Nearly half of UK homeowners and renters do not have their most prized possession insured. That is the finding of research from price comparison platform Uswitch Home Insurance. The data points to a coverage gap that insurance professionals have long identified.
The survey found 48% of respondents had not insured the item they considered their most prized possession. A further 24% did not know its current value. That raises the risk of underinsurance even among those who do hold a policy.
The reasons differ by age. Around 30% of respondents aged 18 to 24 were unaware that standard home insurance policies do not typically cover high-value items above a single-item limit. Among respondents aged 55 to 64, the pattern shifted: 57% said the item was uninsured because its value was purely sentimental.
Standard home contents policies in the UK commonly cap cover for individual items at between £1,000 and £2,000. Items above that threshold require specific high-value or listed item cover. The scale of the problem extends well beyond the Uswitch sample. Research cited alongside a recent specialist MGA launch found that 76% of UK households may be underinsured.
Standard home contents policies typically cap single-item limits at £1,500 to £2,000. High-value possessions are exposed when their worth exceeds those thresholds.
The storage picture compounds the risk. One in three respondents keeps their most valued item on display in their home. Only one in nine stores it in a safe or lockbox. One in four considers their current storage arrangement insecure.
Leoni Moninska, an insurance expert at Uswitch, said the data showed a disconnect. The disconnect was between how much people value their possessions and the steps they take to protect them.
She said many policyholders would have no recourse if an uninsured item were stolen or damaged. Moninska added that knowing current market value, not purchase price, was central to avoiding underinsurance.
The Uswitch data lands against a backdrop of worsening underinsurance claims. Data from RebuildCostASSESSMENT.com found 71% of brokers reported claims reduced due to underinsurance in 2025. Underinsurance has moved from a technical concern to a conduct issue. Accurate valuation is now central to evidencing good outcomes under FCA Consumer Duty.
High-value contents are among the perils most commonly revealing shortfalls at claim stage. Clients who have not revalued possessions or reviewed single-item limits since acquisition remain most exposed. Annual revaluation prompts and clear communication of policy limits are areas where intermediaries can add material value at renewal.
Uswitch did not disclose the sample size or methodology of the survey in its published release.
