Home Insurance
What our home insurance covers
What’s not covered
Wet rot, dry rot or frost damage
Fences or gates damaged in a storm
Breakdown of household appliances
Wear and tear over time
For full details on what’s covered with your home insurance, you can read our policy documents.
Flexible home insurance, built by you
You can even choose different levels of cover for your buildings and contents insurance.
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Choose from three levels of Contents Cover to protect the things you cherish most.
| Bronze | Silver | Gold | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Maximum we'll pay: |
£50,000 | £100,000 | Unlimited |
| Alternative accommodation | £10,000 | £15,000 | Unlimited |
|
Business equipment |
£2,000 | £5,000 | £10,000 |
| Tenants improvements | £10,000 | £15,000 | £20,000 |
|
Contents in the open |
£2,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 |
| View all cover details | |||
Struggling to work out exactly how much your contents are worth? Check out our handy home contents calculator to save yourself a headache.
| Bronze | Silver | Gold | Specialist | |
| Contents | £50,000 | £100,000 | Unlimited | Bespoke |
| Replacement cost of total valuables (unspecified maximum limit) | £10,000 | £20,000 | £40,000 | Bespoke |
| Replacement cost of total valuables (specified maximum limit) | £40,000 | £40,000 | £40,000 | Bespoke |
| Valuables single article limit (unspecified items) |
£3,000 | £3,000 | £3,000 | Bespoke |
| Valuables single article limit (specified items) |
£20,000 | £20,000 | £20,000 | Bespoke |
Terms, conditions, policy limits and exclusions apply.
With three tiers of Buildings Cover to choose from, you can make sure you're compensated in the event of damage to your home.
| Bronze | Silver | Gold | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Maximum we'll pay: |
£400,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Alternative accommodation | £50,000 | £100,000 | Unlimited |
| Trace and access | £5,000 | £5,000 | Unlimited |
| Locks and keys | £500 | £750 | Unlimited |
| View all cover details | |||
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Optional add-ons
It's easy to tailor your policy with the add-ons you need.
You can also change your add-ons to suit your new circumstances at any time, without admin fees or hidden charges.
Personal cyber cover
With personal cyber cover we can offer you up to £10,000 of protection against cyber crimes, online liability actions and damage to your home computer – including professional system restoration and virus removal.
Legal expenses cover
Get access to a 24-hour legal helpline, plus up to £100,000 of cover to help with legal issues, like employment contract and boundary disputes.
Accidental damage - contents
Add extra cover for accidents that damage your contents, such as red wine on your sofa or a broken glass coffee table. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Bicycle cover
Add up to £15,000 of cover for your bikes while at home or out and about (up to a maximum of £5,000 per bike). We cover against loss, damage or theft. Excludes electric bikes and mopeds.
Student cover
Up to £5,000 of contents cover for your family while they're studying and living away from your home.
Gadget cover
Expensive to buy, easy to drop. Add an additional £10,000 of cover for your gadgets (max £2,500 per item). Items (including mobile phones) worth more than £200 will need to be named on your policy. Excludes drones.
Accidental damage - buildings
Extend your Buildings Insurance to cover slips like breaking a window or cutting through a cable. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Home emergency cover
In the event of a home emergency, we'll arrange for a tradesperson to make things safe with a temporary repair. Our helpline is open 24 hours a day so you can speak to an advisor whenever you need assistance.
Personal possessions
Cover for your possessions when you take them away from home, anywhere in the world - from losing your watch in the sea, to leaving musical instruments on the bus.
Home emergency & boiler cover
Up to £1,500 of home emergency cover and an annual service for one oil, gas or LPG boiler. Plus, if this boiler is beyond economical repair, we will contribute to the cost of replacing it depending on the age of the boiler. This add-on covers the one main boiler in your property.
Accidental damage - contents
Add extra cover for accidents that damage your contents, such as red wine on your sofa or a broken glass coffee table. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Bicycle cover
Add up to £15,000 of cover for your bikes while at home or out and about (up to a maximum of £5,000 per bike). We cover against loss, damage or theft. Excludes electric bikes and mopeds.
Student cover
Up to £5,000 of contents cover for your family while they're studying and living away from your home.
Gadget cover
Expensive to buy, easy to drop. Add an additional £10,000 of cover for your gadgets (max £2,500 per item). Items (including mobile phones) worth more than £200 will need to be named on your policy.
