What does home insurance cover in Ireland?

The four main types of cover

Contents cover can be bought on its own or combined with buildings cover in one policy.

Buildings cover

The CCPC says buildings insurance covers anything you cannot take with you when you move. That usually means:

• the structure, such as the roof, walls, windows, ceilings and doors
• permanent fittings, such as tiled or hardwood floors, bathroom fittings and fitted kitchens
• garages and outbuildings, such as a garden shed
• garden walls, gates and fences

Damage usually covered includes fire, explosion, lightning and earthquake; flooding, storm and subsidence, with some restrictions; riot and vandalism; burglary damage; burst pipes or a burst tank; vehicles or animals hitting the property; and falling trees. If you cannot live in your home after damage, buildings cover will usually pay for you to move out or rent elsewhere, the CCPC says.

The sum insured should be the rebuild cost, not the market value. Our guide to under-insurance and rebuild cost explains why.

Contents cover

Contents insurance covers the moveable objects in your home, including some flooring, the CCPC says. It usually covers:

• loss or damage on a "new-for-old" basis, up to limits, meaning replacement with a brand-new equivalent
• items temporarily removed from the house, for example when you move, though usually not glass and fragile objects
• food spoiled in a fridge or freezer after a power cut or breakdown
• cash stolen from your home, up to a limit

There is usually a limit for any single item. The CCPC says to list valuable items such as jewellery or antiques separately if needed.

Accidental damage and all-risks

Accidental damage is often an extra. The CCPC says accidental damage to household equipment, such as a TV, may mean a higher premium.

Read what it excludes. In Aviva's HomeCare booklet (July 2026), accidental damage is an endorsement that only applies if its code is on your schedule. It covers damage "caused by something external" but lists exclusions, including anything that happens gradually, chewing or scratching by pets, mobile phones and jewellery, and times when the home is unoccupied for more than 60 days in a row.

All-risks is an optional extra for valuables inside and outside the home, including items taken abroad for up to 60 days, the CCPC says. It comes in two forms:

• Unspecified items. You pick an overall value without listing items. Most policies set a single item limit, such as €1,000 within €5,000 of cover in the CCPC's example.
• Specified items. You list each item worth more than the single item limit, with its value.

If you claim, the insurer may pay the cash value or pay to repair or replace the item. If you already have gadget insurance, check you are not paying twice for the same phone or laptop.

Liability cover

Most home policies include liability cover up to set limits, the CCPC says. It covers what you are legally liable to pay if, for example, a visitor or a tradesperson is injured in your home and you are at fault, or your dog injures someone nearby.

Check that anyone working on your home has their own public liability insurance. The CCPC says that if they cause damage, your own insurance may not cover it.

Common exclusions

Standard exclusions are in every policy but specific exclusions vary, the CCPC says. It lists these as not usually covered under buildings cover:

• storms affecting gates and fences
• flooding or subsidence if your home is in an area where this is likely
• acts of terrorism
• wear and tear, such as water damage from a leaking shower
• damage by someone working in your home, unless they have their own public liability insurance
• any claim below your excess

Under contents cover, the CCPC lists: loss when the home has been left empty for a set time, usually more than 30 days; theft if the home was not properly secured; documents, stamps and coins; motor vehicles; wear and tear; and belongings usually carried outside the home unless specified.

Subsidence

Aviva's booklet covers subsidence, heave or landslip, but not when caused by normal settlement, made-up ground, coastal or river erosion, inadequate foundations or poor workmanship. It also excludes it if land movement damaged the property before and you did not say so. The CCPC says the excess for subsidence is usually higher than the €100 to €500 for standard claims.

Empty homes

Rules on empty homes differ by insurer. Aviva's booklet excludes escape of water and theft while the home is unfurnished or unoccupied for more than 60 days in a row, and its online quotes assume the home will not be left unoccupied for longer than that. The CCPC's general figure for contents is usually more than 30 days. If you will be away for a long time, ask your insurer what applies.

Aviva's buildings and contents page also lists wet rot, dry rot or frost damage, damage that happened slowly over time, and faults in how something was built as not covered.

Renters and landlords

Renters insurance is contents cover for tenants. Aviva says "renters insurance is also known as contents insurance", and Citizens Information says you can insure your contents separately from the building if you are renting.

Your landlord's insurance is unlikely to cover your belongings, Citizens Information says. Its example: the landlord must keep the pipes in good repair, but if a burst pipe damages your things, the landlord does not have to replace them. Several insurers provide contents insurance for private tenants. Aviva, for example, sells contents-only cover for renters.

Landlords have their own duty. Citizens Information says a landlord must insure the property, unless insurance is impossible to get or the cost is unreasonable. A standard home policy may not fit a let property: Aviva's online home quotes assume the property "is not a Holiday Home or a rented property". Aviva sells landlord cover separately, with options such as loss of rent and contents if the property is furnished.

Apartments

If you own an apartment and pay management fees, the CCPC says buildings insurance is usually covered within the fees. You may still want your own contents cover.

When some cover may not be worth it

• Apartment owners whose fees already include buildings insurance may not need a second buildings policy.
• Renters do not need buildings cover for a home they do not own.
• Extras such as accidental damage or all-risks cost more. If you own few valuables, or they are already covered elsewhere, compare the extra cost with what you would claim.
• A claim below the excess cannot be made, the CCPC says, so with a high excess you pay for small losses yourself.

What you add changes the price. Our guide to the cost of home insurance covers what moves it, and our home insurance guide has an overview.

Sources

• CCPC: Home insurance (accessed 9 November 2026)
• Citizens Information: Types of insurance (accessed 9 November 2026)
• Citizens Information: Minimum standards for rented housing (accessed 9 November 2026)
• Citizens Information: Landlords' rights and responsibilities (accessed 9 November 2026)
• Aviva Ireland: HomeCare policy booklet, July 2026 (accessed 9 November 2026)
• Aviva Ireland: Home insurance assumptions page (accessed 9 November 2026)
• Aviva Ireland: Buildings and contents, renters and landlord insurance pages (accessed 9 November 2026)