Is Buildings Accidental Damage Cover Worth It in 2025?

Buildings accidental damage cover protects against sudden, unintentional damage to your home’s structure, such as burst pipes, smashed windows, or cracked fixtures. While many insurers offer it as an add-on, rivr includes this cover as standard when you insure your buildings.

This guide explains what’s typically included, what’s not, and how to decide whether it’s worth it for your household in 2025.

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What is buildings accidental damage cover?

Buildings accidental damage cover is an optional extra you can add to your buildings insurance policy. With rivr, its included when you take out buildings insurance as it forms part of the all-risks protection.

It protects against unintentional physical damage to the permanent fixtures and structure of your home.

Think broken windows, bathroom fittings, or a football smashing a conservatory panel, sudden, visible damage that isn’t caused by wear, neglect, or deliberate action; things that aren’t covered by most standard home insurance policies.

Accidental damage is only covered if sudden, unexpected, visible, and non-deliberate. Deliberate or criminal acts by you, adult household members, or lawful occupants are excluded.

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What kind of damage is covered?

Here are common scenarios where you’d typically be covered by accidental damage insurance:

• A child puts their foot through the attic floor.
• A visitor knocks a ladder into a skylight.
• A football smashes through a conservatory panel.

Essentially, it covers those frustrating, one-off accidents that aren’t caused by poor maintenance or deliberate damage.

Damage caused by visiting children, sports equipment, or similar accidental events may be covered if non-deliberate and within policy terms.

What’s usually excluded?

No two policies are alike, so it’s worth checking the small print. However, most insurers exclude:

• Pet damage: It is not covered under standard policy unless listed in your schedule.
• Gradual deterioration or general wear: This refers to damage that builds up over time, like peeling paint, loose tiles, or faults from bad construction work.
• Deliberate damage by household members: Intentional acts, such as punching a hole in the wall or vandalising part of the property, aren’t eligible for a claim.
• General DIY damage, unless explicitly covered: Mistakes made while doing home improvements (e.g. drilling into a wall or damaging floorboards) may not be covered unless your policy includes DIY accidents.
• Above-ground damage to external pipes, drains or cables: Accidents involving garden pipework or external wiring may fall outside the standard buildings cover. Buildings cover includes accidental damage to underground service pipes and cables, and up to £10,000 to detect and repair external leaks, as set out in the policy wording.
• Mechanical failure of built-in appliances: Breakdowns in integrated white goods or systems (like your boiler or oven) are usually considered wear-related or mechanical faults, not accidental damage.

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Who benefits most from adding accidental damage cover?

Ideal candidates for extra cover:

• Families with children: Kids are naturally curious (and sometimes clumsy). They might accidentally damage walls, furniture, or fittings.
• Landlords: Accidental damage is excluded under rivr's policy for any part of the home that is commercially let.
• Hosts: Those who frequently welcome guests or have visiting kids may find more reason to include it.

Who might give it a miss:

• Homeowners with tight budgets: If you're choosing between extras, this may not be essential.
• Those with high excess levels: Small repairs won’t exceed the claim threshold.
• Careful, low-risk households: If accidents rarely happen, it may not justify the extra cost.
• Renters: You don’t need buildings cover; your landlord handles that. But you might consider a contents insurance policy.

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Is it worth it in 2025?

In short, it depends on your lifestyle, risk level and budget. Here’s a deeper dive.

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Pros of adding accidental damage insurance

• Peace of mind: Accidents happen. If your home includes high-value fixtures or bespoke design elements that may be more costly to repair. This offers financial protection for those unexpected moments.
• Covers costly mistakes: Some repairs can cost hundreds, or even thousands.
• Flexible add-on: Available as part of your home insurance or as a tailored extra.
• Protects key parts of your home: Cover applies to permanent fixtures and fittings such as kitchens or bathroom units, but not to mechanical or electrical work.
• Included with rivr buildings cover: Accidental damage protection forms part of rivr's all-risks buildings insurance. It is not a separate add-on.

For homeowners who want extra protection beyond the essentials, this add-on helps reduce financial surprises from unexpected incidents.

This extra layer of insurance cover can be especially if your home includes high-value fixtures or bespoke design elements that may be more costly to repair. This protection is included when you insure your buildings with rivr; there’s no need to request it separately or wait for approval.

And it goes beyond what home emergency cover handles. Home emergency insurance typically covers the cost of immediate repairs, not the accidental damage itself or any resulting repairs to fixtures or finishes.

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Cons to consider

• It costs extra: Most insurers charge 10–15% more for this cover. With some insurers, this cover costs extra and must be added separately. With rivr, it’s included as standard when you insure your buildings.
• Claiming may impact no-claims: A minor claim could bump up future premiums.
• Excess limits apply: If your excess is £250 and damage costs £200, you’ll pay out of pocket.
• Not always included by other providers: With rivr, it’s included when buildings cover is active.

