Direct Line magazine

Personal Possessions cover

Updated on: 16 March 2022

A camera partially buried in some sand.

Home contents insurance covers things that you usually keep at home. It doesn't cover things away from home if they're lost, damaged or stolen.

We get claims for:

  • Phones left in taxis

  • Cameras lost on holiday

  • Rings and jewellery that slip off in the sea

  • Wallets and purses left in the supermarket by mistake

To insure against these kind of things, you'd need to add Personal Possessions cover. It's there to help when you're out and about.

What else would Personal Possessions cover me for?

Things like:

  • Leaving your iPod on the train

  • Having your watch stolen from a hotel room

How does it work?

Personal Possessions cover insures a whole family that lives at the same address. So if you took it out, all your family's things would be covered away from home.

It covers you anywhere in the British Isles, and for up to 60 days abroad in any one policy year. And it includes up to £500 worth of cash cover. And your bicycle will be covered up to £500.

To work out how much cover you'd need, add up the value of all of the things you and your family take out and about. Don't forget clothes and jewellery. Anything worth over £2,000 needs to be individually listed.

If you'd like more cover, you could take out Home Insurance Plus. Its Personal Possessions cover guards up to £1,000 in cash, and you only need to name things worth over £4,000. It includes up to £1,000 per bike as standard too.

If you would like our highest level of cover, for customers with £100,000 of contents and above, look at our SELECT Premier Home Insurance. It covers your contents for loss or damage whilst away from the home anywhere in the world, for up to 60 consecutive days.

Is there anything Personal Possessions cover won't cover against?

Yes. It doesn't cover:

  • Wear and tear

  • Things that are damaged through everyday use, such as sports equipment

  • Things stolen from cars or vans, unless they're out of sight and someone had to break in to find them. A handbag that's locked in the boot and can't be seen from the street would be covered. But a Tom-Tom that's on display on the dashboard wouldn't

  • Pets and other animals

It doesn't cover things that are used for business, either. That would include:

  • Business cash, credit or debit cards

  • Tools, even if they're locked up and out of sight

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