Personal cyber cover
With personal cyber cover we can offer you up to £10,000 of protection against cyber crimes, online liability actions and damage to your home computer – including professional system restoration and virus removal.
Personal possessions cover
Cover for your possessions when you take them away from home, anywhere in the world - from losing your watch in the sea, to leaving musical instruments on the bus.
Accidental damage - buildings
Extend your Buildings Insurance to cover slips like breaking a window or cutting through a cable. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Home emergency cover
In the event of a home emergency, we'll arrange for a tradesperson to make things safe with a temporary repair. Our helpline is open 24 hours a day so you can speak to an advisor whenever you need assistance.
Legal expenses cover
Get access to a 24-hour legal helpline, plus up to £100,000 of cover to help with legal issues, like employment contract and boundary disputes.
Home emergency & boiler cover
Up to £1,500 of home emergency cover and an annual service for one oil, gas or LPG boiler. Plus, if this boiler is beyond economical repair, we will contribute to the cost of replacing it depending on the age of the boiler. This add-on covers the one main boiler in your property.
Personal cyber cover
With personal cyber cover we can offer you up to £10,000 of protection against cyber crimes, online liability actions and damage to your home computer – including professional system restoration and virus removal.
Legal expenses cover
Get access to a 24-hour legal helpline, plus up to £100,000 of cover to help with legal issues, like employment contract and boundary disputes.
Accidental damage - contents
Add extra cover for accidents that damage your contents, such as red wine on your sofa or a broken glass coffee table. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Bicycle cover
Add up to £15,000 of cover for your bikes while at home or out and about (up to a maximum of £5,000 per bike). We cover against loss, damage or theft. Excludes electric bikes and mopeds.
Student cover
Up to £5,000 of contents cover for your family while they're studying and living away from your home.
Gadget cover
Expensive to buy, easy to drop. Add an additional £10,000 of cover for your gadgets (max £2,500 per item). Items (including mobile phones) worth more than £200 will need to be named on your policy. Excludes drones.
Accidental damage - buildings
Extend your Buildings Insurance to cover slips like breaking a window or cutting through a cable. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Home emergency cover
In the event of a home emergency, we'll arrange for a tradesperson to make things safe with a temporary repair. Our helpline is open 24 hours a day so you can speak to an advisor whenever you need assistance.
Personal possessions
Cover for your possessions when you take them away from home, anywhere in the world - from losing your watch in the sea, to leaving musical instruments on the bus.
Home emergency & boiler cover
Up to £1,500 of home emergency cover and an annual service for one oil, gas or LPG boiler. Plus, if this boiler is beyond economical repair, we will contribute to the cost of replacing it depending on the age of the boiler. This add-on covers the one main boiler in your property.
Accidental damage - contents
Add extra cover for accidents that damage your contents, such as red wine on your sofa or a broken glass coffee table. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Bicycle cover
Add up to £15,000 of cover for your bikes while at home or out and about (up to a maximum of £5,000 per bike). We cover against loss, damage or theft. Excludes electric bikes and mopeds.
Student cover
Up to £5,000 of contents cover for your family while they're studying and living away from your home.
Gadget cover
Expensive to buy, easy to drop. Add an additional £10,000 of cover for your gadgets (max £2,500 per item). Items (including mobile phones) worth more than £200 will need to be named on your policy.
Personal cyber cover
With personal cyber cover we can offer you up to £10,000 of protection against cyber crimes, online liability actions and damage to your home computer – including professional system restoration and virus removal.
Personal possessions cover
Cover for your possessions when you take them away from home, anywhere in the world - from losing your watch in the sea, to leaving musical instruments on the bus.
Accidental damage - buildings
Extend your Buildings Insurance to cover slips like breaking a window or cutting through a cable. Accidental damage is caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional event.
Home emergency cover
In the event of a home emergency, we'll arrange for a tradesperson to make things safe with a temporary repair. Our helpline is open 24 hours a day so you can speak to an advisor whenever you need assistance.
Legal expenses cover
Get access to a 24-hour legal helpline, plus up to £100,000 of cover to help with legal issues, like employment contract and boundary disputes.
