Written by
As we approach the festive season, it’s likely that we all have plans to spend time with our friends and family. Sometimes, this is a casual sit-down dinner – but bring out the Bailey’s and things can soon get lively.
It’s important to protect your valuables when having guests over, in the event of accidents, or even thefts. But does your home insurance actually cover house parties? Read on to find out more.
Are your valuables protected during a party?
If you have a high value home & contents insurance policy, all named valuables will be protected and you will be able to claim back either the value, or in some cases, a replacement item. In order to be protected adequately, you must advise your broker how much cover is needed for valuables inside and outside the home.
High value home insurance protects your contents & valuables against anything sudden or unforeseen, for example:
- Accidental damage
- Accidental loss
- Theft or attempted theft
- Home emergencies
It would be worth checking with your insurance provider that thefts which may occur when you have guests over are covered. Most High Value Home Insurance products available will include this cover without any unwanted or restrictive endorsements.
Prior to each insurance renewal, we recommend you update your personal contents inventory, ensuring your policy sums insured are up to date. This also helps at the point of claim and can speed up agreed settlements. Depending on your personal circumstances, it could be more advantageous taking out a separate Jewellery Insurance policy for watches or engagement rings, as these can also go missing inside or outside of the home.
What if my guest gets injured during a party?
If a guest is injured whilst on your property, you may be liable and they could potentially sue you, should your behaviour be proven as negligent. They could get unwell from:
- Food (allergies or food poisoning)
- Trips and falls resulting in injury
- Pets biting your guest
- Being hit by a falling object from your building (a roof tile)
Does my high value home insurance policy include public liability cover?
Your High Value Home Insurance policy usually includes up to £10 million of public liability cover. This cover will only apply if you have your buildings insured under the Buildings section of a household policy. If you do, the insurer will indemnify you against your legal liability to pay damages and legal costs arising out of bodily injury or accidental damage to material property happening during the period of insurance and caused in connection with:
- you owning the home and its land within the geographical limits;
- any home you used to own within the geographical limits, which has been sold, but which you have liability for under Section 3 of the Defective Premises Act 1972 or Section 5 of the Defective Premises (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 (as long as no other insurance covers this liability).
But note, your household insurer will not cover you if the party is connected to your profession, business or employment as this would be a commercial risk.
It is important you read the public liability section of your household insurance policy to fully understand what you will be covered for.
Furthermore, personal effects belonging to guests or domestic staff will also be covered within a High Value Home Insurance product. Most insurers will cover damage during the period of insurance to the personal effects of your private guests and domestic staff in the home shown on your insurance schedule. This cover usually excludes damage to their personal valuables, credit or debit cards, money, or items that are insured elsewhere.
How to protect your valuable contents during a party
In order to protect your higher value contents, alongside your valuables (jewellery and watches) during your house party, we’d recommend having one room which is off-bounds – preferably with a lock on the door. In this room, you can keep any valuable items or furniture to protect them from damage.
You could also install a safe, to keep any high value items such as jewellery, electronics, or cash. Check out our guide on buying a safe for your home to help you choose the right one for you. We’d recommend using this safe if you are hosting a party at your home.
If you want to host a party your friends will not forget, you might also be interested to know that most High Value Home Insurance policies will include cover for any hired marquees or tents including gazebos, staging, flooring, chairs, tables, lighting, and other ancillary equipment.