•  New for old? - The cost of goods generally increases. If your personal possessions where purchased some years ago, they would now be more expensive to buy, it is a way of index linking your possessions.

•  What is the policy's excess? If your home is damaged by a flood, you may have to replace carpets that cost £500, if your excess is £100 then the insurer will pay £400. If the excess is almost the same as the replacement cost, it may not be worth making a claim. Your premiums will increase with any claim submitted. Try to keep the excess you pay at a reasonable level.

•  Accidental damage? Do you have any very expensive items that you would like to insure separately?

•  Can my bike be included? You may need to take out an extra endorsement for a bike, it is often the target of thieves – is it kept in a shed?

•  Is the food in my freezer covered against power failure or breakage? This is often covered, the cost of refilling a chest freezer can be very high.

•  Is my home office included? Usually any office equipment you use for business purposes needs to be insured separately. The value of equipment even in a small home office can add up alarmingly.

•  Are my pipes covered? Some policies cover this as standard, some require additional premiums.

•  Are my jewels covered? Some items such as jewelry or antiques will exceed the amount companies insure on an item to item basis. If an expensive item is not mentioned but when stolen is worth a lot, the company will not pay out. You should not under insure your contents

•  Are my contents covered abroad? Some insurance companies will not cover homes that are empty for more than 90 days.