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What do I need to declare on an insurance policy?

The duty is broader than the questions asked, and the cost of getting it wrong is total.

Difficulty
beginner
Time
20 min
Read
2 min
Safety
warning

Short answer

Tell them anything a reasonable insurer would want to know, not just what the form asks. And tell them when things change mid-policy — that duty continues, and most people assume it does not.

Insurance is priced on the information you give. Non-disclosure is not treated as a technicality: it can reduce a payout, void a claim entirely, or in serious cases mean the policy is treated as never having existed.

Safety

Non-disclosure is the most common reason insurance claims are refused, and in serious cases a policy can be treated as though it never existed. If you are unsure whether something is relevant, tell the insurer — declaring something unnecessary costs nothing, and not declaring something relevant can cost everything.

Step by step

  1. Answer every question fully and accurately.The starting point. Approximate answers, rounded figures and 'near enough' dates are where problems start.
  2. Declare previous claims and losses.Usually for the last five years, and including claims you made and then withdrew, and incidents you did not claim for. Insurers check shared industry databases.
  3. Declare property characteristics.Flat roofs, thatched roofs, non-standard construction, subsidence history, previous underpinning, trees close to the building, flood history. All materially affect risk.
  4. Declare how the property is used.Business use, working from home, lodgers, letting a room, holiday letting. A property used differently from a standard household is priced differently.
  5. Declare unoccupied periods.Most policies define a limit, often 30 days, after which conditions apply or cover lapses. Extended absence must be told to them in advance.
  6. Declare relevant convictions and bankruptcies.Unspent criminal convictions and financial history are commonly asked about and commonly omitted. Both are material.
  7. Keep disclosing during the policy.The duty does not end when the policy starts. Building work, a new lodger, an extended absence, a change of use — tell them when it happens, not at renewal.
  8. Get confirmation in writing.After any disclosure, ask for written confirmation that it has been recorded. A phone call the insurer has no note of is worth nothing at claim time.

Tips

  • If in doubt, declare it. An unnecessary disclosure costs nothing; an omitted one can void the policy.
  • Check the renewal documents each year rather than letting them auto-renew. They restate what you told them, and circumstances change.
  • Keep a copy of every disclosure with the policy documents. At claim time the record is what matters.

Questions people ask

What happens if I forget to declare something?

It depends on whether it was careless or deliberate and whether it affected the terms. Outcomes range from a reduced payout to the policy being treated as though it never existed.

Do I need to tell my insurer about building work?

Yes, before it starts. Building work changes the risk substantially and it is a common reason for a refused claim.

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