Common enquiries

What is the difference between 'Home Insurance' and 'Home Insurance Comprehensive'?

Everyone’s home insurance needs are different, which is why we offer two levels of cover; Bank of Scotland Home Insurance - a flexible level of cover you can tailor to your specific requirements, and Bank of Scotland Home Insurance Comprehensive - with additional cover and higher limits included as standard.

What does buildings insurance cover?

Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home including the permanent fixtures, fittings and services. This consists of the buildings of your private residence, and your outbuildings if Outbuildings Cover is selected.

Covers available under buildings insurance are:

Buildings Private Residence Cover
Covers the structure of your private residence including integral and attached garages and conservatories, and:

• walls, gates, fences, and hedges
  
• paths, driveways, patios and balconies
• decking, gardens, ponds and trees
• tennis courts, permanent swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs

where they are within the grounds of your home and for which you are legally responsible.

Find out more about Buildings Private Residence Cover

Outbuildings Cover
Covers your garages, greenhouses, sheds, summer houses and other similar structures and their fixtures and fittings, when they are detached from the private residence and within the grounds of your home and for which you are legally responsible.

Find out more about Outbuildings Cover

Buildings Accidental Damage Cover
Covers against accidental damage (caused by accidents which are not expected and not deliberate) to the buildings of your private residence.

To protect your outbuildings against accidental damage you'll need to select both Buildings Accidental Damage cover and Outbuildings cover.

Find out more about Buildings Accidental Damage Cover

Buildings Replacement of Sets Cover - Included as standard with Home Insurance Comprehensive
If you make a successful buildings claim for an item which forms part of a matching set or suite, we will pay for the cost of replacing or changing any associated undamaged item of the matching set or suite when a reasonable match can’t be found.

On settlement of your claim we may ask you to give us any damaged or undamaged items for which the claim has been accepted.

Find out more about Buildings Replacement of Sets Cover

What is Buildings Private Residence Cover?

It also covers:

• gardens, ponds, trees and hedges
  
• walls, gates and fences
• patios, paths, balconies, decking and driveways
• hot tubs, saunas, permanent swimming pools and tennis courts
• wind turbines and fixed solar panels,

all within the grounds of your home and for which you are legally responsible.

If you'd like to protect any detached structures, such as detached garages and sheds, you should select Outbuildings Cover.

Find out more about Buildings Private Residence Cover

What does contents insurance cover?

Contents insurance covers household goods including garden machinery, high risk items and personal effects (items of a personal nature such as clothing and wheelchairs) all owned by you, your family and resident domestic staff or for which you or your family are legally responsible.

Contents Private Residence Cover

Covers contents in the private residence, including contents in integral or attached garages and attached conservatories.

Find out more about Contents Private Residence Cover

Contents In Outbuildings And In The Open Cover

Covers for loss of or damage to the contents of your garages, greenhouses, sheds, summer houses and other similar structures when they are detached from the private residence and within the grounds of your home and for which you are legally responsible as well as loss of or damage to the contents in the open within the boundaries of your home.

Find out more about Contents In Outbuildings And In The Open Cover

Contents Accidental Damage Cover
Covers against accidental damage (caused by accidents which are not expected and not deliberate) to the contents of your private residence.

To cover the contents of your outbuildings and contents in the open against accidental damage you'll need to select both Contents Accidental Damage Cover and Contents In Outbuildings And In The Open Cover.

Find out more about Contents Accidental Damage Cover

Personal Belongings Away From The Home Cover
Personal items worn, used or carried by you or your family in everyday life. The item must be owned by or be the legal responsibility of you or your family.

Find out more about Personal Belongings Away From The Home Cover

Pedal Cycle Cover
Covers loss of or damage, including accidental damage, to pedal cycles and their accessories belonging to you or your family or for which you or your family are legally responsible. Covers your pedal cycles while kept within the boundaries of your home and when away from the home.

Find out more about Pedal Cycle Cover

Students’ Contents Away From Home Cover
Contents in university halls of residence or rented student accommodation in the British Isles belonging to you or your family when in full time further or higher education.

Find out more about Students’ Contents Away From Home Cover

Contents Replacement of Sets Cover - ;Included as standard with Home Insurance Comprehensive
If you make a successful contents claim for an item which forms part of a matching set or suite, we will pay for the cost of replacing or changing any associated undamaged item of the matching set or suite when a reasonable match can’t be found.

On settlement of your claim we may ask you to give us any damaged or undamaged items for which the claim has been accepted.

Find out more about Contents Replacement of Sets Cover

Do you provide matching of items/replacement of sets cover?

If you've made a successful claim for an item which forms part of a matching set or suite we'll pay for the cost of replacing or changing any associated undamaged item of the matching set or suite if a reasonable match cannot be obtained. For example, if you damage an armchair which is part of a matching 3-piece suite, if we can’t repair the armchair or find a reasonable match as a replacement, we'll pay for a complete new suite. This cover is only available with Home Insurance Comprehensive. By ‘reasonable match’ we mean this may be similar, but not an exact match.

