What should I ask an insurer before purchasing a home?

Describe the real risk

Explain whether the home will be occupied year-round, used for holidays, left unattended or offered to paying guests. Provide known construction details, condition concerns, outbuildings, pools and relevant repair history. If information is uncertain, identify it as uncertain rather than selecting a convenient answer.

Ask what evidence the insurer needs and whether an inspection or further documentation is required. Discuss the events and liabilities that matter to you, including damage to the building, contents and injury claims, without assuming they are all included.

Read beyond the quotation

Request clarification of exclusions, excesses, maintenance conditions, security requirements and duties during absences. Ask how rebuilding information should be established; the purchase price is not a substitute for an insurer’s required assessment.

Have the insurer confirm when any agreed cover could begin and how this should be coordinated with completion. Your lawyer should clarify transaction-related responsibility, while a qualified insurance adviser explains policy terms and suitability. Keep the written responses with the final policy documents.