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Home insurance financially protects your home and belongings from unforeseen and unexpected events like fire, storms, and burglary.

Home insurance is split into two types:

• Buildings insurance protects the structure of your home. That typically includes the walls, roof, windows, and any built-in kitchen or bathroom units.

• Contents insurance protects the belongings inside your home. This might be furniture, electronics, or anything you would bring with you if you moved house.

These can be bought together or as a combined policy, but mortgage lenders will usually require you to have buildings insurance to protect their investment.

It’s not a legal requirement, but if you have a mortgage your lender will typically request that you have buildings cover to protect their investment. Not having it could prove extremely expensive if you need to make a claim.

If you live in a rented property, you won't need to buy buildings insurance. This is the landlord's responsibility. However, it can still be worth taking out contents insurance as a renter. This can cover you in case your belongings are damaged or lost due to an insured event.

The cost of home insurance can vary based on a range of factors:

• Location: Local crime rates and risk of events like flooding affect the likelihood of a claim, so your postcode plays a role in how much your home insurance costs.

• Property age:

  Older homes may be more costly to insure because they're more expensive to repair due to outdated plumbing or electrical systems. They might also be built with expensive non-standard materials, which would make it more costly to repair.

• Security:

  A high level of security on your property can cause your premiums to fall, as it reduces the risk of theft and damage.

• Claims history: Having a history of claims means you're riskier to insure, making your premiums increase. Whilst having no claims signals to your insurer that you're less of a risk. Having a history of no claims means you can build up your no-claims discount, getting you a discount on your overall insurance cost.

You may want to consider insuring your second home, but you may need a specialist second home insurance policy, especially if it is unoccupied for longer than 30 or 60 days at a time. You can read more on how to find cover for your second home.

Older properties can be more expensive to insure due to the more costly materials used that can be difficult to replace. These properties are also considered a higher risk as old plumbing, wiring and roofing, as well as subsidence, can all increase the likelihood of you making a claim.