These questions and answers are here to help you with your Household Insurance purchase. The answers given are meant as a guide, before you buy your policy you should check the individual terms and conditions shown in the insurers policy wording.

If you need further help you can contact us at info@fortressunderwriting.co.uk, or ring on 08700 60 24 24. This service facility is available 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

If I move home will the premium increase?

It may do. Equally, it may reduce. One of the factors used to calculate your premium is the post code of the property to be insured. Post codes are grouped into a number of different areas by insurers - and those areas groupings differ insurer to insurer. The premium may differ because there is more likelihood of subsidence or the possibility of a theft is considered higher or perhaps because of the chance of flooding is higher. For this reason the insurance costs of a similar house on the other side of the road may be different. There are many rating factors - not just the post code.

If I cancel my policy part way through the year will I get a fair refund?

You will normally receive a pro-rata return of premium. In other words, you will receive a premium refund for the unexpired period of cover. This only applies if you have not made a claim in the current period of cover.

Is there such a thing as a No Claims Discount on household insurance?

Yes. Much as with motor insurance, many insurers offer a discount if you don’t make any claims. It is often as much as 20 or 25%. Of course if you make a claim no matter how small your No Claims Discount would be lost or reduced.

I’m moving house soon and the removal firm have quoted a very large fee for insuring my home contents in transit to the new house. Can’t I add this to my policy?

No need! Your contents are insured in transit in this event (excluding items of a brittle nature such as glass and china) and providing the packing and shipping is done by a professional house removal firm.

Would I have to increase the level of security on my home if I had a break-in?

Not necessarily. Each claim would be evaluated on its merits. Nowadays it is advisable to have a 5-lever mortice lock as a minimum level of security for doors and all ground floor windows should have key operated window locks. Depending on the amount of contents cover you need then there may be a requirement to install an approved intruder alarm. If there were a history of break-ins then security improvements would be a serious consideration to help avoid recurrence.

How can we cut the cost of our household insurance?

Take advantage of the improved security discount, take on board a large excess. Please don’t compromise on insuring the for the full amount of property - that would be imprudent. We think that you’ll find our premium very attractive compared with the norm. Try us!