How to get the cheapest home insurance in the UK
Practical, current UK tips to reduce home insurance costs: set the right excess, combine buildings and contents, add security, and beat auto-renewal.
How to get the cheapest home insurance in the UK
The cheapest home insurance isn't the lowest headline price — it's the lowest price for cover that actually pays out when you claim. In the UK the same house can be quoted at wildly different premiums depending on how you set up the policy, so a few deliberate choices cut the cost far more than switching insurer alone. Here are the tips that make the biggest difference.
Buy buildings and contents together
If you own your home you need both buildings and contents cover, and a combined policy is almost always cheaper than two standalone ones. You also get one renewal date, one insurer, and no gap where each policy assumes the other will pay. Renters and most flat leaseholders only need contents cover — paying for buildings insurance you don't need is one of the most common ways people overpay.
Set your excess deliberately
Your excess is what you pay towards a claim yourself. Raising the voluntary excess lowers your premium, so pick the highest figure you could comfortably afford in one go — often £250–£500. Set it too high and a small claim isn't worth making; set it too low and you pay for it every month. Check the compulsory excess too, as the two are added together at claim time.
Insure for rebuild cost, not market value
Buildings cover should be set to the rebuild cost — what it would cost to reconstruct the property — not what you paid for it. Rebuild cost is usually lower than market value, so estimating from your purchase price often means you're over-insured and overpaying. The ABI's BCIS rebuild calculator gives a reliable figure.
Let security work for you
Insurers price on risk, so cheaper cover often follows small upgrades: British Standard BS3621 five-lever mortice or approved multipoint locks on external doors, working smoke alarms, and a burglar alarm on larger homes. Being in a Neighbourhood Watch area can shave a little off too. Always declare security features accurately when you quote.
Beat auto-renewal
The single biggest overspend is letting a policy auto-renew unchallenged. FCA rules now stop insurers charging existing customers more than a new customer for the identical policy, but shopping around at renewal still routinely beats staying put. Note your renewal date, get fresh quotes about three weeks before it, and don't be afraid to switch. Paying annually rather than monthly also avoids the interest built into instalments.
How the Aviva ChatGPT app helps
Once you know how you want your cover set up, the next step is a quote. The Aviva ChatGPT app gives you a home insurance quote without leaving ChatGPT. When you're ready to buy, you complete your purchase on aviva.com.
To try it, install it from the ChatGPT App tab (or go to chatgpt.com/apps), search "Aviva", and ask a question in your own words — for example, "What would combined buildings and contents insurance cost for a 3-bed semi in Sheffield with a £350 excess?"
FAQ
What's the cheapest way to get buildings and contents insurance? A combined policy set to the correct rebuild cost, with a sensible voluntary excess, and re-quoted at each renewal rather than left to auto-renew.
Does raising my excess always make it cheaper? Usually yes, but only raise it to a figure you could actually pay if you claimed tomorrow — otherwise a cheaper premium leaves you unable to use the cover.