Home insurance covers your property against financial loss as a result of damage, loss or theft of your belongings or property. Sky - the well-known TV broadcaster - launched a new home insurance product earlier this year that combines smart tech with home insurance.
In this review, we look at how Sky's new home insurance policy works, how much Sky Protect costs and how it compares to alternative home insurance providers. We recommend that you read the review in full, however, you can jump to specific sections using the following links:
- What is Sky Protect home insurance?
- Sky Protect home insurance key features
- What does Sky Protect home insurance cover?
- Sky Protect home insurance exclusions
- How much does Sky Protect home insurance cost?
- Sky Protect home insurance policy excess
- How to make a claim with Sky Protect home insurance
- How to cancel Sky Protect home insurance
- Sky Protect home insurance customer reviews
- Sky Protect home insurance pros and cons
- Alternatives to Sky Protect home insurance
- Summary
What is Sky Protect home insurance?
Sky Protect is a home insurance policy launched by the TV and broadband provider Sky. The package includes a Smart Home bundle that aims to help prevent problems before they occur in the home. The Smart Home bundle includes a video doorbell and chime, an indoor camera, 1 motion and 2 contact sensors plus 3 leak detection sensors. The Sky Protect app helps you to install the smart products into your home, manage the alerts and make a claim. However, if you do not want to include smart tech in your home, you can also choose to take out a standard home insurance policy with Sky.
Sky launched the UK's first satellite TV service in 1989 and has since expanded its offering, launching a number of products including Sky Broadband, Sky Mobile and most recently home insurance.
Sky's home insurance is underwritten by Zurich. Zurich does not offer new home insurance policies to customers directly and is therefore only able to be purchased via a third party such as Sky. The Family Legal Assistance and Cyber Assistance Cover is provided by AmTrust Europe Ltd and the Home Emergency Cover is provided by Inter Partner Assistance S.A.
Sky Protect home insurance key features
- Up to £50 credit on your account if you switch to Sky Protect Home Insurance from another insurer and get charged a cancellation fee (for existing Sky TV, Broadband or Mobile customers)
- Choose between standard home insurance or home insurance with smart tech
- 2 year fixed price with smart home insurance
- Combined buildings and contents cover or contents only
- Up to £750K buildings cover and up to £100k contents cover
- £5 monthly discount for existing Sky customers that take out a Smart Home Insurance policy
- Sky Protect app to manage policy, smart devices and claims
- Cyber Assistance Cover, Home Emergency Cover & Family Legal Assistance are included as standard with Smart Insurance
- Choose between optional extras such as Accidental Damage & Bicycle cover
- 5 star Defaqto rating
- Underwritten by Zurich
What does Sky Protect home insurance cover?
Sky Protect home insurance can be purchased as a combined buildings and contents home insurance policy or as contents insurance only. This means that both your property and its belongings are protected against theft, loss and damage. Buildings insurance protects your property against structural damage and covers the repair and rebuild costs of your home. Contents insurance protects the cost of replacing your personal belongings inside the home if they are stolen, damaged or destroyed. We have more information on how home insurance works and the different types in our article, 'What are the different types of home insurance?'.
Sky Protect home insurance policy comparison
When taking out a Sky Protect home insurance policy you can choose between a combined buildings and contents insurance policy or a contents-only policy. You can also opt to not have the smart tech bundle included in your policy which will reduce your policy term to 12 months from 24 months on the smart tech bundles.
In the following comparison table we highlight the cover you can expect with a Sky Protect Home Insurance policy but additional information can be found in your policy documents. You can also choose to enhance your policy with a number of additional extras including cover for personal possessions outside of the home, bicycle cover and cover against accidental damage.
| Sky Smart Home Insurance | Sky Standard Home Insurance | Sky Smart Contents Insurance | Sky Standard Contents Insurance | |
| Home insurance type | Combined buildings and contents | Combined buildings and contents | Contents only | Contents only |
| Includes smart tech |  |
 |
|
|
| Contract length | 24 months | 12 months | 24 months | 12 months |
| Buildings sum insured | £750,000 | £750,000 | |
|
| Contents sum insured | £100,000 | £100,000 | £100,000 | £100,000 |
| Cyber Assistance cover | £25,000 | |
£25,000 | |
| Home Emergency cover | £1,000 | Optional extra | £1,000 | Optional extra |
| Family Legal Cover | £50,000 | Optional extra | £50,000 | Optional extra |
| Accidental Damage | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra |
| Bicycle cover | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra |
| Valuable items | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra |
Sky Protect Smart Home Insurance exclusions
Most home insurance policies have a number of exclusions to consider when taking out the policy. Below we list some examples of the exclusions with a Sky Protect home insurance policy, however, the list is not extensive so you need to ensure you read the policy documents carefully so you know exactly what you are and are not covered for.
