Are you still regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland?

Yes, Ask Acorn is the trading name of Acorn Brokerage Limited which is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

How can I talk to a financial advisor?

Just call us on 0818 800 822 or email customercare@askacorn.ie and we’ll put you in touch with a local Ask Acorn financial advisor who will help you make a plan aimed at securing your financial future.

Are you still an Irish company?

Yes, we’re proud to say that Ask Acorn is a 100% Irish-owned company, headquartered in Galway with a nationwide network of financial advisors.

Do I need to update my direct debit or personal information?

No, you don’t have to do anything, unless there’s been a change that might affect your cover – for example, if you have moved house. Rest assured, your existing direct debit(s) will continues to operate as normal and all the information we have about you will remain secure.

What happens when it’s time to renew my insurance cover?

Don’t worry – we’ll let you know in plenty of time that your renewal date is approaching. We’ll also send you a quote for continuing the same level of cover for the next twelve months. Of course, it’s entirely your decision whether you renew with Ask Acorn – but you can be sure that we’ve looked for the best quote from trusted insurers in Ireland.

How can I make a complaint?

We are always grateful for feedback and are dedicated to ensuring our customers are satisfied with the service they receive. Please contact our customer care team and we will be happy to resolve any issues.

Why should a landlord have public liability insurance when renting out a property?

If you are a landlord, public liability insurance covers you if a tenant or visitor is injured and or has property damaged while on your premises. This cover will give you peace of mind, knowing that you are financially protected if an unforeseen accident or incident occurs on your rental property.

While working from home, is the laptop supplied by my employer covered?

As working from home is very normal these days, your employer should adequately insure any equipment they provide. This includes items such as laptops, monitors and printers. If anything supplied by your employer is damaged or stolen, it’s important to tell them promptly so they can make a claim on their policy.

What are ‘specified’ and ‘unspecified’ all-risks extensions?

Specified all-risks insurance covers items outside of the home. It is subject to geographical limits and you’ll need to provide valuations if the value of your items is greater than the pre-agreed amount. Unspecified all-risks cover insures unspecified items typically valued less than €1,000 outside of the home. For instance, numerous items could be insured for a total value of €2,000, even though none of the individual items is valued at over €1,000.

Can you tell me more about all-risks cover?

All-risks cover lets you insure items when they’re away from your home. Typically, you can choose either to list each item you’d like to insure or opt for an overall value for unspecified contents. Most home insurance policies fix an upper limit on how much each item can be insured for.

What happens if I move house?

Call us on 0818 800 222 with your new details and we’ll amend your policy right away.

Do I have to take out home insurance offered to me by my bank?

No. You are completely free to shop around for the best value home insurance quote. While your buildings must be insured to the amount stated by your bank or building society when they valued the property, you are not obliged to take out a policy with them.

How can I find out what type of locks are on my doors?

When comparing home insurance quotes for you, we ask you what kind of locks you have on all of your outside doors. This helps us assess your property’s security level. The types of doors you have on your home can help you determine the type of locks you have. If you have wooden doors, they are probably fitted with mortice deadlocks and/or night latches – if you have uPVC or composite doors (or a patio door), it’s likely a multi-point locking system. You can also check what is written on the lock. 5 lever means it’s a five-lever mortice deadlock; Yale usually means it’s a night latch; a serial number starting with BS3621 means it meets the BSI standard; SS312 and TS007 are codes more commonly linked with multi-point locking systems and cylinders. Whatever type of locks you have fitted, remember to use them when you go out, as you will have difficulty claiming on your home insurance if you leave your doors unlocked.

As a landlord, can I insure my house even though I don’t live there?

Yes, you can. Landlords can get a quote for rental properties online or by calling 0818 800 222 .

Does my home insurance cover my shed and garage?

Yes, although some conditions or limits may apply, items such as a lawnmower or garden tools, which are stored outside of your home in a locked shed or garage, are typically covered. You should check your home insurance policy for more information on limits.

Are my personal possessions covered if I take them out of my home?

Personal possessions are not covered unless you take out specified or unspecified all risks cover as part of your home insurance policy. We recommend taking out this cover to insure valuable personal possessions like jewellery, watches and cameras. Terms and conditions can vary depending on the insurer.

Does my home insurance cover the family computer?

Yes, provided that the computer is only for personal use. In order to insure your computer outside the home you’ll have to take out additional all-risks cover.

How can I work out the right building cover for my home?

To calculate how much building insurance your home requires, you’ll need to find out its rebuilding cost. This is different from its current market value as it is an estimate of what a builder would charge to reconstruct your home at current building costs. To work this out, take a look at the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland rebuilding calculator here .

What do you mean by ‘contents’?

We define contents as everything you could take with you if you moved house. We recommend you spend some time creating a list of the contents in each room including the garage, the shed and the garden.

Do I need home insurance?

Home insurance reassures you that the cost of rebuilding your home can be covered by your insurance provider, if anything happens to it. At the same time, your mortgage lender will require that you have home insurance as part of your mortgage agreement. To find out more about getting a home insurance policy, call us on 0818 800 222 .

