Top tips for minimising risks and ensuring a smooth renovation with insurance

When you’re embarking on a renovation project in your home, it’s easy to get swept up in the imaginative ideas and big picture of what the finished space will look like. And that could mean overlooking the important details that ensure a smooth, low-risk completion – such as renovation insurance. At Renovation Plan we’re not only your preferred partner to handle insurance, but we have some great hacks and advice to make sure your plans are executed without a hitch – and all through the critical lens of having the correct renovation cover.

1. Once you know what you want to build, convert, or change, check your current home and buildings insurance. It’s very likely you’ll require supplementary insurance, so talk to a broker like Renovation Plan who’ll connect you with an insurance specialist who lives and breathes building conversions.

2. Will you be using the services of a contractor, builder, decorator or a electrician? The list can be lengthy, and one of your first questions, aside from: “what is this going to cost me, and long will it take?” MUST be to confirm what is their own liability insurance, and what you’ll need to cover. And who better to make sure that all is safe, legal, and covered than your insurance specialist?

3. Make sure your renovation insurance covers the unlikely and unexpected. While nobody is expecting a ceiling to come down, plaster to give way, or any flammable substances to catch light, these are just some of the circumstances that you should at least give some thought to ahead of “Project Go” day. Or what if your painter or you spill a rogue tin of yellow gloss all over those immaculate floorboards – who is responsible for sorting this? Having a specialist broker with you from the start means they have the experience and knowledge to consider these scenarios ahead of time.

4. Older properties versus newer homes can raise all sorts of questions when it comes to insurance cover. Maybe you’re removing some fireplaces in an older property, or knocking through rooms? While a builder may know what they’re doing, if plaster suddenly were to give way, or asbestos dust made an appearance, that contractor can’t mitigate for the cost of delays and extra materials. But if you have thought ahead and got that bespoke insurance and the services of a broker… Same goes for newer properties. We hate to mention it, but even the loveliest of “bought from plan” homes sometimes have corners cut in the build. Maybe it’s the wiring, or placement of a boiler, but if you’re planning a change, plan to discover the undiscovered.

5. And finally… protecting tools and equipment. Whether it’s your personal toolbelt or a builder’s digger, are these items protected against theft, or accidental loss – especially if they’re left on or near the site of the building work? If your builder turns their back on the van while it’s on your property and something is stolen, have you double-checked who is liable? Again, an insurance specialist will be able to confirm all of this and ensure your policy has this eventuality covered.