Do I Need Contents Insurance? UK Guide For High-Value Homes

If you own things you could not easily replace, you likely need home contents insurance. Contents insurance protects your possessions inside the home and, with rivr, anywhere in the world, subject to limits.

Our contents cover is included within our home insurance or can be purchased separately. It is built for high-value homes and contents, with worldwide all risks for possessions and clear claims support.

The policy is designed to cover physical loss or damage to your household’s possessions at home and anywhere in the world, with limits that apply and conditions you should understand.

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What contents insurance and who is it for?

Contents insurance protects the movable things inside your property. Think furniture, carpets, artwork, home entertainment equipment, laptops, a mobile phone, clothing, and jewellery. If a fire, theft, or leak leads to damaged items, you are covered within policy limits.

With rivr, possessions are covered against physical loss or damage at your home and worldwide, which is suited to busy lifestyles and travel.

If you ask which insurance I need for a flat or house with designer pieces, the answer starts with home contents insurance. If you ask which insurance I need for a growing collection of valuables and technology, contents insurance is the core.

It sits alongside buildings insurance, which covers the structure. Many clients choose buildings and contents insurance for complete protection. If you only own the things inside, contents insurance on its own can be enough.

You should also consider how contents insurance policies define cover when a home is empty for long periods. When your home is unoccupied for over 45 consecutive days, accidental damage, theft, attempted theft and vandalism are not covered. That makes it important to tell your insurer about long trips or work.

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What is covered, and what is not

A contents policy is designed to keep you covered for day-to-day risks. With rivr, all risks cover applies to your households’ possessions at home and worldwide. You are covered for sudden physical loss or damage, subject to your schedule and excess.

Typical items covered include furniture, clothing, laptops, a mobile phone, cameras, kitchenware, ornaments, towels, and garden furniture kept within the boundary.

Guests’ possessions in your home can be covered up to £5,000 per claim, although jewellery, watches and money belonging to guests are not covered.

Important exclusions apply. Wear and tear is not covered. Outdoor items can be restricted for natural events. If your home is left unoccupied for long periods, certain perils are not covered.

Always review your schedule and note where limits apply.

If a claim means replacing part of a set, check how matching replacement and undamaged items are treated. Under rivr’s wording for fine art and antiques and for jewellery and watches, if one item in a pair or set is lost or damaged, the insurer can pay the full replacement cost of the pair or set when you surrender the undamaged part(s).

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How much contents insurance do you need?

A correct sum insured is the maximum amount your insurer will pay across a claim for your contents. Add up the total value of everything you own at today’s replacement prices. This is the amount you should insure. Using a contents calculator helps avoid guesswork. The aim is to have enough cover so you are not underinsured if you need to make a claim.

Start room by room. Record an estimated value per room, then refine with receipts or recent prices for more expensive items. If you own collections or high-value possessions such as jewellery or fine art, arrange professional valuations. Newly acquired items are covered up to 25% of the contents sum insured if you tell rivr within 60 days of purchase.

When building your list, include:

• Furniture and soft furnishings such as sofas, beds, rugs, carpets, curtains and blinds
• Technology and entertainment including laptops, televisions, sound systems, mobile phones and accessories
• Clothing and personal items including handbags and accessories, jewellery, watches and wearable tech
• Art, antiques and collectibles including fine art, decorative pieces, coins and medals
• Sports equipment from golf clubs to bicycles
• Garden and outdoor items such as garden furniture, tools, barbecues and statues
• Garage and loft contents including bicycles, tools, stored household items and seasonal equipment

How much contents insurance you need is not just about the overall total. It also depends on whether single high-value items are declared individually. For example, with rivr, unspecified jewellery, watches, fine art and antiques are each covered up to £25,000 per item. Any valuables above that must be specified on your policy to ensure it is fully protected.

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Setting the sum insured without underinsurance

Your sum insured should reflect the full replacement cost of all your possessions at current prices. If the figure looks low, increase it. Review your cover each year, especially after major purchases, renovations or changes at home. A contents calculator can help make sure no rooms or categories are overlooked.

When estimating, aim for accuracy rather than a rough guess. Use new-for-old values, not what you originally paid. Work through your home room by room, including outbuildings, and record items such as valuables stored in a garage. For collections or similar items, such as multiple watches or laptops, list each one separately.

Most policies, including rivr’s, apply a single item limit. If you own something worth more than the limit shown on your schedule, it must be specified on the policy to ensure it is fully covered at the time of a claim.

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High value items, limits and specifications

For high value items like jewellery, watches, and fine art, pay attention to limits. For example, rivr shows clear monetary caps for unspecified items and money.

