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Home Insurance

Home Insurance in Solihull

Compare buildings, contents and combined cover, with policy start dates lined up to exchange.

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Comparing buildings and contents cover for a Leeds move

Home Insurance for Solihull Moves

Our home insurance team compares buildings, contents and combined policies from major UK insurers for Solihull buyers. Start cover from exchange, line it up with your completion date, and add extras like accidental damage or home emergency if you want them. It is plain work, not guesswork. We help you get the paperwork in place before the lender asks for it.

Solihull has a wide spread of homes, from Hampton Manor in B91 2SW to The Green in Shirley, B90 4NE, plus older stock in Knowle, Dorridge and Olton. That mix matters because a brick semi in Monkspath, B90 4JE, does not need the same cover as a listed house in one of the borough’s conservation areas. Our advisers compare the policy details, explain the small print, and set the start date to match your move.

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Solihull Property Snapshot

£410,000

Average house price

£630,000

Detached average

-2.4%

12-month price change

2,050

Sales in the last 12 months

Using listing data from home.co.uk and property data from homedata.co.uk

Buildings vs Contents, What You Need

Buildings cover protects the structure. Think walls, roof, windows, fitted kitchens, bathrooms, garages and permanent fixtures. If you are buying with a mortgage in Solihull, that cover is usually needed from exchange of contracts, not completion, because the risk passes to you at exchange. Contents cover is different. That looks after your belongings inside the home, such as furniture, clothing and electronics, and it is optional, although most homeowners in B91, B90 and B92 prefer to have it in place.

A combined policy can be simpler and often cheaper than arranging two separate policies. That helps in a borough like Solihull, where the housing stock is mixed, from detached homes in the 33.7% stock share to semi-detached homes at 39.1%, with flats, maisonettes and apartments at 14.6%. Homes built between 1945 and 1980 make up 44.2% of the local stock, so there is a lot of property that may need sensible cover for older roofs, plumbing and electrics.

The rebuild cost is the figure that matters for buildings insurance. It is not the market value. In Solihull, homedata.co.uk shows an average house price of £410,000, but the rebuild figure can be quite different, because it is the cost to rebuild from scratch, including materials, labour and site clearance. For many standard homes, rebuild cost often sits at around 50% to 80% of market value, but brick type, floor area and construction style all change that. Homes in conservation areas such as Solihull Town Centre, Knowle, Dorridge and Hampton-in-Arden may need more detailed rebuild assumptions if specialist materials or planning limits apply.

Buildings cover the structure
Contents cover your belongings
Combined policies can be simpler
Add-ons can be bolted on later

Indicative Annual Premium Bands

Lower-risk flat £180

Average Solihull home £245

Older semi-detached home £315

Higher-risk or listed home £430

Indicative quote bands only, not live prices. Flood risk near the River Blythe or subsidence exposure from Mercia Mudstone can move a quote up or down.

When You Need Cover

Buildings insurance should be ready from exchange. That is the point where the risk passes to you, even if the keys are still with the seller. In Solihull, that gap can be 2-4 weeks, and it is the part many buyers miss. A house in The Green, Shirley, B90 4NE, can be uninsured for that period if the policy starts too late.

The lender will want proof before funds are released. That applies to a flat in B92 just as much as a detached house near Hampton Manor in B91 2SW. Our team can line the policy up with your exchange date, then send the certificate to your lender when it is needed.

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Basic Cover vs Broader Cover

Feature	Basic policy	Broader policy
Buildings cover	Yes	Yes
Contents cover	No or limited	Yes
Accidental damage	Usually optional	Often available as an add-on
Home emergency	Not usually included	Often available as an add-on
Legal expenses	Not usually included	Often available as an add-on
Contents away from home	Not usually included	Often available as an add-on
Bike or jewellery away from home	Not usually included	Often available as an add-on

Getting Cover Set Up for Your Move

Rebuild cost check

We start with the rebuild figure, not the market price. For Solihull homes, that means looking at floor area, construction type and anything unusual, like a listed facade in one of the borough’s 20 Conservation Areas.

Compare quotes

Our home insurance team compares buildings, contents and combined policies across major UK insurers. If your home is near the River Blythe or sits on Mercia Mudstone ground, we can flag the parts that may affect price.

Choose the policy

You pick the level of cover that suits the property in Shirley, Olton, Knowle or Dorridge. Accidental damage and home emergency can be added if you want more than the basics.

Set the start date

We align the policy to your exchange date, not your completion date. That matters because the risk passes at exchange, even when the move date is still a few weeks away.

