2026
9
UK Home Insurance Market Report 2026
2026-04-22T10:01:29+00:00
REPAD02B4A7_E36A_4475_82B4_A7E36A747543
2995
192786
[{"name":"Insurance","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/financial-services\/insurance"},{"name":"Market Intelligence Report","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/report-type\/market-intelligence-reports"},{"name":"UK","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/markets\/uk-market-research"}]
Report
en_GB
Mintel estimates a 3% increase in home insurance GWP to £7.2bn in 2025. Growth in GWP has been driven by inflationary pressures and home renovations and improvements trends pushing up…
UK
Insurance
simple

UK Home Insurance Market Report 2026

"Increasing scrutiny of value at a time of rising premiums and low product understanding means providers must educate and innovate while avoiding complexity to minimise policy churn."

Lewis Cone, Associate Principal - Financial Services

Lewis Cone, Associate Principal - Financial Services

UK Home Insurance Industry – Trends and Insights

  • Mintel estimates a 3% increase in home insurance GWP to £7.2bn in 2025. Growth in GWP has been driven by inflationary pressures and home renovations and improvements trends pushing up property/content values. Average home insurance premiums are expected to slightly rise in 2026, presenting challenges for insurers who are prioritising customer retention and volume in a saturated market. Market competition will offset some premium inflation, but profitability will depend on claims control, operational efficiency and underwriting discipline.
  • 62% of UK adults own home or property insurance, with this proportion highest among those over 45. Although most home insurance policyholders tend to renew policies with their existing insurers, those over 45 are most likely to switch to a different insurer. Switching behaviour is overwhelmingly price led.
  • Although most policyholders view home insurance as essential, value perceptions are mixed. Only half of policyholders believe home insurance offers good value for money, with agreement lowest among those over 45. Improving claims transparency, payout communication and service quality is as commercially important as price.
  • Low understanding and product complexity are suppressing penetration. Regulatory pressure following a ‘super complaint’ means clarity is now a compliance requirement.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Home insurance market size and forecast for the next five years
  • Ownership of home insurance, key factors influencing policy renewal decisions and switching behaviour
  • Factors that would encourage a policyholder to choose one policy over another, such as positive reviews and integration of smart home technology to reduce risks
  • Barriers to home contents insurance ownership among those who rent their home, including price, trust in insurers paying out claims and lack of understanding over policy coverage
  • Attitudes towards home insurance, such as how essential it is and whether it offers good value for money

Report Scope

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.
Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for home insurance
    • Opportunities
    • Increase penetration by convincing renters of the benefits
    • Win older switchers on value and claims
    • Promote app management to reach under-45s
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – home insurance market size and forecast
    • The latest inflationary shock will apply upward pressure on premiums
    • Graph 1: annual change in the House Rebuilding Cost, RPI (all items) and the RPI (consumer durables), 2021-26
    • GWPs rebounded following a slump in 2024
    • Graph 2: domestic property insurance gross written premiums, 2020-25*
    • Average domestic property insurance premiums held steady in 2025
    • Graph 3: average domestic property insurance premiums, by policy type, 2020-25
    • Home insurance GWPs will continue to grow over the next five years
    • Graph 4: market forecast for gross written domestic property insurance premiums, 2019-30
    • Strong market competition eases premium price growth, but challenges persist
    • Adverse weather events push claims to a record high
    • FCA tells insurers to make policies easier to understand following ‘super-complaint’
    • FCA will not introduce a price cap or mandate interest-free premium finance
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Home insurance ownership and renewal behaviour
    • Older age groups have more comprehensive cover
    • Age and homeowner status drive home insurance ownership
    • Graph 5: type of home insurance owned, by age, 2025
    • Majority remain with existing insurers, but not all compare alternative offerings
    • Customer service and value perceptions drive switching among over-35s
    • Graph 6: switched to a different insurer at last renewal, by age, 2025
    • Cost-conscious behaviours further embedded by ongoing cost-of-living concerns
    • Bolster communications to ensure loyal customers have suitable cover
    • Under-55s most appealed by loyalty reward availability
    • Barriers to home insurance cover among renters
    • Owning a property increases likelihood of having home insurance
    • Cost perceptions and lack of need restrict contents insurance uptake
    • Graph 7: barriers to home contents insurance ownership, 2025
    • Nudge renters towards contents checklist to show tangible benefits of cover
    • Reputation and trust
    • Overall customer experience key to policy choice
    • Showcase positive claims and customer experiences to foster trust
    • Graph 8: previous positive experience with the provider is an important factor behind policy choice, by age, 2025
    • Simplify policy terms and conditions to improve product and insurer perceptions
    • Graph 9: agreement with selected attitudes towards home insurance, 2025
    • Policy access and control
    • Higher earners appreciate the ability to adjust cover at any time and at zero financial cost
    • Integrating smart home tech via app management appeals to under-45s
    • Graph 10: app management and smart home technology integration are important choice factors, by age, 2025
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Partnerships aim to bolster home insurance offerings
    • John Lewis to expand home insurance business after broker move
    • New policies offer customers greater choice
    • Avantia unveils AI solution to transform home insurance claims
    • ‘That’s How It’s Done’ repositions Direct Line in a new era
    • Hiscox’s ‘Collections’ campaign showcases niche protection offerings
    • Allianz’s ‘ALL’ campaign looks to grow the brand in the UK
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • The market
    • Home insurance market size and forecast – value
    • Home insurance market size and forecast – prediction intervals
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Domestic property outgoings and underwriting result
    • Average value of a domestic property claim incurred
    • Domestic property gross claims paid, by type of claim
    • Domestic property gross claims incurred and claims notified
    • Domestic property gross claims incurred, by type of peril
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • UK Report generation groups definitions
    • Abbreviations

Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel

The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:

  • Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
  • Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
  • Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
  • Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.

What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?

Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.

The Four Pillars of Our Research

We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:

  • Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
  • Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
  • Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
  • Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.

Bringing It All Together

Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.

Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.

$ 2,995 (Excl.Tax)
  • Download today with instant access
  • Multiple formats provided
  • Interactive databook included
  • Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports

Get in Touch

If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.

Contact us

Trusted by global industry leaders

Wincanton logo

When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.

They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.

So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.

Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
Deutsch logo

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Waitrose & Partners logo

We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.

Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.

Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Epsilon logo

We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.

By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.

For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.

Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Abacus logo

There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.

However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.

Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus

Get in Touch

If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.

Contact us