Home insurance for first-time buyers.
Learn about home insurance and how it can help to protect your building and contents. And find out about cover with Tesco Home Insurance.
Published: 27 March 2026
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What is home insurance?
Home insurance can help to protect you financially if something happens to your home or belongings. It covers unexpected events, including theft, loss and damage.
If you don't have home insurance, it could cost more to replace or repair things if something goes wrong.
It’s important to think about home insurance for first-time buyers. Your home might be the biggest thing you ever buy - having insurance can help to protect it. And your lender will probably want you to have buildings cover when you take out a mortgage with them.
Are there different types of home insurance?
Yes. There are usually 2 types of home insurance for first-time buyers - buildings and contents. You can take out cover for your building, your contents, or your building and contents in a single policy.
Tesco Home Insurance for first-time buyers
With Tesco Home Insurance, you can choose from 3 options to get buildings and contents cover. And you’ll save money with your Clubcard.
- Contents Insurance - covers the things you own in the house, garage, shed and garden.Contents Insurance - covers the things you own in the house, garage, shed and garden.
- Buildings Insurance - covers the house you own, the permanent fixtures inside it, and your garage and outbuildings.Buildings Insurance - covers the house you own, the permanent fixtures inside it, and your garage and outbuildings.
- Combined Buildings and Contents Insurance - covers your building and contents in a single policy, which can work out cheaper.Combined Buildings and Contents Insurance - covers your building and contents in a single policy, which can work out cheaper.
Home insurance you can trust
Tesco Home Insurance is 4-star rated by Fairer Finance.
We're also a Which? Recommended Provider for Home Insurance. Highly rated for affordability. With 5 stars for customer service.
Do you need to have home Insurance?
You don’t have to have home insurance by law in the UK. It costs money. But it means you won’t be out of pocket if something goes wrong.
Most mortgage lenders also need you to have buildings cover when you take out a loan with them.
- ProsPros
- Protects your homeProtects your home
- Protects your belongingsProtects your belongings
- Gives you peace of mind, knowing you’ll get help with unexpected costs.Gives you peace of mind, knowing you’ll get help with unexpected costs.
- Helps with big repair bills.Helps with big repair bills.
- Flexible cover options to meet your needsFlexible cover options to meet your needs
- Optional extras - like Home Emergency Cover - for extra support and protection.Optional extras - like Home Emergency Cover - for extra support and protection.
- ConsCons
- Monthly premiums add to household costsMonthly premiums add to household costs
- Exclusions apply - for example, for wear and tear and high-risk itemsExclusions apply - for example, for wear and tear and high-risk items
- Most policies will have an excess - an amount you need to pay towards a claimMost policies will have an excess - an amount you need to pay towards a claim
What does home insurance cover?
Home insurance typically covers loss or damage caused by:
- Fire, storm, flood, and escape of waterFire, storm, flood, and escape of water
- Theft and vandalismTheft and vandalism
- Accidental damage (optional extra)Accidental damage (optional extra)
- Alternative accommodation if your home isn’t safe to live inAlternative accommodation if your home isn’t safe to live in
- Liability cover if someone is injured on your propertyLiability cover if someone is injured on your property
To learn more about what is and isn’t covered by home insurance, see our guide - What’s not covered by home insurance.
Buildings cover
Buildings cover protects the fixed parts of your home. This includes the walls, roof, floors, fitted kitchens and bathroom suites. If a storm or fire damages them, buildings insurance can help with the repairs.
Contents cover
Contents cover protects the things inside your home. This includes furniture, clothes, TVs, laptops, and anything not fixed down. Anything you’d take with you if you moved house.
Home insurance optional extras
With Tesco Home Insurance, as with most policies, you can add optional extras to increase your cover for an additional cost.
Our Home Insurance optional extras are:
Home Emergency Cover
Provides 24/7 support and cover for a range of emergency repairs. From plumbing to electrical and security, and more. You can choose Essentials or Full Cover.
You can save money on Home Emergency Cover with your Clubcard.
Bicycle Cover
Provides extra cover to help if your bike gets stolen or damaged.
Family Legal Guard
Provides cover of up to £100,000 in legal expenses. To help you or your family with personal injury claims, contract and employment disputes, and more.
Extended Accidental Damage Cover
You can add Extended Accidental Damage Cover if you have our Combined Home Insurance. The extra cover will apply to both Buildings and Contents, as follows.
Buildings Accidental Damage
Covers the cost of sudden, unexpected accidents that could damage your buildings, fixtures or fittings.
For example:
- if you left a hot pan on the kitchen work surfaceif you left a hot pan on the kitchen work surface
- if you were in your loft and accidentally put your foot through the ceilingif you were in your loft and accidentally put your foot through the ceiling
Exclusions and limits apply.
Contents Accidental Damage
Covers the cost of sudden, unexpected accidents that damage the contents in your home.
