Carpets and your insurance

Carpets are a big investment, so it makes sense to keep them looking their best. In most cases, you can tackle normal spills yourself quite easily with a bit of know-how and elbow grease. In some cases you'll need to call in the professionals. However, if you compare home insurance policies you may find a package which will pay out for any damage caused to your carpets. Accidental damage usually only applies to electrical items, but it is possible to obtain cover for carpets too.

Traditional carpets are at the heart of any truly comfortable home - they provide superior warmth and noise insulation qualities to hard wood flooring, and can come in a range of exciting colours too. They're particularly appropriate when there are young children about as the soft surfaces lessen the likelihood of injury. They also provide a certain level of homeliness that hard wood surfaces, for instance, are unable to provide.

Understanding home insurance - the basics

Carpets can be very valuable, and some of the most vulnerable-to-damage parts of homes: not just from wear and tear from walking, but from spills and even flooding and fire. However, they are also items which tend to get overlooked when people look for their home insurance. It's important that they're covered though, as they can be expensive to replace.

Home insurance is split into two types. These are as follows:

- Buildings insurance
This type of policy covers the structure of your property, along with its permanent fixtures and fittings, against risks including storms, flooding, theft, malicious damage and subsidence (subject to policy exclusions). Depending on the policy you choose it may also protect glass in doors and windows, underground cables and pipes, and even outbuildings.

- Contents insurance
This covers the non-permanent items within a home ranging from clothing and furniture to electrical items and carpets. A policy may protect items against risks including storms, flooding, theft, accidental damage and more.

Policies differ from company to company, so check carefully what your insurer offers. For instance, something which may be a paid-for optional extra on one policy may be provided at no extra cost on another. The maximum payout may differ as well, and should always provide a level of cover that fits with your belongings, even though it might be more expensive initially. Each insurer will have their own exclusions - circumstances in which you'll be unable to make a claim - so make sure you're familiar with what they are before agreeing to buy the policy. Carpets will usually be covered in the event of floods, fires and explosions by your contents insurance. You should always notify your insurer of the type of carpet that you have, and its correct value in order to receive appropriate remuneration in the event of having to make a claim.

Why call a carpet cleaner?

Professional carpet cleaners are adept at shifting dirt from even the most grubby-looking of floors. Even if you think that your carpet looks beyond rescue, chances are that a professional will have seen worse and dealt with it. They will have a collection of purpose-built equipment and detergents and know the best course of action to get the best results. They will also know what substances are the most appropriate to use: ones which will not damage your carpet permanently but will get the best results.

Calling a carpet cleaner may also keep you eligible for a no-claims discount, eradicating the possibilities of making an insurance claim. Your carpet may also be covered by a warranty, so check with the carpet's manufacturer.