How to choose your home insurance

Your house is much more than 4 walls and a roof, it is a place where you like to meet with family or friends to share unforgettable moments.

Whether you own or rent your home, it is important to insure your home and its contents and to protect yourself against damage to others. By insuring your home, you safeguard your financial investment and protect your family.

Follow our advice to make the right choice

Valuing your assets: keep it simple

To avoid unpleasant surprises in the event of a claim, it is important that your building and its contents are insured at their fair value.

A simple method of evaluating the assets to be insured will save you a lot of trouble:

- A house is insured on the basis of its area

- A flat is insured on the basis of the number of rooms

In either case, you choose the value of the contents of your building from a proposed range. It's simple and efficient, you don't need to list all the items you own. Your insurance agent is your best advisor for the valuation of your property.

Your policy cover: choose the options that suit you

The optimal multi-risk home insurance should allow you, through its choice of guarantees and options, to put together a contract that best suits your needs. The basic package covers the most common risks (fire, water damage, storm, attacks and industrial disputes) and provides effective protection for your building and its contents.

Very useful additional guarantees can be added:

- Breakage of windows, glass and mirrors

- Theft, vandalism and malice

- Personal liability: protects you in the event of material or physical damage caused to third parties

- Green energy: protecting your investment in green installations

- Home assistance: useful services in the event of a claim

You can also extend certain guarantees to cover very specific risks, depending on your needs:

- Wine cellars

- Swimming pool

- Restoration of gardens and plantations

Finally, you have the possibility of adding guarantees to your insurance that will also protect your family:

- Year-round travel insurance

- Legal protection insurance

- Insurance against accidents in private life

- Insurance for leisure equipment and valuables

Drawing up your contract: opt for speed

Your insurance agent is your local advisor. He or she will listen to you and help you make the right choices. He or she will draw up your contract or entrust it to the insurance company, making sure that you can benefit from your coverage quickly.

And if a claim should occur: make sure you have a fast and efficient service

A disaster is a more or less traumatic event.

By choosing an insurance company that offers you an optimal service and a quick and personal settlement, you are putting all the chances on your side to make a claim a bad memory.

In the event of a claim, your insurance agent is also there to help you. He or she will show you what to do and help you fill in your claim form. He or she will also ensure that your case is settled quickly and in your best interests.

Some insurance companies apply a proportional rule for compensation. In this case, in the event of a claim, the compensation is calculated according to the difference between the sum insured and the actual value of the property.

Insurance without a proportional rule guarantees you a full refund in the event of a claim.

Another point to watch out for: the method of reimbursement in "replacement value" or by applying the "depreciation" of your furniture. The replacement value will allow a reimbursement of your insured furniture at the new price. Applying the depreciation will reduce the amount of your reimbursements by the amount corresponding to the wear and tear of the insured objects on the day of the loss. Therefore, make sure you always keep your purchase invoices.

This advice is offered by Home