Home contents insurance

You are here: Home | Life | Housing - council | Home contents insurance

Home Contents Insurance

We strongly advise all tenants and leaseholders to take out household content insurance. 

Many council tenants and leaseholders believe that we automatically insure their furniture, belongings and decorations against theft, fire, vandalism or burst pipes, but this is not the case. Unfortunately, many people only realise this after the damage has been done.

You can insure your contents through your own private arrangements or through the council scheme. We make it easy for you to insure your belongings under a special home contents insurance scheme arranged through Royal Sun Alliance - the scheme is only available to council tenants and leaseholders.

Basics of the scheme

• special low, minimum sums insured
  the lowest amount that can be insured is £6,000 for people over 60 and £9,000 for everybody else - weekly payments can be less than a pound!
• flexible payment options
  the costs of insurance can be paid weekly, monthly or annually and you can pay at your housing office, by debit card on our online payments page (select the 'Tenants insurance' option) and our automated payment line on (01273) 291908, or by standing order
• insurance for your furniture, clothing, carpets and electrical goods
  most of your household goods are covered when in your home - theft of keys, freezer contents and your own public liability are also covered
• insurance against theft, vandalism and water damage
  your contents are covered for loss or damage - full details will be in your policy booklet
• 'new-for-old' insurance
  contents, other than clothing and linen, are covered on a new-for-old basis, meaning they would be replaced as new

See our home contents insurance policy document for full details of the scheme [PDF 156kb].

Applying

If you wish to apply, download and complete our home contents insurance application form and return it to the 'rent accounting team' at:

1^st Floor
Housing Centre
Unit 1, Fairway Trading Estate
Eastergate Road
Brighton
BN2 4QE

email: rentaccounting@brighton-hove.gov.uk

The forms are also available from your local housing office, or telephone the Rent Accounting Team on (01273) 293303 and we will post a form out to you. If you want help filling in the form, please ring the Rent Accounting team.

Please note - you must keep your payments up-to-date as your insurance will be cancelled if you fall into arrears. Insurance premiums are not covered by Housing Benefit. Your application may not be accepted if you are in rent arrears.

It is important not to undervalue your contents, otherwise the insurer will not pay the full value of your claim.