When your worktop, bath or floor tile is damaged, you face a choice: arrange a professional repair directly, or make a home insurance claim? Both routes have merit in different situations. This guide helps you work out which is right for your specific circumstances.
When Direct Repair Makes More Sense
In most cases — particularly for a single chip or small crack — professional repair is the better route. Here’s why:
- No excess to pay — home insurance claims typically involve a £100–£500 excess, which may exceed the cost of the repair itself
- No premium impact — making a claim, even a successful one, often affects your renewal premium
- Faster resolution — a direct repair can typically be arranged within days; an insurance claim may take weeks
- No risk of rejection — insurers can and do reject claims for accidental damage if it’s not explicitly covered or if the damage is deemed wear-and-tear
When an Insurance Claim Makes More Sense
Insurance claims make more sense when the damage is extensive — such as a large crack running through an entire worktop section, or multiple tiles smashed in one incident — where the repair cost would be genuinely high, comfortably above your policy excess, and the damage occurred through an insured event (accidental damage, flood, fire).
Does Home Insurance Cover Worktop Chips?
Standard home insurance policies do not typically cover accidental damage unless you have specifically added accidental damage cover. Even with accidental damage cover, policies vary significantly — some exclude “gradual deterioration” or “wear and tear” which can be used to decline chip claims. Always check your specific policy wording.
Get a Repair Quote First
Before committing to either route, get a professional repair quote. Many customers are surprised by how affordable professional repair is compared to their insurance excess. Get a free repair quote →
