are some points to consider:

Before entering a flood-damaged building:

Remember that buildings that have been under water could have suffered structural damage.
Check for structural damage before entering a building. Do not go in if there is any chance that the building or any parts of it could collapse. If you see damage, have an expert check the building.
Assume that all floors, stairs and roofs are unsafe until they are inspected.

Once you enter a flood-damaged building:

Arrange for the electricity to be turned off and do not turn it back on until electrical equipment has been checked by a qualified electrician.
Enter the building carefully. Leave immediately if shifting or unusual noises signal a possible collapse.
If there is any smell of gas, leave the premises immediately and contact the gas company.
Shut off the water.
Never touch electrical equipment if the ground is wet, unless you are absolutely certain that the power is off.
Be aware that flood water is likely to be contaminated.

Frozen pipes

What to do when you have a frozen pipe emergency (if pipe is frozen but not burst).

A frozen pipe needs urgent attention as this may burst when it thaws. The following steps should be taken as soon as you discover a frozen pipe:

1. Turn off the water supply.

Turn off the main stop tap. You should find this under the kitchen sink or where the service pipe enters your home.

Turn off the stopcock in your cold water tank if you have one, it's usually found in the attic or loft.

2. Beat the burst.

Protect or remove everything near the frozen pipe to avoid damage should the pipe burst.

3. Thawing out.

Open the tap nearest the frozen pipe to allow water to flow once the pipe is thawed.

Thaw the pipe gently with a hot water bottle or hair dryer (taking care to keep any electrical cables protected from any possible water leak as the pipe thaws). Begin from the tap end of the blockage and work back towards the supply. Never use a heat gun or blow torch.

Burst pipes

What to do when you have a burst pipe emergency.

A burst pipe can cause serious damage to your home's structure and electrical wiring. The following steps describe what you should do as soon as you discover a burst pipe.

Act immediately – the sooner you can stop the water, this will reduce the risk of further extensive damage.

1. Turn off the water supply.

Turn off the main stop tap – turn it fully clockwise

You should find this under the kitchen sink or where the service pipe enters your home.

Drain the system - turn on all your cold taps.

If water has been leaking through for some time and the ceilings are bulging - be careful, rooms may not be safe to enter. If safe, carefully punch a hole to let the water escape, and catch the water in buckets placed underneath. Again be careful in case the ceiling collapses. If in doubt do not touch the ceiling.

2. Turn off water heating systems.

Switch off the central heating, immersion heater and any other water heating systems.

If the central heating uses solid fuel, let this die out.

Once water heating has shut down, turn on the hot taps to help drain the system.

3. Turn off the electrics.

If water leaks near electrical wiring or appliances, switch off the whole system at the fuse box and seek advice from an electrician. Do not touch the fuse box if it is wet.

4. Call a professional to repair the damage.

Electrical wiring damaged by water can be very dangerous - you will need to call in a professional if this happens.

Contact a reliable plumber to repair the burst or frozen pipe(s).

Water damage

As soon as you can, contact us by calling 08458 50 40 12.
Check for any structural damage in case ceilings have collapsed and ask an expert if you are concerned about entering the building.
Retain any damaged items as we may want to inspect these.
You may also want to take photo’s of the damage as this can speed up the process of your claim.
Do not attempt to clean up the mess as if you use the wrong equipment, you could end up causing more damage. We have access to specialist contractors who can deal with this for you.

Preventing Burst Pipes - Winter Care

A burst pipe can lead to extensive damage to your home and its contents. The pipe itself can prove difficult to locate and fix, resulting in additional damage just to trace the leak. Preventing pipes freezing can avoid all of the disruption and inconvenience caused by a leak, so try following these tips:

Insulate your loft and the sides of your water tanks.
Insulate all your pipes.
Open the loft trap door on very cold days to let heat into the loft space.
If you're going away, ensure your water and heating systems are turned off at the mains and drained down. Alternatively leave your central heating system on to keep your home constantly heated to 12°C (55F). Also ask a friend or neighbour to check on your home to make sure pipes haven't burst or frozen.
Fix any dripping taps as they are more likely to freeze. (This will also save you money on your water bill as it can save up to a litre a day).
Make sure you know where your stop tap is and check that you can turn it off easily in an emergency. Label it if it's not obvious and make sure anyone checking the house knows where it is.

How to make a claim

Call us:

Claims Advice Helpline 08458 50 40 12
Use this service to report a new claim or get help with an existing claim, other than Legal Assistance and Home Emergency claims.

Home Emergency Helpline 08458 50 40 13
Use this for urgent assistance with emergencies in your home such as a burst pipe or damage to your roof.

If you have chosen to include the Home Emergency section of the policy and you call the helpline to notify us of the emergency, you may have cover for the costs involved. If not, you will be responsible for paying the tradesman for any work carried out.

Legal Assistance Helpline 08458 50 40 14
Use this service for confidential legal advice over the phone on any personal legal problem.

You can also use this service to discuss a potential Legal Assistance claim, if you have purchased cover under this section of the policy.

Other Helpline 08458 50 40 15
This helpline is available to provide you with confidential personal counselling, tax advice and health and medical information.

Claims by post:

Download a copy of our claims form to complete and send to us at the address provided below.

Home Insurance Claims
Nationwide Building Society
Kings Park Road
Moulton Park
Northampton
NN3 6NW

What questions will I be asked when I phone to register my claim?

We will ask you to confirm:

What has been lost or damaged?
When did the loss or damage happen?
How did the loss or damage happen?
What actions have you taken since the loss or damage happened?
What is the approximate cost of repair or replacement?

You may not know the answers to all these questions straight away, but don't worry, these can be answered later.

What kind of additional information will I be asked to provide?

When contacting us to help us deal with your query as quickly as possible please ensure the following information is provided with any of your correspondence:

Your name
Your address
The claim number
The policy/account number
Your daytime contact telephone number (that we can reach you during office hours)

It is helpful if you keep receipts, guarantees, instruction manuals, valuations or photographs for your most valuable items in a safe place as these may help to support your claim. By valuable items, we mean jewellery, watches, paintings, collectors' items and any items/sets of gold or silver.

We may also ask you to provide us with estimates or invoices for claims involving repair or replacement of items.

If the claim involves a building repair, we normally request two estimates for comparison purposes.

If the incident involves theft or criminal damage, or if any property has been lost outside of the home, you should inform the police immediately and make a note of the police incident number.

Who are the approved suppliers and specialists and what do they do?

We have national panels of approved specialists and suppliers who we may appoint to inspect damage and repair or replace goods on your insurer's behalf. Full details of the specialist or supplier and the next steps will be discussed with you when you call us.