Should you insure your kitchen renovation?

As one of the most important rooms in any property, a new kitchen can breathe fresh life into your home. But kitchen renovations can be complex and expensive, from the fixtures you choose to changing the structure of your home. So with the work booked in and your dream kitchen within reach, do you need renovation insurance? This all depends on your plans.

You probably won’t need renovation insurance if your new kitchen:

Costs less than £25,000 overall

A new kitchen is a great investment – designed to make your life easier for many years to come. But some kitchen renovations are more straightforward than others. For example, you may be simply making cosmetic updates, such as new units, tiles, flooring and colours. As a rule, you’re unlikely to need renovation insurance for simpler renovations like these, as long as your overall costs fall under £25,000. That’s because it’s a low-risk project, similar to redecorating, which is generally covered under standard home insurance.

Doesn’t require major structural changes

If you’re happy with the layout of your kitchen, then renovating it is likely to be a smoother and cheaper process than making structural changes, for example if you’re extending the room or switching its location in your home. When your kitchen is a straightforward change of units and appliances with no need to knock down walls or build new ones, then you shouldn’t need to worry about renovation insurance.

Is covered by your home insurance

Your home insurance offers you protection for the permanent parts of your home, such as kitchens and bathrooms. Generally this will include cosmetic updates, such as a simple kitchen refit. However, you should always give your insurer a call to let them know about the upcoming works and check the extent of your cover during the renovations. If they give you the green light, you’ll have the confidence your home insurance will continue to apply while your new kitchen is being installed.

You should definitely get renovation insurance if your new kitchen:

Means you’ll be living elsewhere for a while

Kitchen renovations can be disruptive, especially if the works are scheduled to take time to complete – so it’s not surprising many people choose to live elsewhere during the renovations. However, most home insurance policies have a standard ‘unoccupancy clause’, which means cover stops if a property is not lived in for more than 30 days at a time. So if you’re going to be living away for longer than four weeks while your kitchen is renovated, you’ll need renovation insurance to make sure your whole home is protected during that time.

Requires structural work to your home

Did you know that standard home insurance tends to limit or completely exclude cover for renovations? Generally, your everyday home insurance will only cover small-scale renovations, such as decorating, buying new furniture or replacing fittings. It’s simply not designed to offer the necessary protection for any project that includes a degree of structural alteration. So if your new kitchen means you’ll be extending or remodelling the walls or roof of your home, then you will need renovation insurance to make sure your home is adequately protected.

Will cost more than £25,000

Any kitchen is a big investment, but if you’re spending lots of money on the highest quality luxury fittings, you should make sure they’re protected from the day they are delivered. Renovation insurance offers protection for your new fixtures and fittings before they’re installed, which standard home insurance doesn’t.

Imagine this! You’ve bought all your expensive appliances and had them delivered to your home, in preparation for the contractors to fit them in. But while the appliances were waiting to be fitted, they get stolen. Without renovation insurance, you would have no way to claim and would have to foot the bill yourself. This serves as a perfect example of why you should take out the right cover if you’re investing a lot in your kitchen, and we always recommended specialist renovation insurance when you’re spending £25,000 or more.

Where can I find kitchen renovation insurance?

If your kitchen renovations need specialist insurance, then your best course of action is to talk to a broker who can offer guidance and search the market for you. At Renovation Plan, we offer flexible policies with a range of different cover levels depending on your needs, as well as short term cover options, including three-month policies. Plus, we understand how easy it is for projects to run into delays, so we add on an extra two weeks of cover for free on all our policies.

On top of that, our friendly and helpful team are highly experienced, with the specialist knowledge to provide honest advice and the quick understanding to step in if you need to claim. So put the peace of mind into your kitchen renovation, and get in touch. We’ll be happy to help.