Buildings and contents insurance

Pay monthly at no extra cost
We won’t charge a penny more if you spread your payments over 12 months.
Protection you can count on
Our trusted partner, Aviva have been protecting customers for over 325 years.
We’ll keep a roof over your head
Buildings insurance covers the damage to your home, and also picks up the bill for you to stay somewhere else.

What's covered

Buildings and contents insurance combines two types of home cover into one policy. It means you’re protecting both your home and what’s inside it. It can also work out cheaper than two separate policies.

Nationwide combined home insurance will provide cover for:

Fire, storms or floods.
Leaks or water escaping from pipes or heating systems.
Theft or attempted break‑ins that damage your home.
Accidental impacts, like a car or falling tree hitting your property.
Damage caused by vandalism or civil disturbances.
Ground movement, such as subsidence.

What's not covered

Damage that happens over time, such as wear and tear.
Damage caused by pets or other domestic animals.
Storm damage to fences, gates and hedges.

Important policy information:

For more information on types of cover, exclusions and optional extras, read our home insurance documents.

Defaqto rated cover

We have two levels of Defaqto rated cover to choose from:

3 Star Essentials cover.
5 Star Enhanced cover.

Compare buildings and contents cover

Table comparing essentials and enhanced building insurance cover
Types of cover	Essentials	Enhanced
Buildings cover If your home gets damaged, we’ll cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home.	£1,000,000	Unlimited
Loss of rent or alternative accommodation We’ll find you somewhere else to live temporarily if your home gets damaged and is unfit to live in.	£100,000	£200,000
Tracing a hidden domestic water or oil leak Including making good after the leak has been fixed.	£2,500	£5,000
Loss or theft of keys Replacing the locks on the external doors of your home, garage or outbuildings.	£1,000	£1,000
Public liability If you’re held legally liable (as the homeowner) for injury to a third-party or damage to their property.	£5,000,000	£5,000,000
Matching items If we can’t find a matching replacement for damaged tiles, fitted furniture, or bathroom fittings, we’ll pay to replace the undamaged ones too.	Unavailable	£10,000

This table compares the differences between Essentials and Enhanced cover.
Types of cover	Essentials	Enhanced
Contents cover We’ll repair or replace all your contents.	£50,000	Unlimited
Total valuables in your home Cover for your jewellery, watches, items of gold, silver or other precious metals, stamp, coin or medal collections, pictures, other works or art.	£15,000	£30,000
Loss of rent or alternative accommodation If damage to your contents makes your home unfit to live in.	£25,000	£50,000
Theft from outbuildings For items stolen from your locked outbuilding or detached garage.	£1,500	£5,000
Family and student cover To cover the contents your family or dependants take with them if studying or staying in hospital, anywhere within the British Isles.	Not available	£5,000
Personal Liability If someone else gets injured or their belongings get damaged, and you’re held legally responsible.	£5,000,000	£5,000,000
Household removals Cover for damage to your contents when you move caused by a professional removal firm.	£50,000	Unlimited
Freezer food Cost of replacing food spoiled because the temperature of your freezer changed accidentally.	£1,000	£1,000
Money in your home To replace money lost or damaged in your home.	£1,000	£1,000
Lost or stolen house keys Replacing the locks on the external doors of your home, garage or outbuildings.	£1,000	£1,000

Buildings and contents optional extras

Legal services cover

Legal Services Cover is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited and administered by Arc Legal Assistance Limited. It provides up to £100,000 for legal expenses to pursue or defend a claim for things like personal injury, employer disputes or property disputes. You can add Legal Services Cover if you’ve selected Buildings Cover, Contents Cover or both.

We’ll pay up to £100,000 for Legal Services Cover claims.

Disputes that started before you took out the policy is not covered.
Disputes where the lawyer does not believe you are more likely than not to win your case is not covered.

Buildings accidental damage cover

Get cover for accidental damage to the structure of your home and your fittings, like doors, bathroom suites and kitchen cupboards.

