Home contents insurance for council tenants

Tenants and Residents do you have Home Contents Insurance?

Why do I need it?

As your landlord, we cover the buildings insurance for your home, but you are responsible, under the terms of your tenancy, for insuring your contents. It is always a good idea to shop around for a policy that will give you the cover you need.

Home contents insurance is not compulsory, but it is a good idea to consider what a policy would cover you for. Home contents insurance can help protect your personal belongings from incidents such as fire, theft, water damage, and many more household risks, giving you peace of mind.

What does contents insurance cover?

We have teamed up with Thistle Tenant Risks, to offer a Home Contents Insurance Scheme, designed specifically for tenants in social housing, all our tenants are eligible to apply. The scheme is designed to meet the demands and needs of social housing residents looking to purchase home contents insurance.

This policy can cover contents such as: Furniture, Carpets, Curtains, Clothes, Bedding, Electrical items, Pictures, Ornaments.

Terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions apply. For more information about the policy, please refer to the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and Policy Wording.

If you are unsure whether this insurance policy is right for you, please contact us on 01695 585047 or email insurance_services@westlancs.gov.uk we will be happy to help with your queries.

Reasons to choose West Lancashire Borough Council’s Pay As You Go Home Contents Insurance Scheme

  • Covers loss or damage to your contents caused by specific events such as, theft, water damage, fire, and many more household risks.
  • Tenant's liability – We will pay up to 35% of the contents sum insured for damage to your landlord's fixtures and fittings which you are legally liable for as a tenant. There is no cover available if your home is unoccupied for more than 60 days in a row.
  • Covers theft or attempted theft of contents in sheds, outbuildings and garages that form part of your home up to £3,000.
  • Covers damage to external glazing for which you are responsible.
  • We will pay up to £500 for replacement and installation of locks for outside doors or windows and alarms if keys are lost or stolen.
  • You do not need to have special door or window locks, as long as your outside door locks, that is fine.

How can I apply for home contents insurance and how much will it cost? 

You can apply for cover by calling us on call 01695 585047 or by completing an Online Application Form, which includes additional information, and premiums. Please also review the Thistle Important Customer Information Document. You can contact us on the details above or email insurance_services@westlancs.gov.uk to request an application pack to be posted to you.  These documents provide important information about your rights, how we manage your insurance, and key details about the insurance.

Please note that the insurance policy we provide is arranged on a non-advised basis. This means that you will be provided with the key information to be able to make an informed decision on which cover is appropriate for your needs.

Making a payment on line

Please note that when making a payment on line the invoice/reference number is your six figure policy number. Make payment on-line

Making a Claim

If you wish to make a claim on your policy please telephone MPL Claims Management directly on 0345 060 0030 or you can submit a claim here: https://thistle-wr-policyholderportal.co.uk/

What to do if you have a complaint

It is always the intention to give you the best possible service but if you do have any questions or concerns about this insurance, or the handling of a claim, you should follow Thistle Insurances Services complaints procedure.

A copy of Thistle Insurance Services complaint’s procedure is available here Download Thistle's complaints procedure (PDF 200KB). For additional information, view our complaints page here West Lancashire Borough Council's Complaints Process.

Privacy Notices

West Lancashire Borough Council working in partnership with Thistle Tenant Risks which is a trading style of Thistle Insurance Services Limited. Thistle Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Firm Reference Number 310419. Registered in England under No. 00338645. Registered office: Rossington’s Business Park, West Carr Road, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7SW. Thistle Insurance Services Ltd is part of the PIB Group.

Our Data Protection Privacy Policy is online at https://www.thistleinsurance.co.uk/Privacy-Policy 

For information on what to expect when the Council's insurance section collects or is provided with personal information, please see the Council's Corporate Privacy Notice (PDF 416KB)