2025
9
UK Home Insurance Market Report 2025
2025-04-04T20:02:15+00:00
REP63B47E71_9ABB_47B0_A667_570B14558E04
2195
181078
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Report
en_GB
Home insurance GWP grew by an estimated 9.8% in 2024, as insurers sought to offset rising inflation and high claims costs. Despite this, ownership remains steady at 65%, while 92%…
UK
Insurance
simple

UK Home Insurance Market Report 2025

"Rising premium costs are challenging policyholders' ability to see the value of their cover. Targeted retention strategies are needed to reduce policy churn."

Saltanat Kuermannal - Financial Services Analyst

Saltanat Kuermannal - Financial Services Analyst

Home insurance GWP grew by an estimated 9.8% in 2024, as insurers sought to offset rising inflation and high claims costs. Despite this, ownership remains steady at 65%, while 92% of policyholders say they would worry if they went without insurance, highlighting the reassurance it offers.

As premiums rise, proving policy value becomes more crucial and challenging. 87% of those who switched insurers at their last renewal did so for cheaper policies, while 43% with home insurance believe their policies either lack value or are uncertain about their worth.

There are significant opportunities to enhance customer retention by clearly demonstrating the value of insurance policies and improving pricing transparency. Simplifying access to policy details, including selected or eligible add-ons, can help reduce confusion about cover held and boost customer satisfaction. Additionally, a more segmented approach can better address diverse customer needs. For instance, offering cyber protection add-ons tailored to higher tier policies targeting higher income households or integrating smart home features into insurance apps to appeal to tech-savvy policyholders. These strategies can create a more personalised and engaging experience, fostering stronger customer loyalty.

This report looks at the following areas:

  • The market is expected to grow in value over the next five years, with gross written premiums rising by 9.8% in 2024 and reaching £9.4 billion by 2029
  • Retaining customers is challenging in a highly competitive market. Insurers need to give consumers reasons to stay beyond pricing
  • Opportunities exist for insurers to up-sell and offer tailored products that reflect different lifestyles and digital security concerns
  • Insights into how companies are navigating a challenging market through strategic partnerships and tiered solutions

Market Definitions

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

This Report examines the UK market for domestic property insurance, which encompasses two main policy types: buildings and contents insurance. These can be bought separately or combined in one policy.

  • Buildings insurance covers the structure of a home and any permanent fixtures and fittings, such as fitted kitchen units and bathroom suites.
  • Contents insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing possessions if they are damaged, destroyed or stolen.
  • Policy add-ons – policyholders can add additional cover to their basic buildings insurance policy to include extras such as accidental damage, legal expenses and home emergency. They can also extend their contents insurance to protect possessions when taken outside their home.
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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • Opportunities for the home insurance market
    • Improved transparency to reduce customer churn
    • Cyber cover add-ons resonate with higher-income households
    • Insurers can stand out with great customer service
    • Market dynamics and outlook
    • Market size and forecast
    • Market predictions
    • Gross written premiums are expected to grow steadily over the next five years
    • What consumers want and why
    • Shop around activity persists, despite pricing rule changes
    • Beyond price, policyholders are looking for reassurance
    • Retention strategies resonate differently across age groups
    • Graph 1: factors influencing policy choice, by age, 2024
    • Cyber cover and home emergency cover show most potential as policy add-ons
    • Graph 2: ownership of and interest in policy add-ons, 2024
    • Policyholders recognise the importance of home insurance, but question its value
  2. MARKET DYNAMICS

    • Market size
    • GWP increased by almost 10% in 2024 as costs increase
    • Graph 3: domestic property insurance gross written premiums, ABI members, 2019-24
    • Severe weather and costly building materials lead to sharp increase in premiums
    • Graph 4: average domestic property insurance premiums, at current prices, by policy type, 2019-24
    • Market forecast
    • Market forecast to grow to £9.4 billion by 2029
    • Elevated costs and lower competition will fuel premium growth
    • Claims and underwriting results
    • Domestic property claims declined in 2024 in value terms
    • Graph 5: domestic property gross claims incurred, 2019-24
    • Number of claims notified also decreased
    • Graph 6: number of domestic property claims notified, 2019-24
    • Average claims incurred increased by 16 %
    • Graph 7: average value of a domestic property claim incurred, 2019-24
    • Escape of water and weather-related claims account for the highest proportion of costs
    • Graph 8: proportional distribution of domestic property gross claims incurred value, by type of peril, 2022-24
    • Underwriting results improved slightly in 2023, but remained far from profitable
    • Market share
    • Top five insurance groups continue to dominate over half the market
    • Graph 9: share of domestic property underwriters in total market GWP, 2022 and 2023
    • Aviva continues to lead in home insurance underwriter share
    • Sustained market consolidation challenging home insurers
    • Market drivers
    • Inflation continues to place upward pressure on premiums
    • Graph 10: CPI and CPIH inflation, 2021-25
    • House rebuilding and consumer durable costs are settling down, but inflationary pressures remain
    • Graph 11: annual change in the House Rebuilding Cost, RPI (all items) and the RPI (consumer durables), 2017-25
    • House prices and private rents are steadily increasing
    • Graph 12: private rent and house price annual inflation, 2021-24
    • Financial wellbeing remains fragile
    • Graph 13: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-25
    • Consumer confidence is in recovery mode
    • Graph 14: the financial confidence index, 2016-25
    • A third plan to spend on their homes in the next three months
    • Graph 15: consumer spending on the home, 2022-25
    • Opportunities for insurers to attract homeowners investing in their homes
    • Regulatory, social and environmental factors
    • FCA’s Thematic review seeks to drive up standards across general insurance
    • Record investment to strengthen England’s flood defences
  3. WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY

