Glossary
Getting lost in the financial jargon of home insurance? We’ll help you to unravel complicated terms.
Accidental damage cover
This is an optional extension to the policy to cover your property for damage caused by unexpected and unintended incidents. For example, if you accidentally put a foot through the ceiling whilst in the loft, this would be covered under the buildings accidental damage extension. If you accidentally spilt paint on your carpet, this would be covered under the contents accidental damage extension.
Some accidental damage cover is provided free - see your insurer's policy documents for details.
Buildings
The home together with its permanent fixtures and fittings, usually including:
- Domestic outbuildings
- Swimming pools
- Tennis courts
- Paths, drives, patios and terraces
- Walls, gates and fences
- Fixed fuel tanks
which you own or which you are legally responsible for, within the premises.
Cash / money
This usually includes:
- Current legal tender, cheques, postal and money orders
- Unused postage stamps not forming part of a collection
- Savings stamps and certificates
- Traveller's cheques, premium bonds, luncheon vouchers, gift tokens and travel tickets
all held solely for private and domestic purposes.
Claim
A claim is an application to an insurance company to compensate you for a loss. A loss is where an event has occurred that has resulted in damage to or loss of use of something. You may not be insured for all losses or you may have chosen not to make a claim for a loss, even though it was insured.
Contents
Household goods and personal property within the home, which belong to you or for which you are legally responsible, usually including:
- Furniture (some fixed furniture such as fitted wardrobes are covered under buildings
- Radio and television aerials, satellite dishes and their fittings and masts
- Property in the open but within the premises
- Cash, credit cards, deeds, registered bonds and other personal documents
- Medal, stamp or coin collections
- Jewellery, precious stones, articles made from gold, silver and other precious metals, watches and furs
- Office equipment
- Clocks, collectors' items, pictures and other works of art
- Photographic equipment, binoculars, guns, telescopes and musical instruments
- Rare and unusual figurines and ornaments
- Domestic oil in fixed fuel oil tanks
- Metered water.
It is important to check the limits of these items in your insurer's policy documents.
Credit cards
Credit cards, charge cards, cheque cards, debit cards, bankers cards and cash dispenser cards all held solely for private and domestic purposes.
Excess
The amount that you have to pay towards each and every claim that you make.
Heave
See subsidence.
Home / property
The private dwelling, in which you live, and its garages and outbuildings, used solely for domestic purposes.
Home Emergency Service
One of our home insurance optional extras - an insurance policy to cover immediate repairs (subject to a maximum of £150) in the event of an emergency.
Joint proposer
An additional policyholder or joint owner of the home to be insured.
Landslip
See subsidence.
Leased
See rented.
Legal Protection
One of our home insurance optional extras - an insurance policy which covers you for the legal costs involved in defending or taking action against an infringement of your legal rights.
Let
See rented.
Listed building
A building that is 'of special architectural or historic interest' and has been included on a list kept by the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Loss
See claim.
New for old
Settlement of claims will be at today's values, without making a deduction for wear and tear or age of your property. Some exclusions apply such as clothing over two years old and pedal cycles (subject to limits - see your insurer's policy documents).
Part-time occupation
For example, working part-time in a public house or working part-time as a sales representative in the evenings.
Although we are currently unable to offer a quotation for part-time occupations on-line, if you call us, one of our insurance advisors will take down all relevant details and find you the most competitive quotation.
Period of insurance
The length of time for which this insurance is in force. This is usually for one year from the date you requested the policy to start.
Personal possessions
Clothing, baggage, cash/money, credit cards, sports equipment, prams, pedal cycles and other personal belongings that you wear or take with you in everyday life (subject to limits - see your insurer's policy documents).
Proposer
The main policyholder and owner of the property to be insured.
Rented / leased / let / sub-let
Rented - The property or part of a property is rented for a stated time in exchange for a regular payment.
Leased - Under a contract by which land or property is rented for a stated time by the owner to a tenant.
Let - When your home or land is being lived in or used by someone else in exchange for a regular payment.
Sub-let - To lease or rent all or part of a property (which is already leased or rented to you) to another person.
Sanitary ware
Washbasins, sinks, bidets, lavatory pans and cisterns, shower trays, shower screens, baths and bath panels.
Standard construction
Built of brick, stone or concrete and roofed with slates, tiles, asphalt, metal or concrete. Some timber-framed properties are also considered standard.
Sub-let
See rented.
Subsidence / heave / landslip
Subsidence - A gradual sinking to a lower level or the sudden collapse of something into a hollow beneath it.
Heave - An upward motion or horizontal displacement caused by faulting of rock masses.
Landslip - A downward slip or movement of a mass of rock, earth or artificial fill.
Sum insured
The amount for which each section is insured.
United Kingdom
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, and journeys between these countries.
Valuables
Items which belong to you or for which you are legally responsible, usually including:
- jewellery, precious stones, articles made from gold, silver and other precious metals, watches and furs
- photographic equipment, video cameras, binoculars, telescopes, guns and musical instruments
- clocks, collectors' items, pictures and other works of art
- rare and unusual figurines and ornaments
- collections of stamps, coins or medals.
Pairs or sets of items will be treated as one item.
You / your
The proposer, joint proposer and all family members who permanently live in the home.
We / us / our
References to 'we', 'us' and 'our' are references to AIG Direct.
Please note these definitions are for guidance only. For full definitions of home insurance please refer to your insurer's policy documents on-line.
