General home claims FAQs
What is wear and tear?
Almost everything in your home will suffer from general wear and tear over time. You can extend the lifetime of your property and the possessions inside it by taking care of your home through general maintenance and upkeep. So, for example, from time to time it would be worth having your roof checked for missing or cracked tiles and make sure any exposed pipework is insulated to protect against freezing.
Wear and tear is a common reason that claims are declined especially in a weather event like a storm. It's difficult for rain or wind to damage well-maintained properties unless it is an extreme weather event, but a poorly maintained roof could let rain in that could also damage your contents.
If you look after your property and something unexpected happens, that's when your insurance should be there to help.
What is and isn't covered?
Unfortunately, there are things we do not cover. It is therefore important to check your policy booklet before reporting any claim. Your policy documents will also tell you what cover you have selected and what excess will apply, depending on the type of claim you wish to make.
What’s covered with Rias home insurance
| What's included? | Buildings | Contents |
|---|---|---|
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Maximum sum insured |
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Total valuables |
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Valuables in the home |
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Single article limit for valuables*** |
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Alternative accommodation |
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Replacement locks and keys |
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 |
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Fridge/freezer food |
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Theft of outbuilding / garage contents |
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Contents of outbuildings (other than theft) |
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Bicycle cover in the home |
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Contents of outbuildings (other than theft) |
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Bicycle cover in the home |
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| Optional covers you can select | ||
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Personal Belongings^ |
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Optional |
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Bicycle cover (away from home)*** |
 |
Optional |
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Legal expenses |
Optional | Optional |
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Home Emergency |
Optional | Optional |
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Accidental damage |
Optional | Optional |
| Events you're protected for as standard | ||
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Fire & earthquakes |
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Storm |
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Flood |
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Leaking or freezing water & leaking oil |
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Theft |
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Vandalism |
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Riots |
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Subsidence |
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Damage by moving objects |
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*This must be sufficient to rebuild the property if it were destroyed completely
**Can be increased up to £100,000
***Single items must be specified
^Personal Belongings Items over £1,500 amount can be specified individually
What isn’t covered?
Here are some common things home insurance doesn’t cover:
- Damage caused by wear and tear, which we class as damage or deterioration caused by general everyday use
- Damage due to a lack of maintenance, gradual damage or rot
- Breakdown of appliances
- Storm damage to fences, gates and hedges
- Deliberate damage
- Loss or damage caused by pets and vermin
- Rain or water damage as a result of poor workmanship, bad design or wear and tear
- Theft, vandalism, leakage of water/oil claims where the home is left unoccupied for more than 60 days
- Pre-existing issues and emergencies that happen before the policy starts (applies to new customers)
- Escape of water due to lack or deterioration of grout or sealant, or leaving taps on
Good to know:
- Where we replace items that are lost, stolen or damaged we won’t make any deduction for wear and tear. This is included as standard.
- Any repairs we carry out are guaranteed for 12 months.
Can I carry out temporary repairs?
Unless it is an emergency, please do not carry out any repairs or replace items without us agreeing to this first.
If you need to take action to protect your property, we recommend that you do so only if the temporary repairs can be easily removed for a full inspection.
Please be aware:
The cost of any temporary repairs will not be reimbursed if your claim is declined following our inspection.
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I have already started repairs. How will this affect the claim?
We would ask that you contact us before you undertake any repairs or clean up, unless repairs are essential for the immediate protection of the property/item(s).
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Do you need urgent support?
- Is your property uninhabitable or unsecured?
- Do you need to make us aware of any exceptional circumstances affecting you or someone you live with?
- You can reach us by calling us on 0345 122 3281
- Your home policy will start with HE
What is a policy excess?
A policy excess is the amount you have to pay towards the cost of your claim.
There are different excesses that may apply.
There is a standard (or compulsory) policy excess which applies to all claims, although the amount you need to pay may increase depending on the type of claim you want to make. For example, the standard excess on your policy may be £50 or £100, but will increase for a claim for water damage or subsidence to your property.
You will need to check your Statement of Fact to show whether one excess or two will be payable if you need to claim on more than one part of your buildings or contents policy for the same event. If you only pay one, this will be the highest excess that applies to the parts of your policy that you’re claiming under.
You may have also added a voluntary excess when you took your policy out in exchange for a lower premium. This excess will be added to the standard (or compulsory) excess in the event of most claims.
Details of all your policy excesses can be found on your Statement of Fact, you’ll find this in your online account or your policy confirmation email.
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How do I pay my excess?
If your claim is settled via a cash payment, the excess will be deducted from the total amount before it is paid to you. Alternatively, if one of our repair networks carry out restoration, reinstatement or repair work, they will collect your excess from you on our behalf before any work is started.
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What happens if my claim is declined, and I do not agree with the decision?
- You can reach us by calling us on 0345 122 3281
- Your home policy will start with HE
This will give us the opportunity to understand your concerns and provide clarity on the reason for declining your claim.
If you remain dissatisfied with the decision, you have the right to register a complaint. For more information, please refer to the question 'How do I make a complaint about my claim?'.
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