Not sure about something?
About home insurance
Your home insurance and coronavirus
You can find the latest information on our Frequently Asked Questions page, or get in touch with us using the online chat option.
Who underwrites AA Home Insurance?
We set up and administer your policy from the insurers on our home insurance panel. The name of the underwriter will be shown on your home insurance quotation.
Will my building society or mortgage lender accept your policy?
Yes. Although it's not a legal requirement, the lender may specify having buildings insurance as a condition of your mortgage.
If they do need a copy of your policy documents, they can be found in your online account. It's easy to register if you haven't already done so, and you'll see all your AA policies in one handy place.
If you chose to have the policy documents posted when you initially purchased the insurance, we can provide them again free by email or post.
Will you insure me if I work from home?
You usually won't have problems with this, but we do have to check with the insurers. Very occasionally some customers have to pay more for their insurance because of the work they do.
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The policy excess
What is a policy excess?
An excess is an amount that you pay towards the cost of a claim. There are two types of policy excess.
Compulsory excess
This is the amount your insurer will ask you to pay towards the cost of a claim. You'll be told how much this will be before you buy insurance. Make sure you're happy with this amount before buying insurance.
Voluntary excess
The amount you'd be prepared to pay on top of the compulsory amount. Discounts are available on the price you pay for your insurance if you want to pay an additional voluntary excess on claims you make.
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My valuables
What do you class as a valuable, and what do I need to specify on my policy?
Valuables include jewellery, furs(other than sheepskin), watches, items made of gold, silver and other precious metals, photographic equipment (including video cameras and camcorders), portable audio visual, laptops or other computer equipment (which does not include any equipment only capable of use when connected to mains electricity), mobile phones, microscopes, telescopes, binoculars and portable musical instruments.
Pictures and other works of art, and collections or sets of stamps, coins and medals are also classed as valuables.
The insured value of your contents, including valuables and personal belongings, is shown on your statement of insurance. A single article limit of £1,500 (£5,000 on Home Insurance Plus) applies for your valuables and personal belongings.
You will need to add details of personal belongings and valuables worth over £1,500 (£5,000 on Home Insurance Plus) to ensure they are included on your contents policy. You can then choose to cover them for accidental loss or damage in the home or anywhere in the world.
Valuables are not covered if they are kept in a domestic garage or outbuilding.
What about my mobile phone, tablet or laptop?
The contents of your home, including your devices, are covered against insured events such as fire, theft, storm or flood, and they will be replaced as new.
Mobile phones, tablets and laptops are classed as valuables on your contents policy. If any item is worth over £1,500, such as a laptop, you will need to add details of it to ensure it is included on your policy.
You can further insure your mobile devices or laptop with our optional worldwide accidental loss or damage cover. Personal belongings and valuables – each item not exceeding £1,500 – will be covered in the home and anywhere in the world. For example, if you drop a mobile phone on the kitchen floor and damage it, or a laptop is lost or stolen when it's away from home.
If your laptop or mobile device is worth more than £1,500, we can provide optional cover for accidental loss or damage anywhere in the world for specified valuables and personal belongings.
Home Insurance Plus covers unspecified valuables and personal belongings worth up to £5,000 for accidental loss or damage anywhere in the world. Only items worth over £5,000 need to be listed separately.
Valuables are not covered if they are kept in a domestic garage or outbuilding.
Is my musical instrument covered?
Yes, portable musical instruments are classed as valuables in your home, and covered for fire and theft for example.
Portable musical instruments worth over £1,500 (£5,000 on Home Insurance Plus) need to be specified on your statement of insurance to ensure they are included on your contents policy.
You can extend the cover to include accidental loss or damage in the home or anywhere in the world. Portable musical instruments are not covered for damage while being used.
Collections are covered under valuables in the contents policy. What can a collection include?
A collection can include valuables such as sets of stamps, coins and medals, works of art, ceramics and antiques.
You will need to add details of any collections of personal belongings and valuables if the total value of the collection exceeds £1,500 (£5,000 on Home Insurance Plus) to ensure they are included on your contents policy.
You can extend the cover for your collections to include accidental loss or damage in your home and anywhere in the world.
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The buildings cover
Do I get liability cover?
Yes, the owner of the building is covered against liability, loss or damage. We will insure you for all amounts which you have legal liability to pay as the owner – but not occupier – for accidents which happen in or around the property (which result in physical injury to or illness of any person), or loss of or damage to the property.
There is a limit of £2 million for all claims arising from any one accident plus costs and expenses which we agree to in writing.
You are not covered for legal liability as a result of trade, profession or employment within the home.
Are my outbuildings covered, such as the shed, garage or greenhouse?
Yes, a domestic garage and outbuildings are covered if they belong to or form part of the property.
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The contents cover
Do I get liability cover?
Yes, the policy will cover you for your liability as occupier of the building, your personal liability, and also your liability to your domestic employees.
As occupier of the building, the cover pays compensation for accidents which happen in or around your property, while personal liability cover pays compensation for accidents not connected with the occupation of your building.
There is a limit of £2 million for all claims arising from any one accident plus costs and expenses which we agree to in writing.
For domestic employees, we will insure you for the liability to pay compensation for causing accidental death, physical injury, disease or illness to any person in your domestic employment within Great Britain, Isle of Man, Channel Islands or Northern Ireland.
There is a limit of £5 million for all claims arising from any one incident including costs and expenses which we agree to in writing.
What is 'new for old' cover?
We'll replace any lost, stolen or damaged items with new ones where available, or give you the cash.
If a cash settlement is agreed for any items, it will be limited to the replacement cost to us. The Contents Insurance Policy Booklet has full details.
Do I get accidental damage cover?
