Check Your Contents As You Spring Clean

With winter now behind us (depending on whether you view spring as starting in February or March), many of us are now thinking of the opportunity to declutter our homes during the big spring clean. Getting rid of old clothes, those gifts you never wanted or items you never use can help give you more space to help your house feel like your home. However, while you’re cleaning up, it can be a great idea to take stock of the items you’re holding onto and making sure that these are covered as part of your home and contents insurance.

As you’re at it, why not take some time to make sure you’re getting the best deal on your home insurance and help keep some extra money in your bank account. For example, with AA Home Insurance you can receive €60 off online and a 40% No Claims Discount.

Living Room

Let’s face it – when you first moved into your home, the process of getting on the property ladder meant you didn’t have a lot of money for items such as a TV or expensive gadgets. Over the years, however, you’ve likely acquired a few additional items which you may never have got around to adding to your contents insurance. For example, when cleaning up your main living space, check if you’ve added the following items to your policy.

• TV
• iPads or expensive tablets
• Mobile phone
• Laptops
• Music devices
• Paintings
• Expensive fittings, such as carpets, blinds or curtains which could be lost if your home was burnt down.

Kitchen / Utility Room

No, we’re not suggesting that you look in here for a mid-cleaning snack. You would be surprised, however, at the number of expensive-to-replace items that your kitchen/utility room could be home to. While not exactly likely to be targeted by a burglar, if a fire was to break out in your home then the cost of replacing the following items could put a major dent in your monthly wage.

• Fridge
• Oven
• Coffee machine
• Washing machine
• Dryer
• Dishwasher
• Expensive kitchenware/knives that you may have been gifted

Bedroom

Before you lay down on the bed for a post-cleaning snooze, take stock of some of the more expensive items that you keep in your bedroom. For example, when updating your contents insurance consider adding

• Your wedding/engagement rings
• Expensive jewellery
• Expensive watches
• Wedding gifts
• Presents you received after having a baby
• TV

Shed/Garage

With AA Contents Insurance you receive cover for any items kept in an outbuilding up to the value of €3,000. Whether you’re an avid gardener or someone who thinks green thumbs are the symptom of some kind of illness, it can be a good idea to take a quick look in your shed and make sure that you include the more important/expensive items on your policy. For example, some of the below items may prove particularly expensive to replace.

• Lawnmower
• Tools (particularly important if you rely on these items for work)
• Strimmers
• Chainsaw

Meanwhile, if you’re a cyclist it can also be a good idea to add your bike to your policy as expensive bikes are often a prime target for burglars.