Explainer: free damage check

8 min read

How does the free damage insurance check work?

A damage check is only useful when you know what you are asking for. Through PolisMoment, you do not apply for a policy and you do not receive personal advice from PolisMoment itself. You share your situation so one independent, commission-free advice firm can review whether your damage insurance still fits your home, car, belongings, liability, travel behavior and legal expenses. Your request goes to one office and is not resold to multiple parties. That keeps it simple: one contact, one substantive review, and you decide what to do with the outcome.

People who want their car, contents, buildings, liability, travel or legal expenses insurance reviewed without being locked in. · Updated: 2026-06-13 · Verified by Pieter Smit (Certified Insurance Advisor Wft)

What you submit and why each detail matters

The request asks for enough context to make the first conversation useful. That means: which damage policies you want checked, what has changed in your life and how you can be reached. You usually do not need a complete policy archive, but there are details that make the follow-up conversation significantly more concrete.

Consider the deductible on your car insurance — a premium that is £30 per month lower says little if the deductible rose from £150 to £500 at the same time. Or the rebuild value on your buildings policy, which can quickly fall behind reality after an extension or loft conversion.

Which details make the damage check more useful?
Detail	Why it helps	Concrete example
Current policies and providers	Shows where overlap, gaps or expensive add-ons may sit.	Contents with provider A, buildings with provider B — duplicate glass cover is a common waste.
Premium and deductible per policy	Makes price and risk comparable, not just the monthly figure.	Car insurance at £58/month with £350 deductible vs £47/month with £750 deductible.
Renewal date	Determines how urgent changes are and whether notice periods are feasible.	Policy renews on 1 January; some insurers require two months' notice.
Recent life change	Explains why an existing policy may no longer fit your real situation.	Moving in together: partner not added to liability or contents policy.
Current car cover level	Third-party, third-party fire and theft, or comprehensive depends on market value and your buffer — it changes every year.	Four-year-old car worth £12,000 with no savings buffer: comprehensive still makes sense.
Add-ons and extensions	Optional add-ons are sometimes useful, sometimes outdated and sometimes already covered elsewhere.	Legal expenses via employer or union plus a separate private policy: that is duplicate cover.
Contact preference	Prevents unnecessary follow-up at inconvenient times and makes the first conversation concrete.	Email summary first, then phone call on a specific morning.

What happens after your request

The steps after your request are limited and easy to follow, precisely because only one office is involved. There is no chain of call centers passing your request to the next link.

PolisMoment records your request

The request includes your selected damage policies, contact details, consent and the exact time you gave that consent. This is the formal basis for the follow-up contact.

One office receives the request

Your request goes to one independent, commission-free advice firm. Not to a list of providers, aggregators or call centers buying your details as a lead.

The office prepares the conversation based on your situation

The adviser looks at likely questions given what you submitted: premium versus deductible, duplicate add-ons, missing cover after a move, or car cover that no longer matches the vehicle's market value.

The office contacts you via your preferred method

That can be by phone, or by email if you indicated that preference. The conversation starts on a substantive note, based on what you shared.

You decide what happens next

You can ask questions, share policy documents or decide you do not want to proceed. If you say no, contact stops. There is no resale and no second attempt from a different party.

What the check can show in practice

A damage check does not always produce a lower premium. But a good damage check always produces clarity — and that is sometimes worth more. Here are the most common outcomes:

A lower monthly premium because an outdated add-on, duplicate cover or overly broad policy is removed. Common example: glass cover on contents when it is already included in the buildings policy.
More certainty because a risk was missing: a rebuild value that is too low, a partner not added to the liability policy, or contents insurance that was never adjusted after a major purchase.
A better choice between third-party, third-party fire and theft or comprehensive based on your car's current market value, your savings buffer and your mileage.
Clarity about which add-ons are genuinely useful — holiday baggage, breakdown cover, legal expenses for traffic — and which you already have elsewhere.
Insight into your deductible strategy: a higher deductible reduces the premium but increases what you pay when something goes wrong. That should be a deliberate choice.
The conclusion that your current package is good enough and changing nothing is the right call — which is also a useful outcome.

Which policies the check covers

The check focuses on private damage insurance — policies that cover damage to belongings, vehicles, liability or the costs of a legal dispute. Life insurance, funeral cover, income protection and pensions are not included.

Damage insurance types that can come up in the check
Policy type	What it covers	When checking makes sense
Contents insurance	Furniture, electronics, clothing and household items against theft, fire or water damage.	After moving, moving in together or major purchases; insured value often lags behind.
Buildings insurance	The property itself, including fixed fittings, against damage or fire.	After an extension or renovation; rebuild costs have risen sharply in recent years.
Liability insurance	Damage you or your household accidentally cause to others.	When moving in together, having a child or if a partner is not on the policy.
Car insurance	Third-party (mandatory), third-party fire and theft, or comprehensive depending on car and deductible.	Annually useful: market value drops each year, making comprehensive cover progressively less logical.
Travel insurance	Medical costs, cancellation, luggage and emergency assistance abroad.	When travel frequency changes, or if partial cover already exists through an employer.
Legal expenses insurance	Legal help and court costs in disputes, dismissal or road accidents.	If legal cover already comes via employer or union, a private policy may overlap.

The role and limits of PolisMoment

PolisMoment publishes general information about damage insurance and facilitates the request. We do not advise, do not broker policies and do not decide which insurance you should choose. The personal review belongs with the advice firm that receives your request.

The firm that receives the request is commission-free: it does not earn a fee from the insurer when you take out a policy. That removes a financial incentive to steer you toward the most expensive or most profitable product rather than the most suitable one.

The check is free and non-binding. There is no resale to multiple parties, no automatic renewal of the request and no follow-up if you say you do not want contact.

Frequently asked questions

Is PolisMoment an insurance adviser or broker?

No. PolisMoment does not give personal advice, broker policies or sell insurance. We connect you with one independent, commission-free advice firm that does perform that review.

Do I need to upload my policy documents immediately?

Not for the initial request. Your situation is usually enough to start the conversation. Policy documents, premiums, deductibles and renewal dates make the follow-up conversation considerably more concrete — so the adviser can immediately point to what needs attention.

Can the outcome be that I should change nothing?

Yes, and that is also a valuable outcome. If your current cover matches your situation and the premium is fair, 'no action needed' is an honest answer. A proper check does not push you toward switching if it is not worthwhile.

What is the difference between third-party, third-party fire and theft, and comprehensive?

Third-party only is legally required and covers damage to others. Third-party fire and theft adds limited cover for your own car — fire and theft. Comprehensive also covers damage you cause yourself. Which level fits depends on your car's current market value and your personal savings buffer.

What does commission-free mean?

A commission-free adviser does not receive a fee from the insurer when you take out a policy. That removes a financial incentive to recommend certain products. The adviser is paid for the advice itself rather than for the policy you buy.

What happens if I do not want follow-up after the check?

Contact stops. Your request is not then resold to other parties. Because only one office is involved, there is only one contact line to end.

How long does it take before the office gets in touch?

This varies by office and timing, but contact is typically made within one or two working days. If you have a preference for time or method, you can indicate that in the request.

Pieter Smit

Wft Gecertificeerd

Pieter Smit is a certified insurance advisor (Wft non-life personal & commercial) with years of experience in the Dutch insurance market. As an independent expert, he verifies that our articles comply with current regulations and that the advisory principles are strictly commission-free and focused on the consumer's best interest.

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