Accidental Damage Insurance

Written by

Gerry McNally

Home Insurance Expert

Reviewed by

Libby Goodsearles

Head of Marketing

What is accidental damage insurance?

Accidental damage is an optional cover extension you can add to both your buildings and contents insurance when purchasing a Homeprotect policy. 

We define accidental damage as: 

A sudden, unexpected, and unforeseen event that results in physical damage. The incident must be caused by: 

• you 
• someone living in your home 
• domestic staff (like a cleaner) 
• a guest 
• a third party (like a delivery driver) 
• or a wild animal (e.g. a fox). 

Accidental damage for buildings

We offer two levels of Buildings accidental damage cover: 

• Basic Accidental Damage 
• Full Accidental Damage 

Basic Accidental Damage 

Provides up to £1,500 per claim for accidental damage to: 

• Fixed glass in windows, doors, fanlights, skylights 
• Fixed sanitaryware and bathroom fixtures 
• Ceramic or induction hobs 
• Solar panels 

Note: Basic cover applies to the main home only — not outbuildings. 

Full Accidental Damage 

Covers your main home and outbuildings, including: 

• DIY mishaps (e.g. drilling into a pipe) 
• Structural damage 
• Permanent outdoor structures (e.g. boundary walls) 

Claim limits: 

• Main building: up to your Buildings sum insured (typically £1 million) 
• Outbuildings: up to your Outbuildings sum insured (typically £20,000) 
• Fitted carpets: £750 per claim 

Underground Services 

Covered under both Basic and Full options: 

• Damage to underground pipes, drains, tanks, cables 
• Tracing, accessing, and reinstating any surface removed 
• Blockage clearance (after attempts using rods) 

Limits & exclusions: 

• Basic: £1,500 per claim limit; no septic tank cover 
• Full: £5,000 per claim limit on blockages 
• Both: No cover for damage caused by design defects or pitch fibre drains

Buildings Accidental Damage: Compare Cover Levels

Accidental damage for Contents

We offer two levels of Contents accidental damage cover: 

• Basic Accidental Damage 
• Full Accidental Damage 

Basic Accidental Damage 

Up to £1,500 per claim for non-portable entertainment electronics, such as: 

• TVs 
• Gaming consoles 
• Desktop PCs and monitors 
• Sound systems and home cinema systems 

Full Accidental Damage 

Extends to all household contents: 

• Appliances, furniture, rugs, carpets 
• Business equipment (up to £10,000) 
• High Risk Items (if worth <£1,500 each) 
• Visitor contents (up to £2,500) 

Limits & Exclusions 

• Carpets: £750 per claim 
• Brittle items (e.g. glass): £1,000 per claim 
• No cover for: 
  • Items worth £1,500+ unless specified 
  • Pet damage, overflowing baths, poor maintenance, or design flaws 
  • Deliberate damage  

Contents Accidental Damage: Compare Cover Levels 

Accidental Damage to Specified Items 

Certain items must be specified on your policy for full cover — especially if they: 

• Are worth £1,500 or more (even inside your home) 
• Are taken outside your home and you want them covered 
• Require accidental damage cover but you haven’t selected Full Contents AD 

Items that require specification: 

• Bikes (including electric assist bikes under 250W) 
• Electronic Gadgets (e.g. mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, wireless earphones) 
• High Risk Items, including: 
  • Jewellery and watches 
  • Art and antiques 
  • Precious metals and coins 
  • Stamp or medal collections 
  • Medical equipment (e.g. hearing aids) 
  • Robotic lawnmowers or mobility scooters 

General rules: 

• High Risk Items under £1,500 each are covered inside the home up to £5,000 in total (or 20% of your contents sum insured). 
• If stored in an outbuilding, the total claim limit is £2,000 unless specified. 

Examples: 

• You wear a £2,000 watch daily — list it for full cover inside and outside the home. 
• You store three bikes worth £1,000 each in a shed — list them for full outbuilding cover. 
• You want accidental damage on a £1,000 camera but haven’t chosen Full Contents AD — list it. 

Accidental Damage to Personal Possessions 

Personal Possessions cover protects items you wear, carry, or use away from home (e.g. bags, clothes, gadgets). 

If you add this optional cover: 

• Items worth less than £1,500 are covered away from home (no need to specify them) 
• Items worth £1,500 or more must be specified for away-from-home cover 
• Accidental damage and accidental loss are covered away from the home, for both specified and unspecified personal possessions 

Matching Items and Sets 

If one item from a set (e.g. bathroom suite or sofa set) is damaged beyond repair: 

• We’ll pay to replace the damaged item 
• We’ll contribute up to 50% of the value of the undamaged companion pieces 
• Floor coverings: we replace only the damaged flooring, not adjoining rooms