Is my home insurance policy new for old?

Where we agree to pay for the cost of replacements we will do so on a 'new for old' basis, if available. If not available we will pay for the nearest equivalent, less any discounts obtainable.

If an item is irreplaceable, we will base our payment on expert opinion of its value immediately prior to its loss or damage.

Is my PC, laptop, iPad, tablet etc. covered under home insurance?

All types of computer equipment are classed as High Risk Items.

Computer equipment in the home individually worth up to £3,000:

• Bank of Scotland home insurance has two tiers. Both tiers offer a minimum £10,000 high risk items cover as standard but if you need a higher amount then the Home Insurance tier allows you to select high risk items cover up to a total of £30,000. Home Insurance Comprehensive allows you to select high risk items cover up to a total of £50,000.
• You will need to ensure that an adequate High Risk Items total has been selected to cover all the relevant computer equipment items in your home.
• If you also require accidental damage cover for these you will need to select Contents Accidental Damage Cover.
• If you require cover for computer equipment in your outbuildings, you will need to select Contents In Outbuildings And In The Open Cover.

Computer equipment in the home individually worth more than £3,000:

• You can cover these items in your home individually with our Specified Items Cover.
• Accidental Damage Cover for computer equipment you have specified will be included as part of Specified Items Cover.

If you require cover for portable computer equipment individually worth up to £3,000, such as your laptop, iPad, tablet, etc. when away from your home, you will need to select Personal Belongings Cover Away From The Home.

To insure computer equipment belonging to you or your family while in university halls of residence or rented student accommodation in the British Isles, you should select Students' Contents Away From Home Cover.

Please note:
Computer equipment covered under Specified Items Cover, Personal Belongings Away From The Home Cover and Students' Contents Away From The Home Cover will automatically be covered for accidental damage.

Do you cover mobile phones?

Mobile Phones are classed as High Risk Items. You will need to ensure that an adequate High Risk Items total has been selected to cover all the relevant items in your home.

Mobile phones are covered while in your private residence under Contents – Private Residence Cover.

They'll be covered for accidental damage if you have selected Contents – Accidental Damage Cover.

They'll be covered in your outbuildings and in the open in the boundaries of your home if you have selected Contents In Outbuildings And In The Open Cover.

If you’d like them covered while you’re away from home, you should select Personal Belongings Away From The Home Cover.

For mobile phones individually worth more than £3,000 you will need to select Specified Items Cover and indicate the appropriate value.

To insure mobile phones belonging to you or your family while in university halls of residence or rented student accommodation in the British Isles, you should select Students Contents Away From Home Cover.

Please note:
Mobile phones covered under Specified Items, Personal Belongings Away From The Home and Students' Contents Away From The Home Cover will automatically be covered for accidental damage.

What are high risk items?

By ‘high risk items’ we mean things that might be attractive to thieves and are easy to steal, such as televisions, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, computers, jewellery, cameras, etc.

Non-portable audio, visual and computer equipment:

• Computer hard drives
• Computer monitors
• Computer accessories
• Computer printers
• Computer projectors
• Computer scanners
• Digital set-top boxes
• Fax machines
• Games consoles
• Media players / recorders (e.g. stereos, Hi-Fis, DVD players, home cinemas, turntables, etc.)
• Photo equipment
• Radio equipment
• Televisions

Portable audio, visual and computer equipment:

• Bluetooth equipment
• Camcorders
• Cameras
• Computer accessories
• Digital eyewear (e.g. Google Glass)
• Electronic tablets (e.g. iPad)
• Electronic personal organisers
• Electronic readers (e.g. Kindle)
• Games consoles
• Laptops
• Media collections (e.g. records) - if valuable as a collection
• Mobile phones (including smartphones)
• Portable media players/recorders (e.g. DVD, MP3, stereo, Minidisc, CD, radio or cassette)
• Portable media player accessories
• Radio equipment (including DAB and two-way)
• Records /discs /cassettes /tapes if valuable and part of a collection
• Photo equipment
• Satellite navigation equipment

Collections:

• Coins - if valuable because they are a collection
• Medals - if valuable because they are a collection
• Stamps - if valuable because they are a collection

Other items we class as ‘high risk’:

• Antiques
• Furs
• Jewellery
• Microscopes and telescopes
• Musical instruments
• Paintings
• Photographs (if valuable, e.g. antique and/or part of a collection)
• Pictures
• Precious metals and stones
• Watches (including smart watches and clocks)

What is a specified item?

By 'specified items' we mean high risk items or personal belongings that are individually worth more than £3,000. You can specify items to be covered within your private residence, your outbuildings and in the open within the boundaries of your home, and when you take them outside the boundaries of your home.

Find out more about specified items

What do you class as 'personal belongings'?

