Unlike building insurance which is often a requirement when taking out a mortgage, contents insurance is optional but without it, you would have to cover the costs yourself if something went wrong and your personal items are damaged.  

It is important that you get your contents sum insured to the right amount, as this is the maximum your insurer will pay out if you claim. Your contents should be insured for the cost of replacing them as new, not their current value. It is important to re-evaluate your contents sum insured on a regular basis, particularly after purchasing expensive items, of following a birthday or Christmas. Often contents policies will have a limit, so you should check that this will be enough to cover the value of all your belongings. 

Contents policies usually include a single item limit, such as £1,500 for example. Contents valued at less than this limit will automatically covered, though if you have more expensive items such as jewellery, works of art or electronic equipment that are worth more than this single item limit, you may need to pay an extra premium to cover them.