5 Surprising Things Covered by Comprehensive Home Contents Insurance

Do you remember what the contents of your first home looked like? Most of us start with hand-me-down furniture and basic appliances and upgrade to more expensive and higher-quality ones as our income and lifestyles evolve. It means that while you may not have cared about having to replace stolen or damaged items in the past, you'll feel differently now that your home's contents are more valuable. This is where Home Contents Insurance from Budget Insurance comes in. In addition to financial security and peace of mind, here are five things you may not know that can be covered by this form of insurance.

Why take out Home Contents Insurance in the first place?

Having a functional, comfortable home means investing in many essential items. You rely heavily on these items, from the moment you reach for your coffee machine upon waking while your heater warms up your bedroom, until the moment you fall asleep in your memory foam bed while watching Netflix on your big screen TV. The trend of South Africans working from home is going to be around for a while  which also means that a growing number of us will be spending most of our waking hours at home.

Having to replace even one of these items you rely on would be inconvenient and costly — so just imagine if a robbery or burst pipe meant you had to replace several of them at once. Even if you rent a home, you'd still need to make these replacements. Comprehensive Home and Contents Insurance can protect you from these problems – theft and leaking pipes – as well as damage caused by fire, Mother Nature or malicious acts. However, there are several additional things it can cover that you may not have considered.

5 unexpected things your Home Contents Insurance covers

Having damaged or stolen items replaced is the obvious benefit of having insurance. Here are a few less obvious ones you may not know about!

Benefit 1 — Alternative accommodation costs

When considering House Contents Insurance for incidents that involve you having to replace household items, you may not have considered that the incident might have made your home temporarily unsafe or unsuitable to live in. For example, a home that's been flooded can become an active health hazard requiring specialised cleaning, and you won't feel safe living in a house a criminal broke into until a new or upgraded security system is installed and tested. This can take days if not weeks.

House Contents Insurance can cover the cost of alternative accommodation for your family — something that can be quite expensive or difficult to secure out of pocket, particularly at certain times of the year.

Benefit 2 — Spoiled fridge and freezer contents

The cost of basic groceries has become mind-boggling. It means that many of us are stocking up on deals when they become available or even sharing bulk grocery purchases with friends and family. This is a savvy decision until that handy freezer breaks down while you're away and you return home to thousands of rands in spoiled food that needs to be thrown away. You'll be happy to know that insurance can cover this cost up to a predetermined maximum amount.

Benefit 3 — Stolen guest or employee possessions and washing

Having friends or family over can be stressful at the best of times. Now add a potential robbery or loss of belongings to the mix and you have the potential to create a lot of awkwardness. With comprehensive coverage, the personal belongings of others can be protected in your home from damage or theft.

Benefit 4 — Homeowner’s or tenant’s liability 

Not only can insurance protect against the losses or damages to the belongings of guests in your home, but it can also protect those guests themselves. Accidents can happen when you least expect them and, even when there's nobody explicitly to blame, you could be found legally liable should the person who was hurt decide to take legal action against you over their injury or damage sustained to their belongings or property. While predetermined limits can apply, comprehensive insurance can cover you should someone fall due to a damaged staircase railing or if a burst pipe ends up leaking into a neighbour's home and damaging it. 

Benefit 5 — Vet bills in the event of road accident injuries

If you've ever had a pet and insured them, you'll know that even the healthiest puppy or kitten can come with high premiums or hard limits when it comes to paying for their treatment. Any help in this area would be a welcome financial reprieve. Some forms of insurance can offer a certain level of financial protection should your pet get injured on or near your property. This coverage excludes routine care or treatment for illnesses.

Additional benefits of Home Contents Insurance

It's worth keeping in mind that Home Contents Insurance can be highly flexible and tailored to your exact needs. In many cases, you can combine it with other types of coverage with an estimated 10% — 15% discount, while also covering any potential gaps without being overinsured. Different insurers also offer a range of benefits. For example, Budget Insurance offers free valuable add-ons such as a cashback bonus after a certain period of not claiming; there’s also access to Road Assist, a 24/7 emergency services helpline.

Get Home Insurance quotes from Budget Insurance

It's worth exploring potential insurance options thoroughly to ensure that your insurance policy meets your needs. Budget Insurance can offer you advice and specialised customer care, so why not get Home Insurance quotes from us and we can help you cover the contents of your home to your satisfaction.

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Sources:

[1 ] Businesstech: Work from home not going anywhere in South Africa 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or medical advice.