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HSBC home insurance review

Read Which?'s expert review of HSBC's home insurance policies, find out how we rate HSBC's contents and buildings insurance and how it compares to dozens of other home insurance companies.

Joe Sharp
Last updated: Apr 2018
In this article
HSBC home insurance overview HSBC home insurance review HSBC’s home insurance policy: is it good or bad?

HSBC home insurance overview

HSBC has UK-based call centres and offers a range of products from specialist high-value home insurance to pet cover. HSBC's home insurance is underwritten by Aviva.

What you need to know about HSBC's home insurance:

  • HSBC doesn't charge interest to customers paying in instalments
  • There are no policy renewal fees
  • Policies have a standard excess of £100

Members can log in to see the results of our analysis. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up to a two month trial for Which? Money for just £1 to access this review and enjoy the benefits of a Which? membership.

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HSBC’s home insurance policy: is it good or bad?

We analyse and rate 57 of the most important elements of standard home insurance policies to come up with the overall policy score. We assess how important each individual element is when choosing and using a home insurance policy, and weight it accordingly when calculating our total policy score.

Initially, we score all of the product elements out of five, reflecting how competitive each provider is in this area compared to other insurers. Weightings are then applied to the higher and lower element scores to enhance/reduce their impact in the overall product score

Members can log in to see the results. Or if you’re not already a member, you can sign up to a two month trial for Which? Money for just £1 to access this review and enjoy the benefits of a Which? membership.

Table last updated in February 2018. Next updated in August 2018

Most important policy elements
Policy element Details Rating Area covered
Interest charged on payment by instalments (APR) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Renewal fee (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Home Emergency cover - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Home Emergency cover (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Owner's/Occupier's liability (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Accidental damage cover - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Subsidence - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings only
Alternative accommodation (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings only
Burst pipes - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings only
Blockage of sewer pipe - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings only
Single item limit for valuables (max limit) (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Contents in the open (within home boundary i.e. garden) (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Contents in outbuildings including garages (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Theft from outbuildings (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Personal Possessions - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Personal Possessions limit within a car (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Pedal cycles - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Mobile phones - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Does cover for phone include calls? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Secondary policy elements
Policy element Details Rating Area covered
Insurer pay switching fees? (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Adjustment fee (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Cancellation fee (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Duplicate document fee (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Standard level of excess (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Subsidence excess (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings only
24 hour (emergency) helpline - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Are repairs guaranteed? (Home Emergency cover) (Yes/No) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Gradual build up of ground water covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Garden Cover - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Storm damage to fences? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buldings only
Trace and Access limit (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buldings only
Pedal cycle away from home (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
TV or video accidental damage covered as standard? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Is money covered - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Money in the home (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Money away from home (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Digital information in the home (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Students contents in digs covered - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Home removal insurance - standard, optional not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Cover level for loss of keys (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buldings only
Cover for theft of keys (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Cover level for loss of keys (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buldings only
Cover for theft of keys (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Other policy elements
Policy element Details Rating Area covered
Payment default fee (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Unoccupancy period Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Legal expenses - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Legal expenses cover (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Garden contents cover? (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
No claims discount (NCD) protection? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Students cover limit? (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Minimum level of excess (£) Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Discount for buying buildings and contents insurance? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings and Contents
Business/office equipment covered - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Loss of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings only
Loss of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
Theft of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Buildings only
Theft of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Subscriber only content Subscriber only content Contents only
 

HSBC home insurance review

HSBC has UK-based call centres and offers a range of products from specialist high-value home insurance to pet cover. HSBC's home insurance is underwritten by Aviva.

What you need to know about HSBC's home insurance:

  • HSBC doesn't charge interest to customers paying in instalments
  • There are no policy renewal fees
  • Policies have a standard excess of £100

HSBC tops the charts in terms of its buildings insurance, with coverage comparing favourably to its competitors. 

HSBC's contents insurance policy, meanwhile, finishes third in the table, with top single item limits but poor coverage for items left in the garden.

