Three quarters of home insurance policies don't cover accidents in the home as standard, finds Which?
When consumers take out buildings or contents insurance, many will assume they are automatically covered for accidental damage, whether it’s a neighbour's ball crashing through the window or a glass of wine spilled over the sofa.
But when Which? analysed 78 home insurance policies from 35 providers, it found just three in ten (28%) buildings insurance policies and a quarter of contents policies (27%) include accidental damage cover as standard.Some seven in ten policies offer this cover as an optional extra or provide some basic cover (such as for windows or bathroom fixtures) that you can then upgrade (68% for buildings insurance policies and 69% for contents), and the remainder don’t offer it at all.
Worryingly, Which?’s research shows these figures run in sharp contrast to consumer expectations, meaning policyholders may be caught out should the worst happen.
When Which? carried out a nationally representative survey of 4,000 people, it found three in ten (31%) of consumers who had bought insurance thought their policy would cover them for anything that wasn’t their fault and a similar number (29%) believed that if they have cover for possessions, they are protected against any event involving those possessions (including accidental damage).
The consumer champion’s research indicates accidental damage is one of the most common reasons for lodging a home insurance claim, meaning hundreds of thousands of people could be caught out every year. In a separate Which? survey of 2,804 people who had tried to make a claim on their policy in the last 2 years, accidental damage accounted for a fifth of cases (19%).
Which? believes that a lack of clarity at the point of sale is leading to poor outcomes for insurance customers, with its previous research* finding widespread consumer misunderstanding, from lack of certainty about inclusions and exclusions to confusion about the differences between products.
Crucially, home insurance policies can differ significantly in the levels of cover offered, and when it comes to accidental damage, definitions will vary. For example, while most policies that offer accidental damage cover include damage caused by broken glass and underground pipes, in many cases, accidental damage cover won’t include damage caused by cleaning or by lodgers, for example.
This latest research comes just days after Which?, the UK’s consumer champion, took the extraordinary step of using its statutory powers to launch a super-complaint to the financial regulator, calling for a fundamental reset in how insurance companies treat their millions of customers.
Poor levels of customer service and outcomes have been tolerated - both by the industry itself and the FCA - for too long. The regulator has conducted two in-depth reviews focused on claims handling in home and travel insurance, first in 2014 and more recently this summer, and both reviews have found serious - and similar - issues. However, Which? has found little evidence that the FCA has taken, or is taking, meaningful action to address the many persistent problems that exist in these markets.
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. We know that there's much more the insurance industry could be doing to make the sales process easier to navigate for consumers, but instead these problems have persisted unchallenged. “Last week,Which? took the extraordinary step of using its statutory powers to launch a super-complaint to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) over its concerns about the home and travel insurance markets.
“It’s time for the FCA to tackle poor behaviour in these markets once and for all, and work with the government to ensure consumer protections for insurance are fit for purpose. This super-complaint should mark a turning point that leads to fundamental changes in how insurance companies treat their customers.”
-ENDS-
Notes to editors
Super-complaint: On 23rd September 2025, Which? submitted a super-complaint to the FCA. Find a press release outlining the action here and read the super-complaint in full here.
Home insurance analysis: Which? researchers assessed 78 home insurance policies from 35 providers, rating 135 cover elements of each. Each element was scored out of five based on how comprehensive the provider’s cover was in these areas when compared with other policies.
Surveys:
In October 2024, Which? carried out a nationally representative survey of 4,000 people, of whom 3,500 currently held and had been responsible for choosing a home, travel, pet or car insurance policy. The survey aimed to assess consumer understanding of the insurance industry and insurance products. *Read more about the findings in Which?’s policy report, Risky business: Consumer confusion around general insurance
Separately, in June and July 2025, Which? surveyed 2,804 home insurance customers who have made one or more claims in the last two years: 2,240 members of the public and 564 members of the Connect panel. Of those who made a claim, 19% claimed for accidental damage (based on their most recent claim).
About Which?
Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.
The information in this press release is for editorial use by journalists and media outlets only.