Standard AA Home Insurance:
The contents policy includes accidental damage cover to non-portable electrical and gas appliances as standard. You can include the rest of your contents for an extra payment.
You can also add accidental damage to your buildings cover, for damage to the fabric of your home, eg floors, walls and ceilings. It can cover accidents like putting your foot through the ceiling, or hammering into a pipe.
Home Insurance Plus:
You are automatically covered for accidental damage to your buildings and contents.
I use a mobility scooter – is it covered within the home?
Most of our insurers will cover a mobility scooter, but we do need to know the type and its value. Call us on 0800 316 1567 to arrange cover for your mobility scooter.
Are bicycles covered?
All types of bicycle are covered among personal belongings in your home, with a single article limit of £1,500 (£5,000 on Home Insurance Plus) for each one. They are also covered for theft from your outbuildings or your domestic garage up to £3,000.
You can add details of personal belongings worth over £1,500 (£5,000 on Home Insurance Plus) to ensure they are included on your contents policy. You can also add extra cover to ensure your bikes are covered when you take them away from home.
If you need cover for an electric bike, please call us on 0800 316 1567.
Are the contents of my shed or garage covered, such as a lawnmower or tools?
Standard AA Home Insurance:
You'll be covered up to £3,000 for the theft of items from any outbuildings.
Home Insurance Plus:
On this policy the cover is increased to £7,500.
Your tools are not covered if they are used in connection with any business, profession or trade.
Do remember to keep your garage, shed and other outbuildings locked.
Is my medical equipment covered, such as oxygen bottles?
Most of our insurers will cover medical equipment, but we do need to know the type and its value. Call us on 0800 316 1567 to arrange cover for your medical equipment.
Can you provide cover for firearms?
Most of our insurers will cover firearms, but we do need to know the type and its value. Call us on 0800 316 1567 to arrange cover for your firearms.
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Working from home
Does working from home affect my home insurance?
You're covered for doing clerical work at home, such as using a phone and computer, and you don't need to call us about this. Your policy booklet has more details about your cover.
If work-related visitors come to your home, or you need to register your home as a business address, then do tell us about the change in your circumstances. You can call us on 0370 606 1617.
Am I covered if something happens to my work equipment at home?
If your phone or laptop is provided by your employer, then those items are the responsibility of the employer. They won't be covered under your home contents insurance.
But you should still take care of the equipment, so do check with your company for advice.
What level of cover do I have for my own office equipment?
A standard feature of our contents insurance is up to £5,000 for loss or damage to business equipment, which includes computer equipment (but not laptops), photocopiers and office furniture. The most we'll pay for a single item is £2,000.
Our Home Insurance Plus policy increases the cover for loss or damage to business equipment to £10,000.
What about my personal mobile phone, tablet or laptop?
Personal mobile phones, tablets and laptops are classed as valuables on your contents policy. They're covered against insured events such as fire, theft, storm or flood while they're in your home.
You can further protect your valuables and personal belongings, each one worth up to £1,500, with our optional worldwide accidental loss or damage cover. For example, if you accidentally drop your phone or laptop on the kitchen floor and damage it.
If any valuable or personal belonging is worth over £1,500, you'll need to add details of this item on your policy to ensure it's covered at home. You can then choose whether to specify it for worldwide accidental loss or damage cover.
Home Insurance Plus provides a higher level of cover. Unspecified valuables and personal belongings worth up to £5,000 are automatically covered for accidental loss or damage anywhere in the world. Only items worth over £5,000 need to be listed separately.
Valuables aren't covered if they're kept in a domestic garage or outbuilding.
I've adapted an outbuilding as a home office. Is my business equipment covered there?
Do tell us if you've adapted part of your property as an office, just to make sure you're fully covered.
For contents you're covered for up to £3,000 in total for items stolen from an outbuilding, which must be kept locked when you're not working inside it. This is less than the £5,000 cover for loss of business equipment inside the home. But first check your cover level is still sufficient for the extra equipment, fixtures and fittings.
Valuables, such as laptops, and money are not covered in an outbuilding.
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My payment
Can I spread my payment in monthly instalments?
Yes, you can pay by monthly instalments. When you buy your insurance by monthly instalments an initial deposit is paid by card, then the rest of your payment will be made in 11 monthly instalments by Direct Debit.
The dates of the instalments will be shown in the Credit Agreement sent to you by post – it takes about 5 working days to arrive.
Credit will be provided by Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited, and you must be over 18.
How secure is my online payment?
We are committed to keeping your personal details and credit or debit card information private and secure.
All the information you give us online is encrypted by our secure-server software. This means that everything you type in is turned into a secret code that people cannot understand or use on normal equipment before it is sent securely to us.
When does my insurance start?
You can buy your insurance up to 60 days before the policy start date.
So when you pay using a debit or credit card, whether online or on the phone, you'll be insured from the chosen start date of the policy.
If you get a home insurance quote online, you can use the reference to retrieve the quote for 28 days, as long as your details are the same. Or if you want to save your quote for longer, up to 60 days, just call our contact centre.
Will you pay any administration fees if I move away from my current insurer?
Yes. We'll refund up to £25 for buildings insurance and £25 for contents insurance as long as you can provide evidence that you've paid the administration fees.
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Home insurance claims
How do I make a home insurance claim?
Phone the number shown on your Statement of Insurance as soon as possible to report the loss or damage. You will be told how to proceed with your claim.
Find out more about how to make a home insurance claim.
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Home emergency assistance
How soon can I get assistance for a home emergency?
Standard AA Home Insurance:
You can add Home Emergency Cover when you buy home insurance online. Home Emergency Cover assistance becomes available when your home insurance policy starts.
Home Insurance Plus:
Home Emergency Response is included with Home Insurance Plus (buildings) cover, and assistance is available from the start date of your policy.
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