What is Home Insurance Add-Ons?
Home insurance add-ons refer to those optional covers that you can buy with your standard home insurance policy to enhance the coverage. They help customise the plan as per your preferences by paying an extra premium. Choosing the right mix of add-ons ensures that the home insurance policy has a tailored shield against financial loss. In this page, you will learn about all the home insurance add-ons available with your standard home insurance policy.

Add-Ons Available Under Home Insurance Policy
Introduced by IRDAI, the Bharat Griha Raksha Policy is a standard home insurance policy that covers damage to your house and its contents. Along with the basic coverage, it allows you to opt for add-ons that give extended protection. Below are the key add-ons provided under the BGR policy:
Loss of Rent Cover
If your rented property becomes uninhabitable due to insured perils like fire or flood, tenants may vacate, leading to loss of rent. Loss of Rent add-on reimburses the rental income you would have earned during the defined repair period, provided the damage is covered under the BGR policy and not due to exclusions.
Rent for Alternate Accommodation Cover
If your self-occupied home becomes uninhabitable due to insured perils, arranging temporary housing can be expensive. The Rent for Alternate Accommodation add-on covers the cost of rented accommodation during repairs for a specified period, as per policy terms. It helps homeowners avoid unexpected out-of-pocket rental expenses until the damaged property becomes livable again.
Terrorism Cover
Acts of terrorism can cause extensive property damage, and repairing or rebuilding after such events is financially draining for any homeowner. However, with this add-on protection, your house and its contents will be covered against the damages caused by terrorism-related incidents. Therefore, it ensures peace of mind in an unforeseen large-scale destructive event, like a terrorist attack.
Removal of Debris Cover
Additional Structures Cover
Other Common Add-Ons in Home Insurance Policy
These add-ons are not listed under BGR, but insurers may provide them as optional covers:
Personal Accident (PA) cover add-on ensures that if the insured homeowner suffers accidental injury, permanent disability, or death, a predefined lump-sum benefit is paid to the insured or their nominee. It provides crucial financial support during recovery.
Extending the same protection to the insured's spouse, this add-on ensures that the spouse receives financial benefits in case of their injury, disability, or accidental death. While personal accident cover generally focuses on individuals, many insurers offer family or spouse add-ons to the policyholder.
Suppose your home becomes uninhabitable following an insured event. In that case, this add-on helps pay for your utility bills, covering essentials like electricity, water, and gas for a specified period mentioned in the policy, up to a certain amount.
This additional cover type is called Additional Living Expenses (ALE), compensating for temporary housing or out-of-pocket expenses, including utilities during displacement.
The jewellery and valuables add-on is one the popular & mostly purchased optional coverage that extends protection beyond basic household contents to include valuable items such as jewellery, artwork, antiques, and collectibles.
Why Choose Home Insurance Add-Ons?
Here are a few benefits explained, making add-ons a powerful way to strengthen your home insurance policy:
Every home and its structure is unique in its own way. Home insurance add-ons allow you to personalise your policy as per your need & budget. Whether it's covering jewellery, solar panels, or alternate accommodation expenses, you can choose according to your preferences, instead of a one-size-fits-all plan, you pay only for the extra protection that truly matters to you.
A standard home insurance policy covers fire, natural disasters, and basic contents. But what about terrorism-related damage, rent loss, or utility bills incurred while repairing the damaged property? Add-ons bridge this gap by offering enhanced protection, ensuring your policy isn't limited to just the basics.
Few unexpected incidents often have hidden costs, like paying rent elsewhere, replacing valuables, or clearing debris if the insured property is damaged. With the right add-ons, these costs are borne by your insurance instead of draining your savings so that you can focus on the recovery part rather than worrying about expenses.
FAQs - Home Insurance Add-Ons
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Q.1 What to add to home insurance?
Ans: You can add optional coverage like loss of rent cover, alternate accommodation cover, jewellery protection cover, terrorism cover, etc., with your home insurance policy to extend protection in the best possible manner. -
Q.2 Can you add items to home insurance?
Ans: Yes. You can list high-value items such as jewellery, artworks, or antiques under a jewellery protection cover to ensure they're protected. -
Q.3 What is an add-on to an insurance policy?
Ans: An add-on means optional coverage you can purchase with a standard home insurance policy to enhance protection in exchange for a premium. -
Q.4 What is included in home contents?
Ans: Home contents typically include furniture, appliances, clothing, electronics, and other personal belongings inside your house and are not part of the building structure. -
Q.5 What is the cheapest homeowners' insurance?
Ans: The cheapest homeowners insurance usually covers only fire and allied perils for the building. However, home insurance premiums are based on property value, location, and add-ons chosen. -
Q.6 Which house insurance is best?
Ans: The best house insurance policy is the one that balances comprehensive coverage, affordable premiums, and flexible add-ons tailored to your needs. Compare various property insurance plans online at Policybazaar.com to get the perfect deal.
