This is a difficult question to answer, because it depends on your situation. As a general rule, if you have a mortgage you’ll need buildings and contents insurance, and you may need income protection cover, too. For those of you with dependents, life assurance is a must. And you might want to consider critical illness cover for additional security.

The pages in this section are designed to give you general information about the kind of cover available to you and the circumstances in which you might benefit from it. Once you’ve had the chance to read them you’ll then be ready to call our protection advisers for a more in-depth discussion about which kind of cover is right for you.

*For insurance business we offer products from a choice of insurers.

Although buildings insurance isn’t compulsory like motor insurance, taking out this kind of policy is usually a precondition of your mortgage. And it’s a condition which certainly makes good sense: after all, what would happen if your home were to be substantially damaged in a flood, fire or other major incident? You’d still be liable to pay your mortgage but would also have to find somewhere else to live.

Life assurance isn’t something everybody needs to take out, but if you have dependents such as school-age children then it could be vital. The financial help your loved ones can expect from the government in the event of your untimely death is minimal, and could leave them in very difficult circumstances, even facing the possibility of homelessness. But with life assurance, you have the guarantee that they’ll at least be able to stay in your home with the mortgage paid in full.