By 'personal belongings' we mean personal items worn, used or carried by you or your family in everyday life. The item must be owned by or be the legal responsibility of you or your family.

Portable audio, visual and computer equipment:

• Bluetooth equipment
• Camcorders
• Cameras
• Computer accessories
• Digital eyewear (e.g. Google Glass)
• Electronic tablets (e.g. iPad)
• Electronic personal organisers
• Electronic readers (e.g. Kindle)
• Games consoles
• Laptops
• Mobile phones (including smartphones)
• Photo equipment
• Portable media players/recorders (e.g. DVD, MP3, stereo, Minidisc, CD, radio or cassette)
• Portable media player accessories
• Satellite navigation equipment (if portable)

Personal effects:

• Cash pre-payment cards
• Cheques
• Clothing and footwear
• Contact lenses
• Credit cards
• Current postage stamps
• Dentures
• Furs
• Gift cards
• Hand luggage
• Handbags
• Hearing aids
• Jewellery
• Money
• Make-up
• Money orders
• Personal identification items (e.g. licences, passports etc.)
• Precious metals and stones
• Phone cards
• Season tickets
• Spectacles
• Suitcases
• Travellers cheques
• Travel tickets
• Vouchers
• Watches (including smart watches)

Sports & leisure equipment:

• Camping equipment
• Firearms
• Fishing equipment
• Golf equipment (including trollies/caddies)
• Model watercraft/aircraft
• Racquets/sticks/cues & accessories
• Riding equipment
• Skateboards and skates
• Skis
• Snowboards
• Sub-aqua equipment
• Surfboards

Other items we class as ‘personal belongings’:

• Musical instruments
• Prams
• Wheelchairs

Do you cover my contents when I'm moving home?

We will cover loss of, or damage to, your contents when you move home if the damage is caused by a professional removal contractor while moving them from your home to another permanent home in the British Isles.

Your contents are also covered if any damage is caused while they are being held in temporary storage by the removal firm for up to 72 hours.

Do you provide cover for personal belongings outside the home or when I go on holiday?

If you add Personal Belongings Away From The Home Cover to your policy you'll be protected against:

• theft, accidental loss of or accidental damage to personal belongings
  
• theft or accidental loss of money belonging to you or your family, or for which you or your family are legally responsible.

We don't class pedal cycles as personal belongings, so If you require cover for pedal cycles whilst they are within or away from your home, you will need Pedal Cycle Cover.

If you require cover for students’ contents while in a college, university halls of residence or rented student accommodation in the British Isles you will need Students’ Contents Away From The Home Cover.

Find out more about Personal Belongings Away From The Home Cover

What is an excess?

An excess is the amount that you contribute towards the cost of a claim. For example, if you have storm damage to your roof that will cost £1,000 to repair and your policy has an excess of £100, you’ll be asked to pay the excess of £100 but can claim for £900 (the cost minus the excess). The excesses that apply to your policy will vary, depending on the covers you’ve selected and the excess amounts you’ve chosen.

When will my first payment be taken?

When you purchase a home insurance policy we'll ask if you'd prefer to pay monthly or annually.

If you choose to pay monthly
You'll be able to select which day of the month you'd prefer to make your monthly payment on. Full details of when your monthly payments are due and the amount of each payment will be contained in your credit agreement.

If you choose to pay annually
If you are paying by debit or credit card, the payment will be taken immediately.

If you are paying by annual direct debit, we will take the payment, either on the start date of the policy or 14 days after you set the policy up, whichever is later.

What do you mean by a 'paid claim'?

By 'paid claim' we mean any occasion when you've received a payment, had damage repaired or a damaged item repaired or replaced as part of a home insurance claim.

What do I do if I am struggling to pay for my home insurance?

Many people experience money problems at some stage of their lives. We may be able to help.

If you are having trouble paying for your Bank of Scotland home insurance, please don't ignore the problem.  There are a variety of options available that may ease your situation and ultimately help to resolve the issue.

This section explains the things that you should consider and the actions that we'll take to help you.

Call us on the phone number below as soon as possible:

0345 300 5180

(Lines are open 8am - 6pm Mon-Fri, 9am - 1pm Sat)

Where we can help

We may be able to help in a number of different ways:

• Offer to change the method by which you make your payments or the date on which you make them
• Arrange an affordable payment plan for repayment of any unpaid premiums and credit charges, taking both your interests and our responsibilities as the lender into account. If we contact you, please reply so we can try and help.
• Give you a reasonable, additional period of time to pay for your home insurance premiums and credit charges
• See if a change to the level of your insurance cover would be better suited to meet your needs

Additional things to consider

• Pay all your essential bills first, such as your mortgage, utility bills (electricity, gas, water), insurance, council tax and food.
• Check whether you can get any state benefits or tax credits which could help to increase your income.
• Seek independent debt advice, such as from Citizens Advice, Step Change Debt Charity or National Debtline if you'd like help with managing your finances.