GUIDES / GETTING STARTED
Where to find your policy document
Can't find your insurance policy? Where it usually lives: the email you were sent, your broker, and the insurer's online account, plus what to look for.
Updated 16 July 2026 · UK home insurance
General guidance for UK policyholders. Not financial or legal advice, and not a decision on any claim.
You do not need to be an insurance expert to make a claim, but you do need the policy document in front of you. It is the one thing that says what you are covered for, and it is also the thing most people cannot lay their hands on when something has gone wrong. If you are staring at a folder or an inbox and coming up blank, this is where to look.
Start with your email
For most people the policy arrived by email and is still sitting there. Search your inbox, and your spam or junk folder, for the insurer's or broker's name, or for words like "policy", "schedule", "certificate", or "renewal". Broaden the date range to when you first took the policy out, and to each renewal since.
The attachment you want is usually a PDF. Open it and check for two things: a page with your name, address, and policy number (the schedule), and a longer section defining cover and exclusions (the wording). If the email only has a short certificate, keep it, but carry on looking for the fuller document.
Ask your broker
If a broker arranged your cover, you do not have to hunt for the document yourself. Brokers are required to give you a copy of your policy on request, and it is a routine thing to ask for. Call or email the broker who set up the cover for the period you are claiming on, and ask for:
- the current schedule
- the full policy wording for that period
- any endorsements or amendments made during the year
If you have switched brokers since, the one who arranged the cover at the time of the incident is the one with the right records.
Sign in to your insurer's account
Most insurers now keep your documents in an online account or app. If you have registered, sign in and look for a "documents", "policy", or "my cover" area, where the schedule and wording can usually be downloaded as PDFs. If you have never registered, there is normally a "register" or "activate" option that uses your policy number, email, or postcode to set the account up.
Paying by monthly direct debit is a useful thread to pull: the payment on your bank statement names the insurer or the finance provider, which tells you exactly who to sign in with or call.
What to do once you have it
Check that what you have is complete and readable before you rely on it. You are looking for:
- the schedule with your details, the policy number, and the cover dates
- the wording that defines what is and is not covered
- any endorsements that change the standard terms
A clear photo or scan of every page is fine. Once you have the document in hand, you can check whether it is the right policy for your claim, or upload it to see what it actually covers before you go any further.
If the document is gone for good
Sometimes there is simply nothing to find, and that is recoverable too. Any renewal reminder, direct debit, or old email that names the insurer or broker is enough to get started. Contact them, give your name and address, and ask them to reissue your policy documents for the period you need. They hold the master records, and reissuing a copy is a standard request, not a special favour.
When you have the document, the next question is usually whether it matches the claim you want to make. A travel or motor policy will not answer a property claim, so it is worth confirming the fit before you build anything on it.
Frequently asked questions
What does an insurance policy document actually look like?
It is the full wording plus your schedule. The schedule is the personalised page or two with your name, policy number, the cover start and end dates, the sums insured, and the premium. The wording is the longer booklet that defines what is covered, excluded, and conditional. You usually need both, but the schedule is the piece people most often cannot find.
I bought through a broker. Who has my policy?
Your broker does, and they are obliged to give you a copy on request. Ask for the current schedule and the full policy wording for the period of your claim. If you have changed broker, the broker who arranged the cover for that period is the one to ask.
Is a certificate of insurance the same as the policy?
No. A certificate or a cover note proves cover exists, but it does not contain the terms. You need the schedule and the wording to see what is actually covered. Send the certificate if it is all you have, but keep looking for the full documents.
My policy renews automatically. Which year's document do I need?
The one that was in force on the date of the loss. Cover, limits, and exclusions change at renewal, so a claim is judged against the wording that applied when the incident happened, not the latest version. Check the dates on the schedule against your incident date.
I only have a paper copy. Can I still use it?
Yes. A clear photo or scan of every page works. Make sure the schedule and any endorsements are included and readable, not cut off at the edges. Blurred or partial pages are the most common reason a document has to be re-sent.
What if I genuinely cannot find it anywhere?
Contact the insurer or broker named on any renewal reminder, direct debit, or email you can find, quote your name and address, and ask them to reissue the policy documents. They hold the records and can send a fresh copy.
Already dealing with a claim? Upload your policy to Roci and it will read your cover and help you build your claim.