Do you cover homes with lodgers?

John Lewis Home Insurance is designed for families permanently living at the property. We're not able to cover homes that regularly take in lodgers.

I use my home for business. Am I still covered?

Yes, as long as your business use is solely clerical, any business callers are by appointment only and you don't have more than ten business visits every week. We provide cover of up to £5,000, including up to £500 for business stock.

What's covered by 'accidental damage' to buildings?

Most buildings cover insurance policies automatically include accidental damage to the following:

• cables
• fixed glass items
• underground services
• fixed ceramic hobs and hob covers
• greenhouses
• bathroom fittings

In addition to this, John Lewis Home Insurance can cover you for accidents such as putting your foot through the ceiling while you're in the loft.

Are my fences and garden walls covered for damage?

Yes, unless they're damaged by storms, flooding, ground heave, landslide or natural wear and tear.

How can I tell if my home is suffering from subsidence?

Subsidence is often confused with 'historical movement', so it's important to understand which applies to your property.

• Historical movement means the property has moved in the past, but is no longer moving
• Subsidence is ongoing sinking that causes structural damage

The signs of subsidence are windows and doors that begin to stick because the frames have moved and cracking in the walls. A Local Authority search will show records of building work carried out at the property - including underpinning, which is commonly used to stop or prevent subsidence.

What's covered by 'accidental damage' to contents?

Some home insurance contents policies will pay for accidental damage to TVs, CD or DVD players and other home entertainment equipment. However some companies may require you to pay an additional premium to cover things like DIY mishaps and spilling red wine on the sofa.

Would items stolen from my car be covered by my Home Insurance or Car Insurance?

Items stolen from your car could be covered by either your Home Insurance or Car Insurance policy. However the levels of cover will differ between the two.

If you have Personal Possessions cover included in your John Lewis Home Insurance policy, items kept in your car are protected for up to £2,500*. However, you can choose to pay an additional premium to increase Personal Possessions cover up to £25,000.

John Lewis Car Insurance includes up to £250 to cover your personal possessions, plus unlimited cover for audio or Sat Nav equipment. The item in your car would only be covered by your home or car insurance policy if your car was locked, all windows were closed and it was concealed in the boot.

*Classic cover only.

What counts as 'valuables'?

By 'valuables' we mean non-household goods. For example:

• jewellery (including costume jewellery)
• other things made of gold, silver or precious metals
• cameras, camcorders or binoculars
• watches
• furs
• paintings and other works of art
• collections, such as stamps, coins or medals

Why don't you count TVs or computers as valuables?

These items are not included as most households have them. We treat TVs and computers as household furnishings - even though they're often worth a lot of money.

Will you replace damaged or lost things with brand-new items?

Yes. John Lewis Contents Cover is a 'new-for-old' policy. This means that all items lost or damaged will be replaced with new items or the cash equivalent. We don’t make any deductions based on wear or tear.

Are items in my shed and garage covered?

Yes - as long as the building is locked and it's entirely on your land (as defined in the deeds to your property). If you have Garden Cover included in your policy, any garden furniture kept outside is also covered up to a value of £5,000.

If I lose my keys, will the policy pay for replacing my locks?

We'll pay up to £1000 to replace locks or lock mechanisms as well as keys. However, this excludes keys for outbuildings such as sheds or garages.

Are my children's things covered while they're at university?

Yes - if they normally live at home outside of term time they’re covered up to the total amount you’re insured for on your policy. However, theft cover will be restricted at their term time premises to forcible and violent entry, up to a value of £2,500.

Are my parents or grandparents' things covered in their nursing home?

Yes - we provide cover of up to £2,500 for a dependent relative's belongings while they’re living at a nursing home.

We have an elderly relative that lives in their own part of the house. Are their belongings covered by our contents cover?

Yes - your contents cover applies to the whole of the property. As long as that person is a direct family member and normally lives there, they're covered too.

Am I covered for public liability under my contents cover?

Yes. We'll give you cover for up to £2 million if you or your family becomes legally liable to pay compensation. Our policy wording has a full explanation of this part of the policy.

Do I need to pay extra for emergency help with something like a burst pipe at 2am?

You don’t have to pay extra if you have Home Emergency included in your Home Insurance.  Our trained advisors will be able to provide immediate advice, 24 hours a day, on how to minimise the impact of the emergency. They can also organise a qualified tradesperson to come out to you, in many cases within two hours.

With our Home Emergency you’re also covered for up to £1,500 for callout charges, labour, parts and materials.

What is Classic Cover and Flex Cover?

John Lewis Home Insurance has been designed to offer you a high level of cover as standard along with the options to ensure your individual needs are met.

Our Classic policy offers wide-ranging cover that includes the following as standard: Accidental Damage, Personal Possessions, Home Emergency, Garden Cover and Pedal Cycle Cover.

