When you're moving home for the first time, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of everything and neglect important things like home insurance. If you're a first time buyer, your mind is probably on other things like sorting out a mortgage, your furnishings and hiring a moving van. Home insurance may seem like one stress too many when you're approaching the move in day, and it may be tempting to leave it until after you've moved in and are feeling more relaxed. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Here is a cautionary tale about what can happen when moving in doesn't go to plan ? it should help you to understand the importance of good home insurance.



A young couple have just bought their first home, and are very excited that they are about to be moving in. Unfortunately, the first thing they are greeted with when they arrive at the property is the effect of recent heavy flooding on the house, which has left ground floor carpets damp and soggy and ruined any wallpaper that was unlucky enough to be touched by the water. If they had sorted out their contents insurance before moving in the repairs could have been covered by their insurance company ? the Co-Operative Insurance, for example, provide up to ?500,000 towards rebuilding costs that are the result of flooding ? but now they face forking out for the damage themselves.

After they are finally able to sort out the damages caused by the flooding, the young couple feel they can relax and move the furniture in downstairs. That night, however, a thief that has been prowling the neighbourhood spies an easy target in the newly moved in couple and makes off with most of their valuable possessions. They wake to find the lounge empty of almost everything that was portable, and without contents insurance face paying for replacements themselves.

Finally, out of sheer desperation, the young couple decide to move their most valuable possessions into the attic for safekeeping until they can sort out their insurance. The attic floor, however, turns out to be less than sturdy and someone manages to put their foot clean through it. With home insurance you have the option of including accidental damage cover that would protect you should just such an unfortunate circumstance arise. As they left everything too late, however, the young couple must now also pay for repairs to the ceiling.

Home insurance is not something to be taken lightly. If you're buying your first home you are already making a big commitment to responsibility, but it really is worth going one step further and investing in home insurance before you move. Companies like the Co-Operative Insurance do everything they can to make your decision easier, and can help to protect you should anything unexpected happen when you move in. Don't be caught out by unforeseen circumstances ? invest in home insurance early and you can move home without the extra stress.