The best home insurance policies you won’t find on comparison sites

In our latest analysis of home insurers, some of the best home insurance policies aren't available through price comparison websites, meaning you could overlook the best cover if you rely on these sites alone.

We assessed 72 home insurance policies from 30 brands. Of the 13 policies we rated Best Buys, six aren't available on any comparison sites.

In fact, almost all the policies we recommend for contents cover are only available directly from the insurer.

Here, we reveal the Best Buy home insurance policies you won’t find on price comparison sites, plus how to find good cover at a competitive price.

Which home insurance Best Buy policies aren’t on comparison sites?

We assess buildings and contents insurance separately, so a policy can be a Best Buy for one or both. These six policies are only available directly:

• NFU Mutual Bespoke is a Best Buy for buildings and contents insurance. It achieved our highest contents score and has a £20,000 single-item limit for valuables. You can get a quote by phone.
• NFU Mutual Home Insurance also earned our Best Buy recommendation for both types of cover. It charges no administration fees for policy changes or interest on monthly payments, and quotes are available by phone.
• Ecclesiastical Sum Insured is a buildings and contents insurance Best Buy. Home emergency cover is included as standard, with up to £1,000 available per call-out. You can get a quote online or by phone.
• Ecclesiastical Set Sum Insured is also recommended for both types of cover and includes £3,500 of personal possessions cover away from home. Quotes are available online or by phone.
• Aviva Signature is a Best Buy for buildings insurance. Home emergency cover is available as an optional extra, and you can get a quote directly from Aviva online or by phone.
• Sagic House & Home is a Best Buy for contents cover. It includes home emergency cover and increases your contents limit by 20% for a month either side of weddings, births, birthdays and religious festivals. You can get a quote online or by phone. 

NFU Mutual also got high scores in our customer satisfaction survey and is a Which? Recommended Provider. 

Do comparison sites show every home insurance policy?

No price comparison website covers the whole home insurance market. Of the 30 insurers in our analysis, 21 sold at least one policy through comparison sites, while 27 of the 72 policies we assessed couldn’t be bought through them.

Some insurers, including Ecclesiastical, NFU Mutual and Sagic, don’t sell any of the policies we assessed through comparison websites. 

Others have different policies available on comparison sites and their own websites. For example, Aviva's Premium and Online policies are available on comparison sites, but the Best Buy Aviva Signature must be bought directly.

So, even if you find an insurer on a comparison site, you might not be seeing all its policies. Checking insurers’ websites or contacting them directly could uncover other policies, but you’ll still need to compare their cover and price with the quotes you already have.

• Find out more: best home insurance 2026

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Is it cheaper to buy home insurance directly?

Not necessarily. Buying directly could get you a lower quote, but comparison sites may offer a better price for the same or a similar policy. Premiums are based on factors such as your property, location, claims history and the cover you choose, so there’s no single cheapest route for everyone.

A Best Buy recognises the comprehensiveness of a policy’s buildings or contents cover. It doesn’t mean the policy will be the cheapest option for you.

When comparing quotes, make sure you’re looking at equivalent cover. Check the limits, exclusions and total excess, as well as whether features such as accidental damage and home emergency cover are included or cost extra. A cheaper quote may offer less protection, while adding optional extras could considerably increase the initial price. 

How to find the right cover at a competitive price

Comparison sites are a useful starting point, but they shouldn’t be your only stop. Follow these five steps to widen your search and find cover that suits both your home and your budget:

1. Start with our ratings and reviews Use our home insurance guide to draw up a shortlist of policies offering good-quality buildings or contents cover. Read our in-depth reviews for an expert verdict on each insurer's policies, plus how claimants rated its customer service and claims handling. Just remember that a Best Buy won’t necessarily be the cheapest option for you.
2. Try several comparison sites Gather quotes from websites such as MoneySuperMarket, Compare the Market, GoCompare and Confused.com. They don’t all work with the same insurers or necessarily show the same results, so it’s worth trying more than one. Enter the same information each time to make the quotes easier to compare.
3. Check policies sold directly Get quotes for suitable policies you didn’t find on comparison sites, such as the Best Buys highlighted above. Buying directly won’t necessarily save you money, but it could give you more cover options to choose from.  
4. Look at buildings and contents cover separately A policy may offer excellent buildings cover but less impressive contents cover, or vice versa, even when both are packaged under the same name. Check our ratings for each part of the policy and whether the limits are enough for your home and belongings.
5. Compare more than the headline price Make sure your quotes include similar features and limits, particularly for accidental damage, personal possessions and home emergency cover. Also check the exclusions and total excess, as a cheaper policy could provide less cover or leave you paying more if you claim. Customer service and claims performance can also help you choose between similarly priced policies.

Find out more: how to find cheap home insurance