Based in Truro, Cornish Mutual is a specialist insurer with a history dating back to 1903. As the name suggests, it is a mutual organisation, meaning it is owned by its members rather than shareholders.
Cornish Mutual focuses exclusively on the South West of England (Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset). While they are famous for agricultural insurance, they also provide comprehensive home insurance for rural and village homes, not just farms.
Unlike many insurers who outsource their underwriting, Cornish Mutual underwrites its own policies. They are known for their "personal approach" - you deal with local advisors who know the area, not a distant call centre.
You can get independent advice and a personalised quotes comparison of Cornish Mutual's home insurance deals from one of our expert advisers below:
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You can use our expert advisers to compare home insurance deals from Cornish Mutual with products from other providers across the market.
They will round up personalised quotes from Cornish Mutual and alternative providers and offer bespoke advice on which one to choose.
To get started, fill in our quick online form below and one of our expert home insurance advisers with be in touch today!
What type of home insurance do they provide?
Cornish Mutual does not typically offer rigid "Bronze, Silver, Gold" tiers like mass-market insurers. Instead, they offer a single, flexible Home Insurance policy that is tailored to your specific needs by their advisors.
Because they specialise in the South West, their cover is designed to handle the specific quirks of the region, such as thatched roofs, listed buildings, or homes with outbuildings/land.
Buildings insurance
This covers the structure of your property, including walls, roof, outbuildings, and permanent fixtures.
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Tailored Limits: Instead of a fixed "blanket" limit (like £500k or £1m), they will work with you to agree on a Sum Insured that accurately reflects the rebuild cost of your specific home.
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Standard Inclusions: Typically includes cover for fire, storm, flood, subsidence, and accidental damage to fixed glass/sanitary ware.
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Trace and Access: Cover to find the source of a leak is generally included (check your specific quote for limits, typically £5,000).
Contents insurance
This protects your household goods and personal belongings against theft, fire, and flood.
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New for Old: Items are generally replaced on a new-for-old basis (except for clothing and linen).
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High Value Items: You can specify individual high-value items (like jewellery, art, or antiques) to ensure they are fully covered.
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Freezer Contents: Cover for food spoiled due to a fridge/freezer breakdown is usually included.
Optional Extras
Because the policy is tailored, you can often "bolt on" additional cover:
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Full Accidental Damage: For accidents like spilling wine on a carpet or drilling through a pipe.
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Personal Possessions: To cover items like watches, phones, and cameras while you are away from the home.
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Legal Expenses: To help with disputes related to your property or employment.
How Cornish Mutual calculates premiums
Cornish Mutual prides itself on individual underwriting. This means they look at your specific situation rather than just applying a computer algorithm. Factors include:
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Location: They have deep knowledge of local flood risks and subsidence areas in the South West.
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Construction: They are experts in non-standard construction (e.g., cob walls, thatch), which many standard insurers shun.
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Membership: As a mutual, they aim to keep premiums stable for members rather than hiking prices for loyal customers to subsidise new ones.
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Claims History: A good No Claims history will reduce your premium.
Pros and cons
Here are the pros and cons for Cornish Mutual's home insurance offering:
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Pros |
Cons |
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Personal Service: You speak to UK-based, local advisors who know the region. |
Regional Restriction: Only available to residents in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset. |
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Specialist Knowledge: Excellent for non-standard, rural, or thatched properties. |
Not on Comparison Sites: You cannot quickly compare their price on standard aggregators. |
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No Shareholders: Profits are reinvested into the business or service, not paid as dividends to investors. |
Manual Quote Process: Getting a quote often requires a phone call or callback rather than an instant online buy. |
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Fair Claims Handling: Mutuals often have a reputation for paying claims more fairly and quickly. |
Customer reviews
Cornish Mutual is a niche provider, so it does not have the thousands of Trustpilot reviews that big banks do. However, its reputation within the South West is exceptional.
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Service: They consistently highlight their "no commission" staff and local expertise. Anecdotal evidence from farming and rural communities suggests extremely high loyalty and satisfaction.
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Claims: Customers frequently praise the speed and empathy of the claims team, who are based locally and understand the stress of rural issues (like storm damage).
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Defaqto: While they may not always pay for a public Defaqto star rating badge, their cover is generally considered comprehensive and high-quality, comparable to "5 Star" products from larger insurers.
How to get a Cornish Mutual home insurance quote
You cannot find Cornish Mutual on price comparison websites (like GoCompare or Confused.com). They operate directly to maintain their personal service standards.
To get a quote, you typically need to visit their website to request a callback or phone their Truro office directly.
However, to ensure you aren't paying more than you need to - especially if you have a standard brick-and-tile home - it is still wise to compare their offer against the wider market.
At Money Helpdesk, our home insurance experts can help you review your options. If you are wondering whether Cornish Mutual is the right choice for your home insurance, get in touch and we will review this for you.