Tenants contents insurance

We insure the structure (building) of your council home but you are responsible for insuring the contents.

If you are a council tenant or leaseholder, you will need to take out contents insurance. You can do this through a:

• bank
• building society
• post office
• local insurance broker
• direct insurer

If we are carrying out building works to your council home or have put up scaffolding around your home, you must let your insurer know. If you do not, your home contents insurance may be invalidated.

Contents insurance scheme

We run our own home contents insurance scheme for council tenants.

This home contents insurance policy insures your household possessions (including your keys) against fire, flood, theft, storm and other threats.

There is also cover for your personal liability.

It is important that the amount insured is enough to cover the full replacement cost of all your household goods and personal effects.

You pay for the insurance in weekly instalments. There is no excess to pay in the event of a claim and no minimum security requirements (such as specified security alarm system).

Apply

The home contents insurance scheme is open to all Harlow Council tenants.

To apply for the scheme, you need to:

• complete the application form within the contents insurance application pack (pdf)

The insurance will start when you have been accepted on the scheme.

We will write to you with details of your insurance payments and the date when you should start paying.

We will write to you if for any reason you have not been accepted into the scheme.

Payments

Once you have applied and been accepted on the scheme you can pay the cost of insurance weekly along with your rent.

The easiest way to pay for your insurance is by Direct Debit.

You can set up a Direct Debit by completing and returning our contents insurance Direct Debit form (pdf)

You can also pay:

• online
• by standing order
• by cheque

You can view your contents insurance account details by signing up for a MyHome account

You need to keep up to date with your payments to make sure that you are always covered.

Unlike other insurance policies, this scheme does not have an annual renewal date. The policy remains in force as long as you continue to pay your premium.

You should review the policy on a regular basis to make sure the amount insured is enough to cover the full replacement cost of all your household goods and personal effects.

Make a claim

To make a claim, please contact the Business Support team for a claim form.

Claims need to be submitted within 60 days of the incident.

You may not be able to make a claim if your payments are not up to date

For full details on the scheme, you can read the insurance application pack (pdf)