Home emergency & boiler cover
Up to £1,500 of home emergency cover and an annual service for one oil, gas or LPG boiler. Plus, if this boiler is beyond economical repair, we will contribute to the cost of replacing it depending on the age of the boiler. This add-on covers the one main boiler in your property.
How much is home insurance and what affects the cost?
The overall cost of home insurance will vary depending on your circumstances, including the level of cover you want, the cost of rebuilding or repairing your home, or the value of the contents in your home.
The amount you pay for home insurance is calculated by looking at many different factors. These can include:
Your home’s location
The size of your property
Construction type
Security levels
Value of your contents
The cheapest home insurance is not always the best policy for you and it’s best to find the right level of cover for your needs and circumstances.
At John Lewis you’re able to tailor our product to suit your needs. With our flexible policies, you only have to pay for the extra add-ons that are right for you.
Interested in bike cover but not big on gadgets? No problem. You’re free to pick and choose the add-ons that best suit your lifestyle. It’s as simple as that. And if you have a change of circumstance? That’s okay too, you can add or take away add-ons at any time, with no additional charges or hidden costs. While home insurance might not be the cheapest investment you’ll ever make, it is a smart one.
For help with calculating the value of your contents, use our home contents calculator.
Do I need home insurance?
Every budget is different and the cost of living may have left you questioning whether you really need to get home insurance.
Home insurance (sometimes known as house insurance) is not a legal requirement but without it you are exposed to a number of risks that could affect your finances. These include fire, flood, and break-ins, alongside a whole host of other eventualities.
It's also often a condition of mortgage lenders that you have a buildings insurance policy that would cover your outstanding mortgage
When inflation is high it costs a great deal more to self-insure and foot the bill for repairs and replacements. The increasingly hot summers are also leading to a surge in insurance claims due to subsidence, which can be costly to correct. By choosing to buy home insurance now you could save your future self a great deal of money that would have gone on repairs and replacements.
If you’re interested in insuring your home but you are a tenant in a rental property, you would only need to consider contents insurance.
Your landlord is responsible for buildings insurance so there is no need to take out a combined policy.
Expert quote
“In life, not everything always goes to plan and it can cost a lot of money when the worst happens. So taking out home insurance can give you peace of mind. At John Lewis we can provide Home Insurance for your buildings and contents against a number of risks including, fire, theft, escape of water and storm. We believe you should only pay for what you need, so we offer a range of optional add-ons including accidental damage and home emergency cover.”
Frequently asked questions
Home insurance refers to either contents insurance or buildings insurance or a combination of both.
Buildings insurance covers the building, including any outbuildings such as sheds. Buildings insurance generally covers your home against risks including flood, fire and subsidence.
Contents insurance covers the possessions in your home. Contents insurance will cover you against your belongings being stolen and some policies may cover you if something in your home is damaged by accident.
Buildings and contents insurance can be sold separately, but if you need to make a claim, having buildings and contents insurance from the same insurer helps make the process easier.
If your home is seriously damaged – due to flood, for example – we'll find alternative accommodation, similar to your own, for you to live in until you can return home. Limits vary depending on your level of cover.
If it is safe to do so, you should take steps to limit the damage where possible – for example move furniture out of standing water or switch off your water supply to stop a leak.
Yes, these are considered 'valuables', which includes items such as:
- Jewellery
- Articles containing gold, silver or precious metals
- Watches
- Paintings and other works of art
- Stamp, coin or medal collections
- Musical instruments
Each insurance product has a different valuables limit so you can choose the one to suit your needs.
If you have any valuables worth more than £3,000 each, you’ll need to specify them when you get a quote.
If you have any valuables that are worth more than £20,000 each, our Specialist Home Insurance may be more suitable for you. Find out more or speak to an adviser on 0800 916 6880.
Please refer to your policy wording for the full list of cover.
Yes, second homes, holiday homes and let properties can be insured under our Specialist Cover. They aren't covered by our standard Home Insurance, however.
Yes. Our buildings and contents insurance policies cover any storm or flood damage that affects your building or the contents of your home respectively (with the exception of fences). This is included as standard regardless of the level of cover you chose.
You won’t find the phrase ‘Acts of God’ in our policies but we do believe that our customers should be protected against natural disasters, so you can feel safe, whatever the weather.
