THE majority of home insurance policies do not include cover for accidental damage such as spills or smashed windows, analysis reveals.
When households take out buildings or contents insurance, many assume that they are also covered for accidental damage.
This is protection against certain mishaps, including spilling drinks or paint on the carpet or accidentally smashing a window with a ball.
But analysis by consumer group Which? of 78 home insurance policies from 35 providers revealed this is not the case.
It found that only 28% of buildings insurance policies and 27% of contents policies included accidental damage cover as standard.
But seven in ten policies offered this cover as an optional extra or provided basic cover, such as for windows or bathroom fixtures, that you can upgrade.
The remainder of insurers don’t offer it at all.
But 31% of consumers who had bought insurance thought their policy would cover them for anything that was not their fault, according to a recent Which? survey of 4,000 people.
A similar proportion believed that if they had cover for possessions, they are protected against any event that involved those possessions – including accidental damage.
But accidental damage is one of the most common reasons that people make a home insurance claim.
This means hundreds of thousands of people could be caught out each year.
In a separate Which? survey of 2,804 people who had tried to make a claim on their policy in the last two years, accidental damage made up around a fifth of cases.
Which? said lack of clarity when people take out insurance is leading to poor outcomes for customers.
Its previous research had found customers do not understand what is included and excluded, and can’t tell the difference between products.
The findings come after Which? launched a super-complaint to industry regulator the Financial Conduct Authority.
In the complaint Which? outlined its concerns about “serious failings” in the home and travel insurance markets.
The consumer group is now calling for a fundamental reset in how insurance companies treat their customers.
What does accidental damage cover?
Home insurance is primarily designed to cover you for significant losses from events such as fire, storms and floods.
Meanwhile, accidental damage is an add-on that can provide you with further protection.
How to cut home insurance costs
If you’re looking to save money on home insurance generally, there are ways to cut costs on both types of policy.
Ceri McMillan, insurance expert at Go Compare previously told The Sun renewing your policy 27 days ahead of it expiring could save you £60.
And at the very least, don’t wait for your policy to auto-renew as you’ll likely pay more than if you shop around for a cheaper deal.
If you’ve got the money up front, it’s worth paying for your premium in one lump sum as well.
Ceri previously told The Sun you can save around 10% on your premium using the trick.
Combining contents and buildings policies rather than paying for them separately could save you £100 a year as well, according to Confused.com.
Installing a burglar alarm can help drive down your premium price as well, albeit after the initial up front cost.
Consumer group Which? says you can get an alarm for around £100, and install it yourself to save extra cash.
But the definition of what is covered will vary between providers, which is why it’s important to check your policy.
Sam Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money, said: “When it comes to making a claim on your insurance, it’s sadly all too common to get caught out by the small print.”
Most policies that offer accidental damage cover include issues caused by broken glass and underground pipes.
But in many cases the cover won’t include damage caused by cleaning or by lodgers.
Meanwhile, the insurance doesn’t include damage due to a lack of upkeep or damage caused by pets.
A spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers said: “Always check your policy details or speak to your insurer to make sure you have the right level of protection for your needs.”
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