A small claim for accidental damage might not be worth it if the excess is too high. Still, it qualifies as a home insurance claim that could affect future premiums.

With some providers, even a minor claim could reduce your no-claims discount, making future cover more expensive.

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2025 trends: What’s changing?

According to the ABI’s Q2 2025 Property Insurance Premium Tracker, the average cost of combined buildings and contents cover was £391,  £2 lower than Q1 2025, but £1 higher than Q2 2024. Buildings-only insurance averaged £321, down £1 from the previous quarter but £4 higher year-on-year.

Here’s what’s new for 2025:

• More policies are modular: Many insurers now treat accidental damage as an optional add-on, not standard.
• Increased demand for DIY and pet cover: Some providers now offer tailored extras for home hobbyists or pet owners.
• Policy tiers matter: Some insurers include accidental damage in their ‘Gold’ or ‘Platinum’ plans, while others offer it as an add-on.
• Solar panels and green tech: Some policies still exclude accidental damage to newer home additions like solar panels. With rivr, solar panels are treated as part of the buildings structure, and accidental damage applies.

In 2025, more homeowners are reviewing their accidental damage options to better protect their property from unexpected issues. This includes reviewing their accidental damage building insurance for better structural protection.

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Real-life examples: Cost vs benefit

Sometimes the numbers speak louder than the policy wording. Let’s look at how a few common accidents might play out financially.

Replacing blown double-glazed glass typically costs between £55 and £195 in the UK, depending on size and complexity.

If your excess is lower than the cost of repair, it may be worth making a claim, though you should always consider the impact on your future premiums and any no-claims discount.

Typical hob repair costs range from £50 to £300, varying by fault and model.

A more serious accident, such as hammering a nail through a water pipe and causing a burst, could lead to a £1,200 repair. Here, the value of accidental damage cover becomes clear.

Always check whether making a claim is appropriate, especially when considering the policy excess and potential impact on no-claims discounts. This would typically be considered an accidental damage claim under most policies.

Additionally, double-check your excess and how it may affect any potential payout. Even valid claims can impact your no-claims discount or future premiums.

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How to decide if it’s right for you

Ask yourself:

• How much risk does my household have? Kids, pets, DIY projects, or frequent visitors = higher chance of accidents.
• Could I afford a large repair out of pocket? If not, more cover may help avoid unexpected large out-of-pocket expenses.
• What does my policy already include? Read the fine print or call your provider.
• What’s my excess? If it’s high, a small claims process won’t make sense.
• Do I want peace of mind? Some homeowners prefer to insure against the unexpected.

If you or a guest were to accidentally damage part of your property, would you be able to pay for the repairs yourself?

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Common myths debunked

“Isn’t accidental damage already included?”

Not always. Many providers only include basic coverage, such as broken glass or sanitaryware damage, unless you pay extra. It’s worth noting that some insurance terms may offer minor accidental coverage without stating it upfront.

“I’ll just fix it myself”

That’s fine for small jobs. But what about a smashed window pane, or cracked tiles across the bathroom floor? It can also cover things that are expensive or time-consuming to repair, like structural damage or fitted appliances.

“I’ll never need it”

Maybe. But if you’re reading this, you probably know accidents can strike when you least expect them.

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Bonus tip: Don’t forget contents cover

Buildings accidental damage only covers the structure and fixtures. To make sure you’re fully covered, always check that your contents insurance policy cover damage for valuables like laptops, jewellery, or sports equipment.

Our high value home insurance policies cover both the structure and your belongings. If you want protection for both, pairing buildings and contents cover ensures a more complete level of protection. If you want protection for your home and your belongings, pairing buildings insurance with contents insurance is ideal. This helps ensure both the building and your possessions are safeguarded.

Conclusion

If your home is high-risk, or you simply want the comfort of knowing accidental breakages are covered, it can be a valuable layer of financial protection. But if your household’s low-risk, or you’d rather save on premiums, you might opt out and self-insure for minor mishaps.

Whatever your situation, don’t just go with the default. Review your options, understand your policy, and consider how much peace of mind matters to you.

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rivr: Cover for those with more to protect

Every home is different. That’s why rivr gives you the flexibility to build a policy that fits your life.

If you think accidental damage cover could offer that extra peace of mind, we’re here to help. It’s designed to protect against the kinds of accidents that standard home insurance may not include.

Whether you need buildings, contents, or both, we make it easy to arrange the right level of cover for your home. Accidental damage is included with buildings cover and you can tailor your protection without paying for things you don’t.

You can explore buildings insurance if you’re focused on structural protection. Or add contents cover to safeguard your belongings indoors.

Contact our team today and see how we can help.