In the event of a claim, it is likely that you will not be covered for the following:
- Fraudulent claims
- General wear and tear
- Claims as a result of mildew, fungus, frost and dry rot
- Claims as a result of damage by vermin, insects or pets
- Loss or damage claims that are insured by another policy e.g legal work claims
- Loss or damage resulting from any renovation or building work where the total cost exceeds £25,000 (including materials) unless Sky was notified prior to the work commencing and the cover was agreed
How much does Sky Protect home insurance cost?
How much you pay for your Sky Protect home insurance will vary depending on a number of factors including where you live, the size of the property and the sum insured. However, in the following table, we compare the cost of two different-sized properties to give an example of how much you can expect to pay.
We compare the cost of Sky's smart and standard home insurance policies and it is worth noting that the smart home insurance policies are over a 24-month term compared to the 12-month term with the standard policies. The quotes are based on a non-Sky customer. Existing Sky customers can benefit from a £5 monthly discount.
| Sky Smart home insurance | Sky home insurance | Sky Smart contents insurance | Sky Contents insurance | |
| Home insurance type | Combined buildings and contents | Combined buildings and contents | Contents only | Contents only |
| Includes smart tech | |
|
|
|
| Contract length | 24 months | 12 months | 24 months | 12 months |
| Monthly cost for a 2 bed end of terrace | £39.68 | £28.41 | £33.87 | £22.84 |
| Monthly cost for a 4 bed detached | £54.03 | £42.13 | £44.49 | £33.01 |
Are there any administration fees with Sky home insurance?
There are no administration fees if you wish to change or amend your Sky Protect home insurance policy however you may be charged an early termination fee if you cancel your policy after the 31 day cooling off period. This fee is charged at £3 for every remaining month of your policy term.
If you have a Smart Tech Bundle and do not return it within the required 21 day period you will also be charged a non-return fee.
Sky Protect home insurance policy excess
The excess is the amount payable by you when you make a claim. How much you have to pay will vary depending on what you are claiming for. The minimum excess amount payable by you when claiming is £100 and any amount above this is considered voluntary. You can choose to increase the excess in £50 increments up to £600.
The higher the excess amount you choose, usually the lower your monthly premium. However, as this is the amount you are agreeing to pay when you claim, you need to ensure it is still affordable.
If you are making a claim for subsidence or escape of water, separate excess amounts will apply which we list below:
- Subsidence excess - £1,000
- Escape of Water excess - £450
How to make a claim with Sky Protect home insurance
If you wish to make a claim on your Sky Protect home insurance policy you can do so by calling 0333 759 5105 or by emailing [email protected]. If you want to make a claim for Home Emergency Cover or Family Legal Assistance alternative telephone numbers can be found in your policy documents. You will need to notify the insurer of any claims as soon as possible and within 180 days of the event. Identity fraud claims must be notified within 45 days. If you are burgled or your property is maliciously damaged, you should also report this to the police.
If you have any supporting evidence for your claim you can download the video footage from the cloud and upload it within the app. You can also screenshot any alerts e.g. leak detection alerts and submit this as evidence for a claim.
If you choose not to submit any evidence from the smart tech or any footage is not captured, you will not be asked to submit any files. Sky says "This is your personal data and what you do with it is strictly up to you".
Sky Protect is underwritten by Zurich Insurance and therefore any claims on the policy will be dealt with by Zurich claims handlers.
How to cancel Sky Protect Smart home insurance
Sky Protect home insurance can be cancelled at any time, however, you will need to cancel within the 31-day cooling off period to receive a full refund as long as you have not made a claim. When the 31-day cooling off period starts depends on whether you are renewing a policy or purchasing a policy for the first time.
If you wish to cancel your policy after the cooling off period you may be subject to an early termination charge which we detail earlier in the article.
