Frequently asked questions

A good way to tell the difference between Buildings and Contents insurance is to imagine you're a giant and able to pick up the house in your hand. Everything that remains in place (walls, doors, bath, sinks etc.) is covered by buildings insurance while everything that falls to the ceiling (television, bed, sofa etc.) is covered by contents insurance.

New for old means that Select & Protect Home Insurance will replace the item you're claiming for with a brand new one of the same make and specification. This applies to all contents claims apart from when you're claiming for clothing or household linen where we make a deduction for wear and tear.

Typically, the cost to rebuild your property will be less than the market value. It does not include the value of the land for example.

Your current home insurance policy documents may indicate the rebuild cost, as will a surveyor's report or mortgage valuation report from the last 2 years. Or you can go to the BCIS who offer a free calculator to help you get an idea of your home's rebuild cost.

This is the first part of each claim that you must pay, the amount of excess you select, will reflect the premium you will pay, the higher the excess, the less you will pay. You can change this at any time. Our Claims Advisors will let you know how much excess you'll need to pay. You can also find this information in your policy schedule. We'll take the policy excess off the settlement of your claim, or alternatively our appointed specialist or supplier will collect this amount from you on our behalf.

Specific excess amounts apply to certain covers, such as the £1,000 excess applying to claims arising from subsidence, heave or landslip, as shown on your policy schedule.

Home Emergency Cover can be added to your policy for an extra cost. You should consider this cover if you would require any of the services below to be added to your Home Insurance policy.

• plumbing or drainage or failed electrics
• Smashed window or a broken lock
• pest infestations
• your gas and electricity
• boiler and heating system breakdowns

Yes, our website provides an instant quote that you can purchase, or you can call our friendly call centre.

The Personal Items, Technology & Entertainment and Pedal Cycle parts of your insurance all offer cover for items away from the home. This will all be included in your schedule if you have selected these options.

If you're not sure who you are covered with, then check your former bank statements for the company name. As long as you have the company name then they should be able to trace your policy using your personal information and your postcode.

Yes, of course - with Select & Protect Home Insurance, you can choose to pay either monthly or annually. If you opt to pay monthly, this will be with a premium finance company and subject to interest.

Home insurance is meant to cover damage caused by sudden and unexpected events, not things wearing out, breaking down or failing because they have not been maintained properly. It is important that you look after your home and possessions and maintain the property well, as home insurance is not a substitute for proper maintenance.

If you do not comply with the Policy Conditions, Select & Protect Home Insurance have the right to cancel your policy or refuse to deal with any relevant claims or reduce the amount of any relevant claim payments.

See General Conditions applicable to the whole policy in the policy wording for full details.

All the important exclusions relating to this policy will be detailed in the Insurance Product Information Document and Policy Wording and in the statements that you answer and confirm when you buy the cover.

It is recommended that you read your documents in full where you will find a list of exclusions under the section 'What is not covered' in your Insurance Product Information Document, as well as the Conditions and Exclusions section of the policy wording. These sections must not be read in isolation, but within the context of the full Policy Wording.

If you are unsure about whether or not you are covered for something in particular you should contact our Customer Service team through the contact channels below.

If you need to amend any of your personal details, add people to the policy, increase the cover or add extra options you will need to contact us for a quote or to update your policy.

Please call Customer Services on 0345 345 6800 to amend or update your policy.

LiveChat — The fastest and easiest way to speak to us on our LiveChat service. To speak to one of our agents, use the blue chat box at the bottom of the page. The box will only appear when an agent is free to chat. If it's not there, please try again in 15 minutes. Live chat opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. If you're having difficulties contacting a member of our live chat team, give us a call instead. You'll find the phone number you need listed below.

Email — If your question is not urgent, then please email us at customer.service@select-protect.co.uk and we will respond in 48 business hours.

Phone Call — If you would like to speak to one of our friendly team - please call us on 0345 345 6800. Please have your policy number ready.

Correspondence address — If you need to send any correspondence, please address it to: The Customer Service Team Select & Protect, 2nd Floor, Dencora Court, Tylers Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 2BB

What if I need to make a complaint? — If you are unhappy with any part of the service provided by Select and Protect Home Insurance, please contact our Customer Services team on 0345 345 6800 or use our livechat or email service. If you are not content with your final response from us and if you are still not satisfied you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service: Address: Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR. Phone: 0800 023 4567 or 0300 123 9123

Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Opening Times — The Call Centre is open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Sat/Sun/Bank Holiday - closed.