Aviva enhances its Direct Home insurance to provide greater cover for customers

Aviva is enhancing its Direct Home insurance to provide greater cover for customers.

The changes will apply to new home insurance policies bought directly from Aviva from 20th March 2024, and will be applied for existing customers at renewal. The enhancements are the latest development from Aviva's home insurance product suite, which offers a choice of products to suit different needs and budgets.

Cover for "valuables" such as jewellery, watches, and artwork, is increasing from £30,000 to £50,000, after research showed customers ranked it in the top five most important features of home insurance. Similarly, the claim limit for personal money in the home is increasing from £750 to £3,000.

Reflecting the continued trend for home offices and summer houses post-pandemic, the limit for theft of contents from locked outbuildings is increasing from £2,500 to £7,500 to help protect customers from potentially significant financial loss, should the worst happen.

Likewise, as the cost of garden equipment and plants increases, the limit for items like patio furniture, barbecues and water features will rise from £1,500 to £12,000, and the limit for relandscaping and replacing plants, such as in the event of storm damage or theft, will rise to £10,000, with a maximum of £500 per plant.

Aviva is also enhancing limits for customers who choose to protect their personal items such as mobile phones with personal belongings cover, which safeguards against loss, theft, and accidental damage both inside and away from home. The limit will increase from £20,000 to £50,000, a £30,000 uplift for Aviva customers who may own items of value.

For existing and potential customers who have children at university, Aviva is also keen to support them while they are studying away from home. Under 'temporary removal of contents', Direct Home will now provide cover for up to £12,000 worth of student belongings at their term time address, a potentially useful addition for students who may own items worth thousands of pounds, like TVs or games consoles.

Nisha Soni, Head of Aviva Direct, says: "Customer satisfaction is paramount to Aviva, and we are always looking for new ways to meet our customers' expectations. We offer a range of policies and optional add-ons, to ensure that customers can select the cover that best fits their home insurance needs. For those individuals who choose Aviva Direct Home insurance, we can offer more comprehensive protection for their homes and possessions.

"With research showing a rise in the value of people's belongings, increasing cover for valuables in the house and contents in the garden will help give customers peace of mind knowing their possessions are well protected. For those who want extra reassurance, personal belongings cover can be an excellent addition to their home insurance policies."

The full list of Direct Home enhancements includes:

• Valuables max sum insured upper limit is increasing from £30,000 to £50,000.
• Personal belongings sum insured upper limit is increasing from £20,000 to £50,000. If personal belongings cover is selected, hearing aids will be covered up to the single article limit of £2,000.
• Personal money in the home limit (and away from home if personal belongings selected) is increasing from £750 to £3,000.
• Matching items. All policies will now include cover for replacing undamaged parts of any matching pairs, sets or suites.
• Alternative accommodation, such as in the event of a fire or flood where a house is deemed uninhabitable, is increasing from £80,000 to £100,000 (Buildings) and £10,000 to £25,000 (Contents).
• Replacement locks limit is increasing from £1,000 to sum insured. This cover applies for lost or stolen keys to external locks, alarms or safes fitted inside home.
• Contents in the open or garden sum insured limit is increasing from £1,500 to £12,000.
• Relandscaping and replacing plants sum insured limit is increasing from £2,500 to £10,000, with a single article limit of £500 per plant.
• Business equipment sum insured limit is increasing from £5,000 to £15,000.
• Temporary removal of contents sum insured limit is increasing from £5,000 to £12,000.
• Theft from locked outbuildings sum insured limit is increasing from £2,500 to £7,500.
• Visitor belongings will now be insured up to £3,000.

Aviva Direct Home is available to buy on Aviva's website.

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