Our Flex policy gives you the option to pick and choose the added extras you want to include in your policy, so that you get the cover you need. The amount you pay for Flex reflects the options you have selected within your quote.

Am I covered during a house move?

The Accidental Damage part of your Contents Cover will pay for any loss or damage during the move, as long as you use a professional removal company.

Will a burglar alarm reduce the amount I have to pay?

Yes - as long as it's fitted and maintained by a professional alarm company. Make sure you turn it on when you're out. It's important to remember that if your alarm isn't active during a break-in, you'll have to pay the first £250 of any claim.

Who is allowed to be a joint policyholder?

A joint policyholder can be a member of your family, a common-law partner, someone you have a mortgage with, or someone that you have a joint bank account with.

Will my mortgage lender accept your policy?

Yes. Usually, mortgage providers will only require buildings cover as a condition of the mortgage contract.

What does 'Unlimited Buildings and Contents' mean?

It means that no matter what the value of your contents (excluding valuables) and no matter what the cost of a rebuild, this policy will cover it. The benefit to you is there is no need for you to calculate the total value of your contents or figure out the rebuild value of your home, which is usually much less than the market value.

Remember, you'll still need to keep track of the amount of valuables you want to insure.

What are 'inner limits' ?

'Inner limits' refer to the limits of the valuables covered within the overall contents policy. Although John Lewis Contents Cover is unlimited, there are limits for valuables - we offer £15,000 for a single item and up to £30,000 for valuables in total.

Do you insure unoccupied homes?

Our policy allows for the property to be unoccupied for up to 60 consecutive days. If you’re going to be away from the property for more than this time, please call us on 0845 610 0300. If your property is usually unoccupied, our Specialist Home Insurance may be able to provide cover.

Do I get any extra benefits for paying for John Lewis Insurance services with my partnership card™?

Yes. Just as you do when shopping in John Lewis, Waitrose and Ocado, you can earn one point for every £1 spent when you purchase from John Lewis Insurance using your partnership card.

Find out more about partnership card

Do I get a discount if I buy my buildings and contents cover together?

Yes. If you buy Buildings and Contents Cover together we'll give you a 10% discount.

Does this policy include Family Legal Protection?

John Lewis Home Insurance offers Family Legal Protection as an optional extra. This provides up to £50,000 cover for costs for certain family legal matters.

A free 24 hour helpline for any legal matters is also available to those who have selected this cover when arranging their policy.

Does this policy include IdentityTheft Cover?

John Lewis Home Insurance offers Identity Theft Cover as an optional extra. If you have this cover included in your policy, you’ll have access to our Identity Theft Helpline that will provide you with full assistance and guidance in recovering your identity if it’s been fraudulently stolen.  

We’ll pay up to £50,000 to cover costs you have to pay to defend your name and restore your credit status, or any lost wages if you have to take time off work to meet with police or legal counsel.

Read our Policy Details for the full list of things we’ll cover.

What is 'wear and tear'?

Your home and its contents will naturally deteriorate over time and through use - this is called 'wear and tear'. If you want to repair or replace something in your home because of this, it won't be covered under your John Lewis Home Insurance policy. You can find out exactly what you are – and aren't – covered for in your policy document.

Because no insurance policy will cover you for general wear and tear, it’s important to check your home regularly for anything which may deteriorate over time.
Read our five quick tips on how to prevent wear and tear.

How do I make a claim?

To report a claim, call us on 0845 610 0301 (8am – 8pm Monday – Friday and 9am – 5pm Saturday). If you have Home Emergency, call 0845 603 1274, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How will my claim be settled?

We’ll either repair your goods, replace them with new items, or pay out a sum equal to the cost we would have to pay for repair or replacement.

What excess do I have to pay with John Lewis Home Insurance?

The standard excess for our Home Insurance is £100. This is in addition to any voluntary excess you may have included in your policy. Claims relating to water damage have a £250 excess in addition to any voluntary excess.

What happens to my policy if I move house?

If you move house you’ll need to contact us on 0845 610 0300 before your move so that we can arrange for cover to be transferred to your new property. Moving house could increase or decrease the amount you have to pay, as postcode, number of bedrooms and type of property help determine the cost.

What do I need to do if I want to rent out the property I have insured?

If you need to rent your property you will need to contact us on 0845 610 0300 before tenants move in. That way we can either make the necessary amendments to the policy or recommend an alternative John Lewis policy which would be more suitable for your requirements.

Can I increase my personal possessions cover?

Yes - you have the option to increase your personal possessions cover up to £25,000 for an additional amount. Please call 0800 916 6800 if you would like to discuss this with one of our advisors.

Can I cancel my policy at any time?

Yes - just give us a call on 0845 610 0300. Our policy terms and conditions give a full explanation of how to cancel a policy.