In this article
Have you just received your home insurance policy and suspect an error in the premium, your identity or the description of the property? Place the policy particulars next to the initial proposal and compare the information point by point. If you find a difference, note both versions and ask the insurer to check it before assuming it is simply a presentation error.
The policy particulars cover your identity, the description of the insured risk (the description and location of the property), the premium amount and the amount payable on the 1st due date (if paying in instalments). They therefore allow you to compare the details specific to your situation with those you supplied.
Which documents should you compare?
Before you sign your home insurance policy, the insurer must provide you with an insurance proposal, which includes the following: An information sheet on prices and cover A copy of the draft policy or a detailed information notice. Compare these documents with the policy particulars you received and, if you kept it, your questionnaire or your answers to the insurer.
For each difference you find, note the document concerned, the section and the value shown. Add the information you believe to be correct and its source: for example, an answer you provided or an amount shown in the proposal. This preparation will make your request for a check easier to understand.
Once you have reached an agreement with the insurer, it must provide you with the insurance policy, which includes the general terms and the policy particulars. Keep both parts handy: they do not answer the same questions.
Checking the policy particulars: identity and property
You must provide the insurer with accurate information, including details of your personal circumstances (surname, first name, family status, contact details,...) and precise details about the property to be insured. Start by rereading your surname and first name, then your contact details and personal circumstances. If there is a discrepancy with what you supplied, tell the insurer which entry needs checking and provide the correct information.
Then move on to the property. Has the insurer recorded the correct property and the features you declared? Check the following sections in the available documents in particular:
- Address
- Type (flat or house)
- Floor area
- Number of rooms
- Year of construction
- Presence of outbuildings
- Security level
- Use of the property (main residence, secondary residence…)
Do not limit your check to the address if another feature appears different. For example, compare the number of rooms shown in the policy with the number you provided in the questionnaire. If you do not know how a section should be completed, describe your situation and ask the insurer to clarify what it expects.
You will also be asked to provide an estimate of the value of the belongings to be covered (furniture, valuables, specific equipment), your occupancy status (owner, tenant…), your insurance and claims history, and the optional cover you want (legal protection, glass breakage, etc.). You can also compare these details with your initial answers and report any discrepancies you find.
Home insurance policy: premium error or amount to clarify?
The insurer may ask you to complete a questionnaire. It will use this to assess the risks and set the premium amount. Checking the property description and the premium in the same exchange therefore allows you to raise the question in context.
Compare the premium amount shown in the policy particulars with the amount in the proposal. Also check, where applicable, the amount shown for the first payment due: identify the section you are referring to before asking for an explanation. If the documents show different amounts, quote each one and ask what accounts for the difference.
If you find that this amount does not match the amount shown in the insurance proposal, you can refuse the policy. To find out how to proceed in your situation, tell the insurer where you stand: whether the proposal is still open for discussion or the policy has already been signed and delivered.
What should you ask the insurer?
Present each point separately: the entry in the policy, the one in the proposal or your declaration, then the correction or explanation you are seeking. You can use simple wording:
“In the policy particulars I received, the section concerning my property shows information that differs from what I supplied. Could you check this entry and let me know what should happen next?”
For a premium, replace the reference to the property with the amounts and sections you are comparing. Ask for an explicit response about the difference you found and, if a correction is needed, about the document in which it will appear. Keep your request and the documents used for comparison so that you can follow up on the exchange.
But if it does not fully suit you, you can at that point discuss the policy terms and clauses with the insurer, including the price. Service Public presents this option for a policy signed at an agency or shop, when the proposal is being reviewed.
Do not confuse corrections, cover and payment
The general terms cover, in particular, the risks covered, exclusions, deductibles: titleContent, claims reporting procedures and the method of paying premiums. After noting an error in the policy particulars, continue reading the general terms to understand the cover and its limits.
Applicable cover limits (for example, list of risks not covered)
A request for a check is not a new application for cover: it is intended to clarify the information and amounts in the documents you have received. The insurer must periodically send you a payment notice. This document states the premium amount to be paid and the date from which you must pay it. If your question concerns an amount already requested, make this clear to the insurer and ask how to handle the notice while the check is underway.
A false declaration or omission may be considered fraud and may have serious consequences for you. To prepare for your exchange, prioritise accurate information and point out anything that needs correcting. This guide helps you organise your review and request; it does not replace an examination of your situation with the insurer.