Unspecified fine art and antiques and unspecified jewellery and watches each have defined limits per item. Office equipment and money also have separate caps per claim. These limits apply as follows unless your schedule shows different amounts:

• Fine art and antiques: £25,000 per unspecified item, pair or set.
• Jewellery and watches: £25,000 per unspecified item, pair or set.
• Office equipment: £20,000 per claim in total, with business stock within that up to £10,000.
• Money: £5,000 per claim in total.

If a piece exceeds a limit, specify it to the insurer. This makes the contents policy reflect what you need to protect. You may need valuations for jewellery and artwork. Market appreciation for specified fine art can be recognised up to 150% of the specified sum insured when you hold a valuation dated within the last 36 months.

Some clients ask for additional cover for personal items taken outside the home. With rivr your personal belongings are covered worldwide, subject to limits and conditions, and single item rules still apply. Keep receipts for high value items to support a claim.

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Away from home, travel and personal belongings

Your personal belongings are covered outside the home, subject to policy limits and conditions. This can be valuable if you carry a mobile phone, wear jewellery daily, or work on a laptop across locations. If you keep bicycles in a garage or use garden furniture outdoors, check your schedule for any limits or exclusions that may apply.

With insurers such as rivr, contents cover extends worldwide, meaning your belongings are insured whether you are at home or travelling. Some items may need to be specified on the policy to be fully protected away from home. It is important to set sums insured that reflect your lifestyle and to understand any single item limits. For jewellery, watches and wearable tech, make sure the insured value matches current replacement costs so they can be replaced if lost or damaged.

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What happens when you make a claim?

If something happens, take immediate steps to protect your property and belongings from further damage, then contact the claims team straight away. Most insurers, including rivr, publish the relevant phone numbers and email addresses so you can start the process and explain the loss. You may be asked for details, supporting evidence and estimates so the team can agree a fair settlement and arrange repair or replacement of lost or damaged items.

If an authorised repairer is appointed, they can help make your home safe and arrange for replacements where needed. Keep purchase receipts or valuations for valuables, and photographs are useful. For portable items such as laptops or mobile phones, recording serial numbers before you travel can help.

The policy wording sets out how each type of claim is handled, with separate contact details for buildings, contents and liability, home emergency, and family legal protection. If your home cannot be lived in after an insured event, rivr includes alternative accommodation for up to 36 months, helping to reduce disruption while repairs are completed.

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How much does it cost, and what affects it?

Contents insurance cost depends on where you live, the total value you insure, any high value items you specify, past claims, security at the front door, and your chosen excess. You may pay for higher limits or specific protections you select. Home Emergency and Family Legal Protection are provided under the policy, subject to your schedule. Your premium reflects the risk and the cover you choose.

If you want to keep costs balanced, invest in approved locks for the front door, list the accurate value for your sum insured, and keep an inventory. Choose a sensible excess you can pay. Review the cover once a year, so you always have enough cover and do not buy too much cover.

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Examples to sense check your cover

Example one: You drop a ring at home and damage a setting. Under an all-risks contents cover, jewellery damage could be covered up to the single item limit or the specified amount if listed, subject to policy terms. Keep valuations to support the claim, then replace or repair.

Example two: A leak affects a room with furniture and art. Contents are covered if the peril is insured. You can claim for the replacement or repair of affected items. For undamaged items that match a damaged piece in a pair or set, rivr can pay the full replacement cost of the pair or set when you surrender the undamaged part(s), within policy terms.

Example three: Theft from a garage. If items are listed in your inventory, you are covered, subject to limits and policy conditions. Bikes, tools and laptops in a garage can be included if within the boundary and your schedule confirms cover. Provide evidence if you make a claim.

Example four: A phone was lost while travelling. Under worldwide cover, a mobile phone can be covered within its limit and your excess. If you need much cover for tech, extend limits so you can replace devices without a shortfall.

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Buildings and contents insurance vs contents only

If you own your property, buildings insurance covers walls, roof, fitted kitchens and bathrooms. Contents covers the movable items you can take with you. Many homeowners choose to combine buildings and contents cover for simplicity, which is why providers like rivr offer both under one policy.

If you rent, your landlord handles buildings insurance, and you buy contents insurance. If you own a leasehold flat, check your block policy and still buy contents insurance to insure what the block policy does not cover.

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Top tips to stay organised

• Keep an inventory and update it after purchases.
• Photograph rooms, the front door, windows and major items.
• Record serials for laptops and a mobile phone.
• Store valuations for jewellery and artwork.
• Review add ons and optional extra choices annually in the wider market; check your rivr schedule for what applies.

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Final checklist

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Protect what matters with rivr

rivr is a high-value, digital-first home insurance provider built around the needs of modern lifestyles.

We provide tailored home insurance with clear limits, optional add ons, and support to make a claim when needed.

Speak to our team today to find the right level of contents cover for your home and lifestyle.