What’s not covered by your home insurance?
Learn about the things that aren’t usually covered by your home insurance policy. And find the right cover with Tesco Home Insurance.
Published: 1 August 2025
What damage does home insurance cover?
Home insurance is designed to protect your home and belongings in case something happens to them. But there are some things it doesn’t cover you for, even if you think it should.
Did you know, for example, that DIY accidents aren’t always covered?
Tesco Home Insurance, like all policies, doesn’t cover you for everything. And, for some things that are covered, your insurer might not pay out if you invalidate your policy.
It can be hard to understand your insurance, and easy to assume you’re covered. Here, we look at the top things that are excluded on a homeowner’s policy, so there's no surprises if you come to make a claim.
What is covered by your home insurance?
First, let’s look at what’s covered by standard home insurance policies. With Tesco Home Insurance, you can choose from 3 different types of cover:
- Buildings Insurance: This covers the main structure of your home and anything that’s built in - like your fitted kitchen. It’s the stuff that stays put, even if you move.Buildings Insurance: This covers the main structure of your home and anything that’s built in - like your fitted kitchen. It’s the stuff that stays put, even if you move.
- Contents Insurance: This covers the things you’d take with you if you moved - like your furniture, clothes, freestanding appliances and laptops.Contents Insurance: This covers the things you’d take with you if you moved - like your furniture, clothes, freestanding appliances and laptops.
- Combined Buildings and Contents Insurance: This covers the structure of your home and the things inside it in a single policy.Combined Buildings and Contents Insurance: This covers the structure of your home and the things inside it in a single policy.
What isn’t covered by your home insurance?
Not all home insurance policies are the same, but most have the same types of exclusions. So, it’s best to check your cover - and be prepared - for things you can’t claim for.
For Tesco Home Insurance customers, here are the most common things you’re not covered for.
Damage caused by pets
Like most standard home insurance policies, Tesco Home Insurance doesn’t cover damage caused by your pets. That’s because some pets are better behaved than others, so it’s difficult to know what the risk is.
Pet damage includes things like:
- Scratched floors or chewed furnitureScratched floors or chewed furniture
- Damage to electrical itemsDamage to electrical items
- Torn carpets or curtainsTorn carpets or curtains
- Soiled flooring or upholsterySoiled flooring or upholstery
- Damaged luggage and handbagsDamaged luggage and handbags
Damage caused by bad weather we don’t define as a storm
Tesco Home Insurance, like most home insurance policies, doesn’t usually cover damage caused by bad weather unless:
- the bad weather meets the policy definition of a stormthe bad weather meets the policy definition of a storm
How do we define a storm?
For Tesco Buildings cover, a storm is defined as:
A single violent weather event with one or more of the following:
- wind speeds of more than 55 mphwind speeds of more than 55 mph
- snowfall of more than 30cm in 48 hourssnowfall of more than 30cm in 48 hours
- very heavy rainfall of at least 25mm per hourvery heavy rainfall of at least 25mm per hour
- hail causing damage to hard surfaceshail causing damage to hard surfaces
You can find full details of our Buildings cover in the policy booklet.
Wear and tear or poor maintenance
When you have home insurance, your insurer expects you to look after your property. So, you’re likely to have a claim rejected for things like:
- A build-up of mouldA build-up of mould
- Problems with grout or sealantProblems with grout or sealant
- Damp or rotDamp or rot
- A leaking roof - if it’s caused by the roof being old and not properly maintainedA leaking roof - if it’s caused by the roof being old and not properly maintained
Faulty construction or poor workmanship
Home insurance is meant to protect you from sudden, unexpected events. Not from poor-quality work or preventable issues. This includes:
- Rework needed to fix a poor installationRework needed to fix a poor installation
- The cost to repair or replace something - for example, a faulty pipeThe cost to repair or replace something - for example, a faulty pipe
What can invalidate your home insurance?
There are some things that are normally covered by your home insurance, but your claim might still be rejected. That can happen if you’ve done something to invalidate or void your policy.
Here’s the most common examples.
Leaving your home unoccupied
If you leave your house empty for an extended period - 60 days or more, in most cases - your insurance might not cover you. This includes things like:
- Burst pipes, leaks or flooding from internal systems - like a boiler or washing machineBurst pipes, leaks or flooding from internal systems - like a boiler or washing machine
- Break-ins or malicious damageBreak-ins or malicious damage
If you’re going to be away from home for a while, you should let your insurer know. That way, you can check if you’re going to be covered.
For top tips on how to keep your house secure before you go on holiday, see our guide: Keep your home secure while you’re away.
Home insurance while renovating
If you’re planning to upgrade your home, you’ll need to let your insurer know about it. That’s because building work can mean there’s a higher risk of a claim.
You should also note that:
- most standard home insurance policies don’t cover damage caused by building workmost standard home insurance policies don’t cover damage caused by building work
- you could invalidate your policy if you don’t tell your insurer about the work you’re getting doneyou could invalidate your policy if you don’t tell your insurer about the work you’re getting done
If you’re making home improvements or getting building work done, see our guide: Home insurance while renovating - what to tell your insurer.
Help for Home Insurance customers
Got a question about your cover? Our friendly, UK-based customer service team is here to help.
Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am-2pm.
Important information
Tesco Home Insurance is arranged and administered by Tesco Insurance and is underwritten by Tesco Underwriting Ltd.
You'll find complete details of the cover, monetary limits, exclusions, excesses and terms in our policy documents.
Learn more about Home Insurance
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