Send proof to the lender

Once the policy is in place, we provide the certificate your lender asks for. That keeps the purchase moving and avoids a last-minute scramble before release of funds.

Sort Buildings Cover Before Exchange

Do not leave buildings insurance until the day of completion. Lenders will not release funds without proof that cover starts from exchange, and that can hold up a purchase in Solihull as easily as anywhere else. If you are buying in Monkspath, B90 4JE, or Hampton Manor, B91 2SW, get it lined up early.

Local Insurance Considerations in Solihull

Solihull has a real spread of property types, and the ground conditions matter. The borough sits on Mercia Mudstone Group geology, a red silty mudstone that can shrink and swell. That can raise the risk of movement in some places, especially where mature trees pull moisture from the soil. If a home in Olton or Knowle shows signs of cracking, insurers may ask a few more questions before they quote.

Flood risk is another local point. The River Blythe and the River Cole create fluvial flood risk in parts of the borough, while surface water flooding can build up during heavy rain in urban streets. That does not mean every home in B92 or B90 is exposed, but it does mean postcode alone does not tell the full story. An insurer may look at drainage, raised ground levels and any past claims on the property.

Building style also changes the shape of cover. Many homes in Solihull are brick, often red brick, with some render or tile hanging, while older properties in conservation areas may include timber framing or other non-standard features. There are 20 designated Conservation Areas in the borough, including Solihull Town Centre, Knowle, Dorridge and Hampton-in-Arden, and listed buildings often need like-for-like materials if repairs are needed. That can raise rebuild costs, especially where specialist trades or matching materials are involved.

Mercia Mudstone can affect foundations
River Blythe and River Cole add flood risk
20 Conservation Areas can affect repairs
Older buildings may need specialist materials

Optional Add-Ons Worth Considering

Accidental damage can help with the everyday mishaps. A spill on a carpet, a cracked hob or a broken sink can be expensive to sort out, especially in a home you have just bought in Solihull. Home emergency is different. That is for urgent problems such as a burst pipe, a boiler fault or an electrical failure, and it can be useful in older 1945 to 1980 stock where systems may not be new.

Legal expenses, bike away from home and jewellery away from home are also worth a look if they fit your household. If you cycle around the borough or travel with valuables, those extras can matter more than they first seem. Our advisers can talk through the single-article limit too, so you know when a ring, watch or laptop needs to be listed separately.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much cover do I need?

For buildings insurance, use the rebuild cost, not the market value. In Solihull, homedata.co.uk records an average house price of £410,000, but the rebuild figure can be higher or lower depending on floor area, construction type and whether the home sits in a conservation area like Knowle or Dorridge. A free RICS BCIS calculator can give you an indication, and a Level 3 survey may also quote a rebuild figure for a more complex property.

Do I need separate buildings and contents policies?

Not usually. A combined policy often costs less than buying buildings and contents separately, and it is simpler to manage when you are moving into a house in B90, B91 or B92. Buildings cover the structure, while contents cover the things you would take with you if you moved out.

What if the home is in a flood risk area?

Tell us early if the property sits near the River Blythe or the River Cole, or if there has been surface water flooding nearby. Insurers look at the exact address, drainage and any claims history, so two streets in Solihull can be treated very differently. Flood Re may help with buildings cover for many domestic properties built before 2009, but not every policy or property fits the same way.

Can I get cover for a listed building?

Yes, but it often needs specialist underwriting. Listed homes in Solihull, including properties in one of the borough’s 20 Conservation Areas, may need like-for-like materials and approved repair methods, which can affect the rebuild cost and the insurer’s view of risk. A standard policy may not be the best fit if the property has unusual materials or protected features.

What is a single-article limit?

That is the most an insurer will usually pay for one item unless it is listed separately on the policy. A watch, ring or painting in a Solihull home may be worth more than the standard limit, so it is worth checking before you buy the policy. If the item is above the limit, our advisers can explain whether it should be specified.

What about students at university?

Contents cover can sometimes extend to a student’s belongings when they are away from home, but the exact terms change from one insurer to another. If your son or daughter keeps a laptop, bike or clothes in halls, ask about contents away from home and any limits that apply. That can matter if they are studying in Birmingham but still keep a family home in Solihull.

Can I add my partner to the policy?

Yes, most policies can be set up in two names if you both own the home or both have an insurable interest in it. That is common for purchases in places like Shirley, Hampton-in-Arden and Monkspath, where joint mortgages are normal. We will check the names on the deeds and mortgage so the policy matches the ownership.