For example:
- if you spilled red wine on your carpetsif you spilled red wine on your carpets
- if you knocked over a vase while dustingif you knocked over a vase while dusting
Exclusions and limits apply
Note: Tesco Contents Insurance includes accidental damage cover for TVs, tablets and laptops.
How to choose the right home insurance policy
Buying your first home comes with new responsibilities. With the right home cover, you can make sure you’re financially protected if the unexpected happens.
Here’s what to think about for first-time buyer’s home insurance.
- 1. Decide if you want Buildings, Contents, or both.1. Decide if you want Buildings, Contents, or both.
- 2. Check what cover’s included as standard.2. Check what cover’s included as standard.
- 3. Look at optional extras, like Home Emergency Cover.3. Look at optional extras, like Home Emergency Cover.
- 4. Make sure your rebuild and contents values are correct.4. Make sure your rebuild and contents values are correct.
- 5. Look at limits, excesses, and features - not just price.5. Look at limits, excesses, and features - not just price.
- 6. Look for cover that feels clear and easy to understand.6. Look for cover that feels clear and easy to understand.
With Tesco Home Insurance, we make it easy for first-time buyers to see the options and optional extras clearly in one place.
How to value your home and contents
Make sure you give us the correct value when applying for Tesco Home Insurance. This’ll help to avoid underinsured home insurance.
Here’s what to consider.
Valuing your buildings
- You need your property’s rebuild cost, not the market value.You need your property’s rebuild cost, not the market value.
- The rebuild cost is what it takes to rebuild your home from the ground up. The rebuild cost is what it takes to rebuild your home from the ground up.
- You can find this on your mortgage valuation or by using an online rebuild calculator.You can find this on your mortgage valuation or by using an online rebuild calculator.
Valuing your contents
- Walk from room to room.Walk from room to room.
- Write down everything you own.Write down everything you own.
- Add up how much it would cost to replace each item at today’s prices.Add up how much it would cost to replace each item at today’s prices.
Tips for first-time buyer’s home insurance
- Avoid underinsured home insurance, If your cover’s too low, the policy may not fully pay out if you make a claim. Being underinsured can also cancel or void your policy.
Avoid underinsured home insurance
If your cover’s too low, the policy may not fully pay out if you make a claim. Being underinsured can also cancel or void your policy. - Avoid overinsurance, If your cover’s too high, you’ll be paying more than you need to.
Avoid overinsurance
If your cover’s too high, you’ll be paying more than you need to. - Check your excess, Make sure you know what you’ll have to pay towards any claim you make. Your excess will be the total of your voluntary excess and the compulsory excess on the policy. And in some cases, it might mean that making a claim isn’t worth it.Check your excess
Make sure you know what you’ll have to pay towards any claim you make. Your excess will be the total of your voluntary excess and the compulsory excess on the policy. And in some cases, it might mean that making a claim isn’t worth it. - Consider optional extras, Extra cover - like accidental damage, Home Emergency Cover and Family Legal Guard, - can add value.Consider optional extras
Extra cover - like accidental damage, Home Emergency Cover and Family Legal Guard, - can add value.
Avoid feeling overwhelmed
Take it step by step. Buying your first home is an exciting time, but insurance can sometimes feel confusing.
Here’s how to make it easier:
- Read one section at a timeRead one section at a time
- Know what you want to protectKnow what you want to protect
- Choose the cover that feels right to youChoose the cover that feels right to you
- Ask us if you’re not sure about anythingAsk us if you’re not sure about anything
Home insurance for first-time buyers doesn’t need to be stressful. A clear policy can help you enjoy your new home with confidence, knowing you’ve got cover to meet your needs.
The benefits of Tesco Home Insurance
Here are just some of the benefits that come with Tesco Home Insurance.
- Clubcard Prices, Save money on Tesco Home Insurance and Home Emergency Cover with your Clubcard.
Clubcard Prices
Save money on Tesco Home Insurance and Home Emergency Cover with your Clubcard. - Flexible contents cover, Cover to meet your needs of up to £50,000, £75,000 or £100,000.Flexible contents cover
Cover to meet your needs of up to £50,000, £75,000 or £100,000. - Unlimited buildings cover, As standard, on all our buildings cover products.Unlimited buildings cover
As standard, on all our buildings cover products.
If you need to talk to someone about your policy, our friendly, UK-based customer service team is here to help.
You can also manage your policy easily online in Your Insurance Account. And make changes without paying an admin fee.
Help for Home Insurance customers
If you have any questions about your cover, or need to make a claim, we’re here to help.
Important information
Tesco Home Insurance is arranged and administered by Tesco Insurance and is underwritten by Tesco Underwriting Ltd.
Home Emergency cover is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance S.A.
Family Legal Guard is underwritten by AmTrust Specialty Limited.
You'll find complete details of the cover, monetary limits, exclusions, excesses and terms in our policy documents.
Learn more about Home Insurance
Find the right cover for the place you call home. Choose Tesco Home Insurance and save money with your Clubcard.
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