Homeowners with link-detached properties should typically select 'detached' when obtaining home insurance, unless their insurer specifically offers a 'link-detached' option. This guidance comes from Bill Wilkinson-Hoy, a Which? money expert, who explained that if two houses do not share a main building party wall, they are considered detached for insurance purposes.
This advice follows a query from Stephanie in Hertfordshire, whose John Lewis home insurance premium increased by over £300 after their underwriter changed to Axa. Axa only offered 'semi-detached' or 'detached' options, and John Lewis later confirmed that 'detached' was the correct choice for Stephanie's link-detached home.
Given potential premium increases, homeowners are advised to use comparison sites to explore quotes from various insurers. Additionally, some insurers and policies, such as NFU Mutual and Best Buy policies from Coverbaloo, Direct Line, Ecclesiastical, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Sagic, may not be listed on comparison sites. For more unusual homes, such as heritage-listed properties or those with thatched roofs, an insurance broker can be found through the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (Biba).