Common Insurance Policy Exclusions: What's Not Covered

Insurance policy exclusions are situations or events your policy doesn’t cover. Reading them is as important as reading what is covered.

Common Exclusions Across All Policies

Exclusion	Why It’s Excluded
Wear and tear	Preventative maintenance is your responsibility
Intentional damage	Insurance can’t cover deliberate acts
War and terrorism	Catastrophic risk, separately insured
Nuclear incidents	Extremely rare but catastrophic
Illegal activity	Can’t insure against crime
Pre-existing conditions	Known issues not insurable

Home Insurance Exclusions

Exclusion	Details
Subsidence	Usually covered but high excess
Flood (in high-risk areas)	May need separate cover
Wear and tear to roof	Not covered
Japanese knotweed	Usually excluded
Home business equipment	Limited cover for business items
Unoccupied property (30+ days)	Cover limited or void
Gates and fences	Limited cover (often £250)

Car Insurance Exclusions

Exclusion	Details
Driving without a valid licence	Cover void
Drink or drug driving	Cover void
Using car for hire or reward	Not covered
Racing or speed events	Not covered
Driving abroad (some policies)	Limited EU cover
Wear and tear to tyres	Not covered
Mechanical breakdown	Not covered

Travel Insurance Exclusions

Exclusion	Details
Pre-existing medical conditions	Must declare
Hazardous activities	Skiing, diving, climbing need extra cover
Travel against FCO advice	Not covered
Alcohol-related incidents	Claims often rejected
Unattended baggage	Not covered if left alone
Pre-existing pregnancy complications	Check policy

Pet Insurance Exclusions

Exclusion	Details
Pre-existing conditions	Never covered
Routine and preventative care	Not covered
Dental disease (many policies)	Excluded or limited
Breeding and pregnancy	Not covered
Cosmetic procedures	Not covered
Behavioural issues	Some policies exclude

Life Insurance Exclusions

Exclusion	Details
Suicide within first 12 months	Standard exclusion
Pre-existing conditions	Higher premiums or exclusion
Hazardous hobbies	May be excluded
War and terrorism	Often excluded
Death while committing a crime	Not covered

The “Wear and Tear” Exclusion

The most common reason for claim rejection. If your roof leaks because of age rather than a storm, it’s wear and tear and not covered.

Scenario	Covered?
Storm damages roof	Yes
Old roof leaks during normal rain	No (wear and tear)
Burst pipe from freezing	Yes
Pipe corrodes and leaks	No (wear and tear)

Non-Disclosure Exclusions

If you didn’t disclose something material when taking out the policy:

Scenario	Insurer Response
Didn’t declare a medical condition	Claim rejected
Didn’t declare modifications to car	Claim reduced or rejected
Misrepresented occupation	Claim rejected

Non-disclosure can void your entire policy, not just the related claim.

How to Check Exclusions

Step	Action
1	Read the policy wording document (not the summary)
2	Find the “Exclusions” or “What’s Not Covered” section
3	Read it carefully before buying
4	Ask the insurer if you’re unsure
5	Keep the document for reference

Bottom Line

Exclusions are what your insurance doesn’t cover. Always read them before buying. Common exclusions across all policies include wear and tear, intentional damage, and illegal activity. Non-disclosure can void your entire policy. If you’re unsure about an exclusion, ask before you claim. The time to check exclusions is when you buy the policy, not when you make a claim.