You might think a home insurance policy that’s great at protecting your house would be just as good at covering everything inside it. But our latest research suggests you shouldn’t take that for granted.
Of the 13 home insurance policies that earned our Which? Best Buy recommendation, only four made the grade for both buildings and contents cover.
Here, we reveal which policies earned accolades for both, explain what it means if only one half qualifies, and show you what to check before buying buildings and contents cover together or separately.
Which policies are Best Buys for buildings and contents cover?
We assessed 72 policies from 30 brands, scrutinising 177 elements of buildings and contents cover. We scored each half of combined policies separately to see how well they protect both your home and your belongings.
In our latest analysis, we named 13 policies as Best Buys: 11 qualified for their buildings cover and six for their contents cover, with only four earning our recommendation for both.
The table shows the four policies from two providers that are Best Buys for both buildings and contents insurance.
Table notes: Scores are based on our August 2026 assessment of 177 elements of cover across 72 policies. Higher scores generally indicate more comprehensive cover. Best Buys scored at least 73% for buildings or 70% for contents cover, met our minimum standards in key areas and passed our claims and service checks. Policies are ranked by the average of their buildings and contents scores.
NFU Mutual’s Bespoke policy achieved the highest score for contents cover in our analysis (88%), and the second-highest for buildings cover (78%). It’s designed for high-value homes and includes full accidental damage cover as standard.
Its standard home insurance policy also ranked in the top 10 for both contents and buildings cover. Unusually, NFU Mutual doesn’t charge an administration fee for policy changes or interest on monthly payments.
Ecclesiastical’s standard Set Sum Insured and premium Sum Insured policies both include home emergency cover of up to £1,000 per call-out and £3,500 of personal possessions cover away from home. It also charges no administration fees and no interest on monthly payments.
However, none of these policies are available through comparison websites, so you’ll need to get a quote directly from the insurer.
- Find out more: in-depth reviews of NFU Mutual home insurance and Ecclesiastical home insurance
What if only one half is a Best Buy?
Missing out on a Best Buy doesn’t necessarily mean that half of a policy is a write-off. It may have narrowly missed our score threshold or fallen short on one of the additional checks a policy must pass.
To qualify, a policy needs a score of at least 73% for buildings or 70% for contents. It must also meet our minimum standards in key areas and pass our claims and service checks.
Nationwide Enhanced, for example, was a Best Buy for buildings cover, with a score of 74%, while its contents score of 69% fell just one percentage point short. That narrow gap may not tell you whether the policy suits your needs, so look closely at its individual limits and exclusions.
Aviva Signature tells a different story. It scored 75% for buildings and 77% for contents, but earned a Best Buy only for buildings. Although its contents score comfortably cleared the threshold, it missed out on our recommendation because of lower-than-average claims-acceptance rates.
A high policy score reflects the breadth of cover, while a Best Buy recommendation also factors in our additional checks. Looking at both gives you a clearer picture of why each half did – or didn’t – qualify.
- Find out more: how to get cheap home insurance
What should you check in each half of the policy?
A high overall cover limit doesn’t tell the whole story. Buildings and contents cover can have lower limits for particular claims, while some features may be restricted, optional or excluded.
Focus on these four areas:
- Buildings limits Check how much the policy would pay for alternative accommodation if your home became uninhabitable, and for finding and accessing a hidden leak. Limits can vary considerably, even between policies from the same provider.
- Valuable belongings Look at the contents policy’s single-item limit, whether expensive possessions need to be listed separately and whether they’re covered away from home. The NFU Mutual Home Insurance cover level we assessed has a £2,500 single-item limit for valuables, compared with £20,000 for Bespoke.
- Standard and optional cover Check whether features such as accidental damage and home emergency are included, restricted or cost extra. NFU Mutual Bespoke includes full accidental damage cover as standard, while Home Insurance provides only partial cover.
- Excesses Add together the compulsory and voluntary excesses to see how much you would contribute towards a claim. Some types of claim may have a separate excess, so avoid choosing an amount you would struggle to pay.
Should you buy buildings and contents insurance separately?
Most homeowners buy the two together. The Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Lives survey found that 76% of UK homeowners held combined buildings and contents insurance in 2024.
Start by checking whether you need to arrange both types of cover yourself. Renters generally need contents insurance for their belongings, while their landlord is responsible for insuring the building. If you own a leasehold flat, buildings insurance may already be arranged through the freeholder.
If you need both, buying separate policies gives you the freedom to choose your buildings and contents cover on their own merits, potentially from different insurers. But finding stronger options separately doesn’t necessarily mean splitting your cover will be cheaper or more suitable.
A combined policy can be simpler to manage and may cost less. It could also make things easier if the same incident damages both your home and belongings, as separate policies may leave you dealing with two insurers. However, don’t assume a combined policy means you’ll pay only one excess. Check how claims involving both sections would be handled.
Get a combined quote, then compare it with separate buildings and contents quotes offering similar limits, excesses and optional extras. Add the separate premiums together and compare the full annual cost, including any interest charged for paying monthly.
Use our home insurance ratings and reviews to build your shortlist. You can also view our separate guides on best contents and best buildings insurance.
