There are two main types of NI home insurance. Home contents insurance and buildings insurance. House contents insure the contents of your house and buildings insurance covers the house itself along with the fixtures and fittings.

For buildings insurance, it is critical that you cover the worst-case scenario that your house will require to be rebuilt. You home insurance company will calculate this value based on the area you live in, the size of the house. Note also that as house price inflation continued, your home insurance premium should have risen every year, as the cost of replacing your home increases. In fact, you should have been worried if it wasn't rising! This may mean that your insurer is not adjusting the value of your property and insuring the house for the 1995 value could prove a disaster. Obviously with house prices now falling this is something you have to worry about less. A couple of issues can add complexity and cost to home insurance in Northern Ireland, but thankfully, only a few householders have to worry about them, although this number is growing. A history of subsidence in your property may be impossible to shake off even if remedial work like underpinning has been successful, you may have to contact a specialist home insurance company.

For contents insurance, you should make a list of all the contents in your house. Methodically go from room to room; not forgetting attics and garages writing down the item and its value, an Argos catalogue may come in useful here to check values. You may need independent evaluations for items like antiques. Taking photos of items of value may be useful in the event of a claim particularly for antiques etc. Also keep receipts of valuable items and a copy of your inventory in a safe place; they may be invaluable in the event of a claim. You may wish to specifically mention or insure separately particularly valuable items, typically over £1000.