Residents’ belongings in care homes: what’s covered?

When someone moves into a care home, they’ll usually bring along their most cherished belongings. They’re not just going to bring everyday essentials – they want those sentimental items that remind them of their loved ones and their memories. It goes without saying that residents and their families want to know that those belongings are protected.

The good news is that residents’ belongings can usually be protected under a specialist care home insurance policy as part of its contents insurance – but, as with any insurance, there are limits and details you’ll want to be aware of. It's important to check the policy documents issued to you by your insurance provider for details of the cover provided, including any limits, exclusions or conditions applicable.

As with any insurance product, there are limits you need to be aware of.

Some policies apply a per-resident limit, although the amount varies between insurers. That figure will be the most that can be claimed for one person’s belongings in the event of an insured event like fire, flood or theft.

Other insurers take a slightly different approach. Instead of setting a limit per person, everything sits under the care home’s total contents cover. If you fall into this category, it’s important for you as the policyholder to make sure the overall figure is high enough to comfortably cover not only the home’s contents but all of your residents’ belongings, too.

When it comes to residents’ valuables – expensive jewellery, watches, artwork, etc – most policies have a separate, lower limit. Everywhen only arranges policies that have a valuables limit of at least £1,000 per resident.

While this is standard for some insurers, definitions and limits can vary slightly, so it’s worth double-checking with your broker if you’re unsure.

If you do need to make a claim, an excess will usually apply. For example, under some policies arranged by Everywhen, the excess applicable to belongings cover is £50, although this amount varies by insurer.

This is where things can get tricky.

Sentimental items are one thing, but high-value belongings – like expensive jewellery – can be harder to protect in a care home and if something does go missing, it can lead to some difficult conversations with families.

As a result, insurers can be quite cautious about increasing cover for items that are particularly high value and may recommend that residents keep them in their family home where possible.

That said, if a resident does want to bring something valuable, it’s always a good idea to have a quick conversation with your broker first to confirm what cover may be available.

Separate cover may not always be available or suitable, particularly where insurers have security requirements that cannot be met. Residents and their families should seek advice from their own insurance provider if considering separate arrangements. It can be harder for families to arrange their own standalone contents insurance, which is why it’s best for families to be mindful about what’s brought into the care home.

This guidance is aimed at care homes who are registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Insurance arrangements can vary across the UK and between different care settings. In a supported living or retirement village setting – where residents will have their own private space – individuals can usually arrange their own contents insurance as normal.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute legal or other professional advice and cannot be relied upon as such. Should you have any queries, we recommend that you consult the appropriate professional adviser.

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