Our standard Contents Insurance policy can cover damage to your mobile phone, if it happens while you’re at home. You can also be protected when you’re out and about if you choose our gadgets add-on. In the modern age we know the fear of being disconnected can be a nightmare, so let us take that worry off your hands.
Our standard Buildings Insurance covers the cost of water escaping from pipes.
If you choose our Accidental Damage for Buildings add-on, all of your pipes are covered for accidental damage, whether overground or underground. This includes:
- Drains
- Pipes
- Cables
- Underground tanks
As long as they are used to provide services to or from your home, for which your family is legally responsible. For exclusions, see our key wording.
John Lewis Buildings Insurance can cover any damage done to your fence in case of:
Fire
Lightning
Vandalism
Accident
There are a few instances such as storms, frost or falling trees that would not be covered in your policy. You can find the full details about what is included in our policy wording.
You can make a claim either over the phone or online. Before making a claim. please visit our claims guide page first. Our three quick questions will direct you straight to the correct phone number to call, or page to visit, depending on your policy.
You’ll need to know the beginning letter of your policy, the date you last renewed, and whether or not it’s a specialist policy. If you’d prefer to make a claim online, you can also do so via our claims guide page.
You can make a claim on your home insurance from the first day your policy is valid, the details of this date will be in your policy schedule. Any changes in your lifestyle will be considered when you come to renew and any new risks will be factored into your renewal price.
If you’ve contacted us by phone, a member of our team will explain how the excess on your policy works. Typically, if any excess is due to be applied this will be deducted from the settlement amount once your claim has been approved.
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Policy wording
The insurer for John Lewis Home Insurance has recently changed. There are no changes to the policy terms and conditions.
If you are an existing customer, please refer to the policy documents sent to you for the insurer details applicable to your policy, or call us on 0345 608 9001
Select the relevant link below to view and print your policy document(s).
Gold, Silver and Bronze Cover
Specialist Cover
Please call us on 0800 916 6880 if you wish to request hard copies of your Specialist Home Insurance policy documents.
Select the relevant link below to view and print your policy document(s).
Gold, Silver and Bronze Cover
- Bronze/Silver/Gold Home Insurance Cover - Insurance Product Information Document (PDF)
- Bronze/Silver/Gold Home Cyber Cover - Insurance Product Information Document (PDF)
- Bronze/Silver/Gold Home Legal Expenses Cover - Insurance Product Information Document (PDF)
- Bronze/Silver/Gold Home Identity Theft Cover - Insurance Product Information Document (PDF)
Specialist Cover
Please call us on 0800 916 6880 if you wish to request hard copies of your Specialist Home Insurance policy documents.
No surprises when it's time to renew
If you're an existing customer, you won't pay more than a new customer for the same cover. So, when it's time to renew we'll do all we can to explain the price of your policy clearly, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
Prefer to call?
Existing customers can reach us on 0345 608 9001
Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm (live chat until 7pm), Saturday 9am - 12pm (live chat only), closed Sunday.
Your home is precious, so it’s important to prepare for the unexpected
† This is the number of policies insured through John Lewis as of 31 May 2023. Policies include buildings only, contents only and combined. Insurance is provided by Munich Re Digital Partners Ltd.
John Lewis Money, John Lewis Finance, John Lewis Insurance and John Lewis & Partners are all trading names of John Lewis plc. Registered office: 1 Drummond Gate, Pimlico, London SW1V 2QQ. Registered in England and Wales (company number: 233462).
Munich Re Digital Partners - our Bronze / Silver / Gold Insurance cover
John Lewis plc is an appointed representative (firm reference number: 416011) of Munich Re Digital Partners Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to carry out insurance distribution activities (firm reference number: 804106). Registered office: 1 Fen Court, London EC3M 5BN. Registered in England and Wales (company number 10207490).
John Lewis Home Insurance is underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited (company number: 13436330). Registered office: 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London, United Kingdom EC3M 5BN. Registered in England and Wales. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (firm reference number: 955859).
Covéa - our Specialist Home Insurance cover
John Lewis Specialist Home Insurance is underwritten by Covéa Insurance plc (company number: 613259). Registered office: A&B Mills, Dean Clough, Halifax, HX3 5AX. Registered in England and Wales.
John Lewis plc is an appointed representative (firm reference number: 416011) of Covéa Insurance plc, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (firm reference number: 202277).
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