Buildings policy score

=1st out of 37 home insurers

 %
 

Contents policy score

3rd out of 37 home insurers

 %
 
 
  

HSBC’s home insurance policy: is it good or bad?

We analyse and rate 57 of the most important elements of standard home insurance policies to come up with the overall policy score. We assess how important each individual element is when choosing and using a home insurance policy, and weight it accordingly when calculating our total policy score.

Initially, we score all of the product elements out of five, reflecting how competitive each provider is in this area compared to other insurers. Weightings are then applied to the higher and lower element scores to enhance/reduce their impact in the overall product score.

Table last updated in February 2018. Next updated in August 2018. 

Most important policy elements
Policy element Details Rating Area covered
Interest charged on payment by instalments (APR) 0.00% Buildings and Contents
Renewal fee (£) No fee Buildings and Contents
Home Emergency cover - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Buildings and Contents
Home Emergency cover (£) £1,000 Buildings and Contents
Owner's/Occupier's liability (£) £2,000,000 Buildings and Contents
Accidental damage cover - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Buildings and Contents
Subsidence - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Buildings only
Alternative accommodation (£) £80,000 or 20% of sum insured Buildings only
Burst pipes - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Buildings only
Blockage of sewer pipe - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Buildings only
Single item limit for valuables (max limit) (£) £20,000 Contents only
Contents in the open (within home boundary i.e. garden) (£) £1,000 Contents only
Contents in outbuildings including garages (£) Up to contents sum insured Contents only
Theft from outbuildings (£) £3,000 Contents only
Personal Possessions - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Contents only
Personal Possessions limit within a car (£) £1,500 Contents only
Pedal cycles - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Contents only
Mobile phones - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Contents only
Does cover for phone include calls? Phone only Contents only
Secondary policy elements
Policy element Details Rating Area covered
Insurer pay switching fees? (£) Unlimited Buildings and Contents
Adjustment fee (£) No fee Buildings and Contents
Cancellation fee (£) No fee Buildings and Contents
Duplicate document fee (£) No fee Buildings and Contents
Standard level of excess (£) £100 Buildings and Contents
Subsidence excess (£) £1,000 Buildings only
24 hour (emergency) helpline - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Buildings and Contents
Are repairs guaranteed? (Home Emergency cover) (Yes/No) Yes Buildings and Contents
Gradual build up of ground water covered? No Buildings and Contents
Garden Cover - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Contents only
Storm damage to fences? Not covered Buldings only
Trace and Access limit (£) £5,000 Buldings only
Pedal cycle away from home (£) £2,500 Contents only
TV or video accidental damage covered as standard? Standard Contents only
Is money covered - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Contents only
Money in the home (£) £750 Contents only
Money away from home (£) £750 Contents only
Digital information in the home (£) Up to sum insured Contents only
Students contents in digs covered - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Contents only
Home removal insurance - standard, optional not covered? Standard Contents only
Cover level for loss of keys (£) £1,000 Buldings only
Cover level for loss of keys (£) £1,000 Contents only
Cover for theft of keys (£) £1,000 Buldings only
Cover for theft of keys (£) £1,000 Contents only
Other policy elements
Policy element Details Rating Area covered
Payment default fee (£) £0 Buildings and Contents
Unoccupancy period 60 days Buildings and Contents
Legal expenses - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Buildings and Contents
Legal expenses cover (£) £50,000 Buildings and Contents
Garden contents cover? (£) £2,500 Contents only
No claims discount (NCD) protection? No Buildings and Contents
Students cover limit? (£) £5,000 Contents only
Minimum level of excess (£) £50 Buildings and Contents
Discount for buying buildings and contents insurance? Yes Buildings and Contents
Business/office equipment covered - standard, optional, not covered? Optional Contents only
Loss of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Buildings only
Loss of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Contents only
Theft of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Buildings only
Theft of keys - standard, optional, not covered? Standard Contents only
 

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