Whether you own a chalet in the Alps or a Cornish cottage, holiday home insurance gives you peace of mind. Designed specifically for properties that are not your main home, it helps to protect your investment and prevent unexpected bills. But are you confident you’re getting the level of cover you really need at the best price? Read our five-minute checklist to see if you could save money on your holiday home insurance:

1)A higher excess does not always mean a cheaper premium

If you’re looking to reduce your premium, you might consider increasing your excess (the amount you automatically pay when you make a claim). It’s worth checking this option with your broker first though as sometimes a higher excess won’t significantly reduce costs.

2)Save money when you shop around

Holiday home insurance is not as straightforward as standard home insurance as the risks are higher. Not every insurance company is willing to take on that risk, and will quote higher premiums to reflect this. You might not know where to start when it comes to shopping around for holiday home insurance, but it’s worth the effort.

Like all insurance, you can make big savings on your holiday home insurance if don’t just accept your renewal quote. If you don’t have the time to ring around for quotes, use a specialist broker like Easy2Insure to do the leg-work for you. Expert brokers know the ins and outs of the industry and can often negotiate better rates than you’ll be able to find yourself on the high street.

3)Check if keys are included to avoid a shock

Sometimes it’s not until too late that you discover that your insurance is not as comprehensive as you thought. For example, lost or stolen keys are not always part of every holiday insurance policy. But replacing these, and changing the locks to ensure your holiday home remains secure, can be costly.

4)Protect yourself from travel expenses

Your holiday home may be a long way away, but if something happens you may need to be on site to sort it out. Does your insurance pay for any emergency travel to your holiday home? If you need this, make sure it’s included in your premium.

5)Specialist liability insurance to guard you from legal costs

If you rent your holiday home to others, public liability insurance is a must to protect you from legal claims for injury or damage to property. Claims for injury are all too easy to bring in our no-win, no-fee world. And compensation payments can run into high figures, not to mention the legal fees you’ll be faced with. Save money in the long run by making sure that you have this liability cover included in your insurance package.

6)Shield your finances from loss of income

Do you rely on your income from your holiday home? If so, consider taking out loss of rent insurance, which pays out if you are unable to rent your holiday home for a period of time.

7)Accidental damage cover for peace of mind

Whether you let your holiday home to others or it’s just for you and the family, you never know what might happen. Accidental damage cover gives you peace of mind that you can pay to replace contents.

8)Security features can reduce your premium

Increasing security can reduce the risk of your holiday home being targeted by thieves. Many insurers will give a discount for extra security, like CCTV. If you’ve invested in this equipment, make sure you tell your insurance broker so they can negotiate a better deal on your behalf.

9)Home Emergency cover to deal with crisis situations

If you let your holiday home out to guests, it can be reassuring to know that if something does go wrong, like the water pipes burst, they can get it fixed right away. With home emergency cover as an add-on to your insurance, you can leave guests details of a 24-hour contact for an emergency plumber or other expert.

Cheap holiday home insurance you can count on

We believe in great value insurance. That means you pay the lowest price for holiday home insurance that you can rely on, with no nasty surprises or exemptions in the small print. Call our expert property team on 0800 917 9522 or fill in the form to get a free quote on your holiday home insurance today.