Understand your cover with Premier Guarantee

When you pay a deposit to a developer for a home that is not yet complete, but is covered by Premier Guarantee, that payment is safeguarded.

This deposit is held for rare events in which your home cannot be completed. For example, if a builder or developer goes out of business during the construction of your home, or your home cannot be completed due to fraudulent activity.

Should this happen, or if the home remains unfinished due to fraudulent activity, our Deposit Protection Cover is designed to reimburse the deposit you’ve already paid.

Please be aware that Deposit Protection Cover is optional and may not be included in every warranty, so it is worth reviewing your policy carefully.

If something isn’t quite right in your new home during the first two years (or one year if you’re in social housing), your developer, builder or housing provider should be your first port of call.

They’re responsible for fixing any defects that arise during this period, known as the Defects Insurance Period (DIP).

Be sure to keep a copy of the contact details of your builder or housing provider, as you will be expected to report anything that needs attention directly to them and it’s their responsibility to remedy these issues.

If you are unable to reach an agreement with your builder, developer or housing provider, or they won’t carry out repairs, it is important that you let us know during the DIP - the first one or two years after the home is completed.

Your structural warranty, provided by Premier Guarantee, is there to help you reach a resolution in the event you cannot resolve your dispute with a builder or developer.

Contact us and we will work with you to fix any issues as quickly and smoothly as possible.

For more details, including details of the applicable £100 excess, you can access all policy documents here.

Snag or defect?

Take a look at our home maintenance guides which cover a range of changes that may occur in newly built properties here.

Mechanical and electrical cover protects you if important equipment in your home stops working because of an hidden fault that was always present in the machinery.

This cover applies during years 1-5 of your policy.

This protection is for equipment that was new and installed when your home was built. It covers hidden faults that could cause serious damage if they are not fixed.

If a fault like this appears, the cover can help pay for repairs or, if needed, a replacement.

What’s included:

This cover applies to fixed equipment that helps your home run properly, such as:

• Heating systems (including boilers), ventilation or air conditioning systems
• Lifts, escalators, or mobility equipment
• Lighting and electrical systems
• Security systems and building control equipment
• Pumps, water heating and water waste systems that are part of the building

To quality for coverage the equipment must:

• Be part of the original construction of your home
• Have been installed before the Certificate of Insurance was issued
• Be something you own or are responsible for

What’s not included:

• Computer software, data, or digital programmes.
• Freestanding or removable household appliances including, but not limited to, kettles, fridges, washing machines and plug-in heaters.

Your Certificate of Insurance will clearly demonstrate whether this cover is included in your policy, along with details of the applicable £500 excess for this cover. A copy of an example policy is available here.

From years 3-10 of your warranty, your home is protected by the Structural Insurance Period (SIP) of your warranty.

This covers the key parts of your property that keep it strong, stable and safe.

During the SIP, your warranty policy provides cover for damage due to a defect in the structure of the external envelope of the home, as well as contaminated land cover.

Contaminated land cover means that if you are issued a statutory notice saying your land is contaminated, your insurance will pay the reasonable costs to remove harmful substances – as long as the contamination was there before your home was completed.

What’s covered​

Your structural cover includes:​

• Foundations​
• Load‑bearing walls, floors, ceilings, staircases and roofs​
• Internal partition walls​
• Chimneys and flues​
• Roof coverings​
• External finishes (e.g. render)
• Floor decking and screeds.
• Wet‑applied plaster
• Double or triple‑glazed glass in external windows and doors​

What’s not included​

• General wear and tear​
• Cosmetic or non‑structural issues.
• Issues caused by lack of maintenance.
• Weather or natural disaster‑related damage.
• Appliances, fixtures, and fittings​
• Alterations or additions made after completion​
• Homeowner‑installed items
• Non‑structural components​
• Snagging​

​For full details, please check your policy document and Certificate of Cover. This will also detail any excess applicable (minimum £1000 during SIP).