- Home
- > Insurance
What Does it Mean?
When looking for the cheapest home content insurance, it's just as important you understand exactly what your policy means, so you know you're getting the right cover for you.
At the Halifax, we're not only committed to offering you our cheapest home insurance quote possible, we make sure that you have all the information you need.
This guide gives you a complete explanation of what all the definitions within our policies mean.
Accidental Damage
Visible damage which has not been caused on purpose.
British Isles
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
Buildings
The home, fixtures and fittings, patios, terraces, footpaths, swimming pools, tennis courts, drives, walls, fences, hedges and gates.
Contents
Household goods, high risk items, personal belongings any of your family own or for which they are legally responsible. Contents owned by people employed by any of your family in your home and who live there, and visitors’ personal belongings in your home are included up to £500 for each visitor for any one claim. Office equipment in your home is included up to £5,000 in total for any one claim. Contents does not include the following:
- motorised vehicles, motor cycles (including children’s motorised vehicles or motor cycles but not including garden machinery and electric or motorised wheelchairs), parts or accessories for any of them
- go-karts, trailers, caravans, aircraft of any type or boats or water craft and jet skis, parts or accessories for any of them
- swimming pool covers
- animals
- anything used for any trade, professional or business purposes other than office equipment
- any items for which special insurance cover has been arranged by any of your family
- money, credit cards, mobile phones and pedal cycles unless Contents Plus is applicable.
Credit Cards
Any credit, debit, charge, cheque, bankers or cash dispenser cards, issued in the British Isles which belong to any of your family.
Excess
The first part of any claim which the person or people named as policyholder on the Policy Schedule has to pay. The amount is shown in your Policy Schedule.
High Risk Items
Televisions, personal computers, laptops, audio (including digital players) and video equipment, DVD equipment, photographic equipment, jewellery and items made from precious metal, clocks, watches, furs, works of art, sets or collectables / collectables including but not limited to stamp, medal and coin collections, telescopes, microscopes and musical instruments. High risk items does not include camcorders unless Contents Plus is applicable.
Home
The private dwelling, its garages and outbuildings, as shown in the Policy Schedule.
Insurance Period
The period during which you have insurance cover. This is shown on your Policy Schedule.
Insurer
The insurance company shown in the Policy Schedule.
Money
Current bank notes and coins, cheques, electronic cash pre-payment cards, postal and money orders, trading stamps, stamps which are not part of a stamp collection, premium bonds, saving certificates, travellers cheques, travel tickets, luncheon vouchers, gift tokens, phone cards, parking vouchers and season tickets.
Office Equipment
Computer equipment, facsimile machines, photocopiers, typewriters, word processing equipment, fixed tele-communications equipment, business books, stationery and office furniture all owned by or the legal responsibility of your family and used in the running of your business. Office equipment does not include business stock.
Personal Belongings
Personal items and valuables normally worn or carried in everyday life that any of your family own or for which they are legally responsible including money, credit cards and camcorders. Personal belongings does not include any of the following:
- motorised vehicles and motor cycles (including children’s motorised vehicles or motor cycles but not including garden machinery and electric or motorised wheelchairs), parts or accessories for any of them
- go-karts, trailers, caravans, aircraft of any type or boats, jetskis or water craft (not including windsurfers or surfboards) of any type, parts or accessories for any of them
- spoiled frozen food
- animals
- household goods and domestic equipment
- china, glass, pottery, any similar items which are fragile
- contact lenses
- camping equipment
- non-portable satellite receiving equipment
- anything used for any trade, professional or business purposes
- any items for which special insurance cover has been arranged by any of your family.
Rebuilding Costs
The full cost of rebuilding all the buildings in the same form, size, style and conditions as when new including:
- the cost of complying with local authority and other statutory requirements, fees and related costs
- architects, surveyors and legal fees
- clearing debris, demolition and making the building safe
Repair may be made using a suitable modern equivalent material wherever possible
Specified Items
Any high risk items and personal belongings that are above £1,500 in value and that are specifically named on the Policy Schedule. Pedal Cycles above £500 in value that are specifically named on the Policy Schedule (excluding cycles while used for racing).
Unoccupied
When your home has not been lived in by your or your family for more than 60 days in a row.
Your Family
You, your spouse, your civil partner (as defined in Section 1 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004) or the person (whether or not of the same sex) with whom you are permanently cohabiting in a marriage-like relationship, children (including adopted and foster children) and relatives or domestic staff who normally live with you.
