Home Insurance - how did it all start?

For any of you out there with an interest in the home and home insurance cover, there's a new programme just started on BBC 4 charting the history of the British home.

'If Walls Could Talk: The History of the Home' sees Lucy Worsley, chief curator of the historic royal palaces, examining 800 years of domestic history by exploring the British home through four rooms, meeting experts and historians on the way. Whether or not the programme will talk about home insurance we've yet to see although, of course, home and buildings insurance policies are right up there in the history of the UK home.

I'm certainly not an expert on the subject but I believe the concept of insurance in the UK was first established in the insuring of buildings in the City of London. In these cases the insurance cover was largely related to the risk of fire and, if I remember correctly, those insured would display a sort of plaque on the outside of their buildings to say they were covered by a particular company. Then, in the event of fire (and there were plenty in those days), a private fire brigade (employed by the insurance company) would come along, check on the building that you had the correct cover, and put the fire out.

As I say, I'm not an expert but I think this was it ­ I remember them doing something about it on Blue Peter. Perhaps I'll check up my facts on Wikipedia before my next blog? (By the way, did you know that Billy Idol (glam punk star of the 80s) is related to Eric Idle (Monty Python wordy comedian)? No?

I'm off to check out my facts regarding the history of UK home and buildings insurance cover and to watch 'If walls could talk' on the iPlayer but, in the meantime, should you wish to discover the latest choice of the best home insurance policies ­ covering your home, its contents and your possessions ­ contact Performance Direct today for a quote - on-line or on the phone.