    • Home insurance ownership
    • Home insurance ownership holds steady
    • Graph 16: any home insurance ownership – NET, 2020-24
    • Ownership increases with age and home ownership
    • Graph 17: home insurance ownership – NET, by housing situation, 2024
    • Graph 18: home insurance ownership – NET, by age, 2024
    • Homeowners look to home insurance as a source of reassurance
    • Only a minority opt for buildings only insurance
    • Graph 19: home insurance ownership, 2024
    • One in four has some form of specialist home insurance
    • Graph 20: specialist home insurance ownership, 2024
    • Switching activity at last renewal
    • Shop around activity persists, despite pricing rule changes
    • Graph 21: switching activity at last renewal, 2024
    • Price comparison sites continue to fuel the search for lower premiums
    • Switchers also see less value in home insurance
    • Graph 22: agreement that home insurance offers good value for money, by switching activity at last renewal, 2024
    • Challenging price sensitivity at renewal
    • Lowering costs is clear motivation for switching
    • Graph 23: reasons for switching insurance providers at last renewal, 2024
    • Propensity to stay or switch at next renewal
    • Switching mentality is more ingrained among younger policyholders
    • Graph 24: propensity to renew or switch at next renewal, 2024
    • “Wait and see” approach to renewal increases with age
    • Graph 25: propensity to renew or switch at next renewal, by age, 2024
    • Expected renewal behaviour shaped by previous renewal action
    • Graph 26: propensity to renew or switch at next renewal, by switching activity at last renewal – NET, 2024
    • Factors influencing policy choice
    • Beyond price, policyholders are looking for reassurance
    • Graph 27: factors influencing policy choice, 2024
    • Retention strategies resonate differently across age groups
    • Graph 28: factors influencing policy choice, by age, 2024
    • Harness customer reviews to attract new customers
    • Integrate app-based policy management with smart home technology
    • Graph 29: factors influencing policy choice, by household income, 2024
    • Ownership of and interest in policy add-ons
    • Cyber cover and home emergency cover show most potential as policy add-ons
    • Graph 30: ownership of and interest in policy add-ons, 2024
    • Cyber cover add-ons resonate with higher-income households
    • Bicycle cover add-on will widen appeal among policyholders under 35
    • Graph 31: policy add-ons not currently included in policyholders’ home insurance, but which they would be interested in adding, by age, 2024
    • Uncertainty about policy coverage will undermine trust and value
    • Behaviours towards home insurance
    • Policyholders recognise the importance of home insurance, but question its value
    • Graph 32: behaviours towards home insurance, 2024
    • Lack of policy understanding can lead to mistrust in claim payouts
    • Graph 33: “I think home insurance policies are easy to understand”, by financial situation, 2024
    • Clear and supportive communication is needed to foster trust and confidence
    • Older policyholders need convincing of policy value
    • Graph 34: proportion of adults agree that home insurance offers good value for money, by age, 2024
    • Insurers can stand out with great customer service
    • Graph 35: “I would pay more for a policy with an insurer that has a reputation for great customer service”, by age, 2024
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Launch activity
    • Ageas and Saga agree a 20-year partnership
    • Allianz launches a new three-tier home insurance product
    • Lemonade and Aviva partner to launch fully-digital buildings and contents insurance
    • Virgin Money partners with Uinsure to launch new home and landlord insurance products
    • Yorkshire Building Society also partners with Uinsure to offer special home insurance
    • First Central enters the home insurance market
    • Advertising and marketing activity
    • Sharp decline in home insurance advertising
    • Graph 36: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on home and motor insurance, 2019/20-2023/24
    • Go Compare leads home insurance and related products ad spending
    • TV continues to dominate home insurance adspend
    • Graph 37: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on home insurance and related products, by media type, 2019/20-2023/24
    • Admiral highlights storm damage concerns to promote Multicover policy
    • LV= focuses on the affordability of its home insurance cover
    • LV= also offers a discount on Multi Cover insurance
    • Go Compare incorporates £250 free home excess cover
  5. APPENDIX

    • Supplementary data
    • Net written premiums reached £5.89 billion in 2024
    • Number of claims notified by type of peril
    • Gross claims incurred by type of peril
    • Above-the-line advertising on home insurance
    • Market forecast data and methodology
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
    • Forecast methodology
    • Report scope and definitions
    • Market definition
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Methodology
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Nielsen Ad Intel coverage

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