Customer help centre

Home insurance

Home insurance FAQs

All the answers

Why search for car insurance the hard way? Ask Acorn is here to make everything easier for you when it comes to finding the very best quote from leading insurers. Check out our frequently asked questions to learn more about getting the best value car insurance cover for your car’s specific needs:

Are you still regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland?

Yes, Ask Acorn is the trading name of Acorn Brokerage Limited which is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
How can I talk to a financial advisor?

Just call us on 0818 800 822 or email customercare@askacorn.ie and we’ll put you in touch with a local Ask Acorn financial advisor who will help you make a plan aimed at securing your financial future.
Are you still an Irish company?

Yes, we’re proud to say that Ask Acorn is a 100% Irish-owned company, headquartered in Galway with a nationwide network of financial advisors.
Do I need to update my direct debit or personal information?

No, you don’t have to do anything, unless there’s been a change that might affect your cover – for example, if you have moved house. Rest assured, your existing direct debit(s) will continues to operate as normal and all the information we have about you will remain secure.
What happens when it’s time to renew my insurance cover?

Don’t worry – we’ll let you know in plenty of time that your renewal date is approaching. We’ll also send you a quote for continuing the same level of cover for the next twelve months. Of course, it’s entirely your decision whether you renew with Ask Acorn – but you can be sure that we’ve looked for the best quote from trusted insurers in Ireland.
How can I make a complaint?

We are always grateful for feedback and are dedicated to ensuring our customers are satisfied with the service they receive. Please contact our customer care team and we will be happy to resolve any issues.
Why should a landlord have public liability insurance when renting out a property?

If you are a landlord, public liability insurance covers you if a tenant or visitor is injured and or has property damaged while on your premises. This cover will give you peace of mind, knowing that you are financially protected if an unforeseen accident or incident occurs on your rental property.
While working from home, is the laptop supplied by my employer covered?

As working from home is very normal these days, your employer should adequately insure any equipment they provide. This includes items such as laptops, monitors and printers. If anything supplied by your employer is damaged or stolen, it’s important to tell them promptly so they can make a claim on their policy.
What are ‘specified’ and ‘unspecified’ all-risks extensions?

Specified all-risks insurance covers items outside of the home. It is subject to geographical limits and you’ll need to provide valuations if the value of your items is greater than the pre-agreed amount.

Unspecified all-risks cover insures unspecified items typically valued less than €1,000 outside of the home. For instance, numerous items could be insured for a total value of €2,000, even though none of the individual items is valued at over €1,000.
Can you tell me more about all-risks cover?

All-risks cover lets you insure items when they’re away from your home. Typically, you can choose either to list each item you’d like to insure or opt for an overall value for unspecified contents. Most home insurance policies fix an upper limit on how much each item can be insured for.
What happens if I move house?

Call us on 0818 800 222 with your new details and we’ll amend your policy right away.
Do I have to take out home insurance offered to me by my bank?

No. You are completely free to shop around for the best value home insurance quote. While your buildings must be insured to the amount stated by your bank or building society when they valued the property, you are not obliged to take out a policy with them.
How can I find out what type of locks are on my doors?

When comparing home insurance quotes for you, we ask you what kind of locks you have on all of your outside doors. This helps us assess your property’s security level. The types of doors you have on your home can help you determine the type of locks you have. If you have wooden doors, they are probably fitted with mortice deadlocks and/or night latches – if you have uPVC or composite doors (or a patio door), it’s likely a multi-point locking system.

You can also check what is written on the lock. 5 lever means it’s a five-lever mortice deadlock; Yale usually means it’s a night latch; a serial number starting with BS3621 means it meets the BSI standard; SS312 and TS007 are codes more commonly linked with multi-point locking systems and cylinders.

Whatever type of locks you have fitted, remember to use them when you go out, as you will have difficulty claiming on your home insurance if you leave your doors unlocked.
As a landlord, can I insure my house even though I don’t live there?

Yes, you can. Landlords can get a quote for rental properties online or by calling 0818 800 222.
Does my home insurance cover my shed and garage?

Yes, although some conditions or limits may apply, items such as a lawnmower or garden tools, which are stored outside of your home in a locked shed or garage, are typically covered. You should check your home insurance policy for more information on limits.
Are my personal possessions covered if I take them out of my home?

Personal possessions are not covered unless you take out specified or unspecified all risks cover as part of your home insurance policy. We recommend taking out this cover to insure valuable personal possessions like jewellery, watches and cameras. Terms and conditions can vary depending on the insurer.
Does my home insurance cover the family computer?

Yes, provided that the computer is only for personal use. In order to insure your computer outside the home you’ll have to take out additional all-risks cover.
How can I work out the right building cover for my home?

To calculate how much building insurance your home requires, you’ll need to find out its rebuilding cost. This is different from its current market value as it is an estimate of what a builder would charge to reconstruct your home at current building costs. To work this out, take a look at the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland rebuilding calculator here.
What do you mean by ‘contents’?

We define contents as everything you could take with you if you moved house. We recommend you spend some time creating a list of the contents in each room including the garage, the shed and the garden.
Do I need home insurance?

Home insurance reassures you that the cost of rebuilding your home can be covered by your insurance provider, if anything happens to it. At the same time, your mortgage lender will require that you have home insurance as part of your mortgage agreement. To find out more about getting a home insurance policy, call us on 0818 800 222.