This includes if you accidentally drill through a pipe or break a window.

You’ll be covered up to the limits shown on your policy.

Damage caused by normal use, ageing or lack of maintenance is not covered.

Home emergency cover

We’ll pay up to £1,000 for Home Emergency claims.
We’ll pay up to £500 towards the cost of a new boiler if we decide your boiler is beyond economical repair.

Issues with warm air, solar, or underground heating is not covered.
Routine cleaning, maintenance, servicing, or replacement of equipment or it’s parts due to natural wear and tear is not covered.

Contents only optional extras

Personal belongings

We cover your possessions anywhere in the world. You're covered against accidental loss or damage for things you might wear or carry with you when you leave the home, such as clothing, jewellery, mobile phones and laptops. You can add Personal Belongings Cover if you’ve selected Contents Cover.

You can choose the level of cover you need; cover your possessions from £2,000 to £20,000. Items over £2,000 need to be individually specified.

Personal belongings used or stored for business or professional purposes is not covered.

Contents accidental damage cover

Get cover for accidental damage to the contents inside your home for things like knocking your TV over or breaking the glass on your coffee table.

You’ll get cover up to the limits shown on your Policy Schedule.

You’ll be covered up to the limits shown on your policy.

Damage caused by normal use, ageing or lack of maintenance is not covered.

Bicycle cover

We cover your bicycles anywhere in the world. You’re covered against theft, loss, or damage. You can add Bicycle Cover if you’ve selected Contents Cover.

The individual bicycle limit is £1,000. Bicycles over this limit can be specified.

Bicycles worth over £1,000 are only covered for theft if they were secured with a Sold Secure Gold or Diamond-rated lock. This applies even if the bike was locked to an immovable object.

Choose your excess

You can choose an excess from £100 to £400, in £50 increments.

For the following claims you’ll pay a different excess.

£500 for damage claims relating to escape of water, like water leaking from your washing machine.
£1,000 for damage claims related to subsidence, heave or landslip on your property.

Excess information:

You don't pay an excess if you claim on Home Emergency Cover or Legal Services Cover.

Important home insurance documents

For a summary of the home insurance product, read our Home Insurance Product Information Document.

For more detailed information - including types of cover, exclusions and optional extras - read our home insurance policy documents and summary of cover limits.

Get a quote online in minutes

You can choose to get a quote for:

buildings insurance
contents insurance
combined buildings and contents insurance.

You can also add optional extras to your policy for an additional cost, only paying for the cover you need.

To apply for home insurance

You need to be at least 18 years old.

Get a quote Retrieve a quote

Frequently asked questions

Buildings insurance

Cover for damage to your home, so you can feel confident it’s protected.

Explore buildings insurance

Contents insurance

Contents insurance gives you with peace of mind that your belongings are covered from loss, damage, or theft.

Explore contents insurance

Existing customer support

Whether your cover is with Aviva or Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd, we’ll guide you to the right place to make a claim, view home insurance policy documents, or manage your policy.

Make a home insurance claim

Looking to start a home insurance claim with RSA or Aviva? Find support here, including guidance for emergency situations.

Start your claim

Manage your policy

Already have a home insurance policy with RSA or Aviva? Manage your policy here.

Manage your policy here

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Buildings and contents insurance

Pay monthly at no extra cost

Protection you can count on

We’ll keep a roof over your head

What's covered

What's not covered

Important policy information:

Defaqto rated cover

Compare buildings and contents cover

Buildings insurance

Contents insurance

Optional extras

Buildings and contents optional extras

Legal services cover

Buildings accidental damage cover

Home emergency cover

Contents only optional extras

Personal belongings

Contents accidental damage cover

Bicycle cover

Choose your excess

Excess information:

Important home insurance documents

Read our home insurance documents

Get a quote online in minutes

To apply for home insurance

Frequently asked questions

What is combined home insurance?

Do I need buildings and contents insurance?

Buildings insurance

Contents insurance

Existing customer support

Make a home insurance claim

Manage your policy

Home insurance help