Buying a house will most likely be the single biggest investment you'll ever make. The unexpected cost of repairing the structure of your property or replacing your valuable contents can often cause great distress, so it's essential to protect your home with an appropriate house insurance policy.

There are two main types of home insurance cover: buildings insurance and contents insurance.

Buildings insurance

Buildings insurance covers the actual permanent structures of the home as well as any land you may own. This not only includes the outside structure of your home, but may also cover some permanent fittings within it, too, such as toilets, baths sinks and even fitted kitchens. It's worth checking to make sure exactly what is covered by your policy in order to avoid any problems at a later stage. Buildings insurance may also cover out-buildings, garages, outside walls and fences.