Sky Protect home insurance customer reviews
As Sky Protect is a relatively new home insurance product there are only a few reviews that we could find on Trustpilot that rate Sky Protect home insurance policy specifically but one left in May 2023 rated it 5 stars and cited that it is only slightly more expensive than the reviewer's current deal but "the security tech bundle is perfect". In contrast, several others have rated it 1 star only and cited problems with the tech bundle not working correctly, as well as "appalling customer service".
As with all home insurance policies it is advisable to research the company before taking out a policy and to thoroughly read any policy documentation to know exactly what you are and are not covered for.
Sky Protect home insurance pros and cons
Pros
- No upfront cost
- Smart Home Insurance has a fixed price for 2 years (as long as nothing changes)
- Smart Home bundle worth £250
- £5 monthly discount for existing Sky customers (Smart Home Insurance policy only)
- Option for standard home insurance if do not want smart tech
- 5 star Defaqto rating
Cons
- No burglar alarm included in smart tech bundle
- Leak detection cannot distinguish between urgent or subtle leak
- Cannot get buildings-only insurance
- Combined buildings and contents cover is not suitable for those who live in a flat
- May put off those who aren't used to technology as everything is app-based
- Must have at least 2.4GHz WiFi and either Android 9 or iOS 15 to use the smart tech (Huawei phones are also not currently supported)
- Relatively new so not many customer reviews
How does Sky Protect Smart Home insurance compare?
Before purchasing a home insurance policy you should shop around to ensure you are getting the best deal. A quick and easy way to shop around is by using a comparison site as you are able to compare a number of home insurance products at once to find the best deal for you. We have partnered with Quotezone* so that you can search and compare quotes from over 40 UK home insurance providers. It is worth considering, however, that not all comparison sites are whole of market and therefore some providers, such as Direct Line, will not appear. In this instance, you would need to visit the provider directly to get a quote.
Alternatives to Sky Protect Smart home insurance
In the following table, we compare Sky Protect Smart Home Insurance to comprehensive home insurance policies with Aviva and Direct Line. The quotes are based on a 2 bedroom terraced property in the South East of England.
Sky Protect vs Aviva vs Direct Line
| Sky | Aviva | Direct Line | |
| Home insurance policy type | Combined buildings and contents insurance | Buildings insurance, contents insurance or a combined policy | Combined buildings and contents insurance |
| Smart home tech | |
|
|
| Property type | 2 bed terraced | 2 bed terraced | 2 bed terraced |
| Maximum buildings insurance cover amount | £750,000 | Unlimited | £1m |
| Maximum contents insurance cover amount | £100,000 | Unlimited | £50,000 |
| Alternative accommodation | £100,000 | £80,000 (or 20% of the buildings sum insured if higher) | £40,000 |
| Trace and access | £5,000 | £5,000 | £5,000 |
| Accidental damage | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra |
| Home emergency cover | |
Optional extra | Optional extra |
| Personal Possessions | |
Optional extra | Optional extra |
| Voluntary policy excess^ | £100 | £200 | £100 |
| Annual policy cost | £476.16 (24-month contract charged at £39.68 a month) | £270.55 | £227.36 |
^additional excess may be payable depending on the claim type. Quotes are correct as of October 23.
Summary
Overall, Sky Protect offers an innovative product that combines home insurance and smart home tech in a competitively priced bundle. The accompanying app offers peace of mind when you are out or away knowing that you will be alerted to any unusual activity and leaks. I do, however, feel that the smart tech bundle is missing the incorporation of an alarm, as currently, there is no deterrent to actually make an intruder leave.
Sky said that it wanted to keep things simple with a combined home insurance policy which can be tailored with additional options if required, however, it excludes those who live in a flat as the buildings cover is not suitable for that property type. In this instance, customers that live in a flat can only choose contents insurance. I also wonder if some consumers will be put off by having tech inside their homes but Sky does offer a standard home insurance policy if preferred.
Overall, it is good to see Sky pushing the boundaries, launching a product that includes a smart tech bundle without any upfront costs. It may be a good solution for those who are keen to incorporate home security features but who may struggle with the initial outlay. It will be interesting to see if any other providers follow suit with smart tech integration and indeed whether the inclusion could help to bring down the number of home insurance claims.
If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link, Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. The following link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses or take advantage of any exclusive offers - Quotezone
