Dombo says a number of issues need to be considered by unmarried couples living together:

• What's in a name?
  Firstly, in whose name has the insurance policy been issued? Where people are cohabitating or sharing a house it is important to check who 'the insured' is. The policy must be issued in the joint names of the partners or the interest of the other partner must be noted on the policy.

  Most policies cover the insured whose name is stated in the policy together with any family members who live with that insured person while other policies just cover the insured person as stated in the schedule of the policy.

• Don't assume you're covered
  People who are staying together must not assume that the other’s contents are automatically covered. There is also the issue of underinsurance that must be considered. By bringing additional contents into the household the partners must realise that the value of their contents increases hence the sum insured on the principal policy must be adjusted accordingly to avoid the application of the condition of average in the event of a claim.

  This condition stipulates that if at the time of a loss, the property is insured for less than its true value the insurers will only pay a rateable proportion of the loss and the insured will bear the remaining portion of the loss.

• Whose best interests?
  The issue of insurable interest must also be taken into account. Does the principal insured have an insurable interest in the subject matter of the contract? i.e. would the original insured be prejudiced by the loss, damage or liability which may be incurred.
• Full disclosure
  The other issue to be considered is the issue relating to disclosure. It is the duty of the insured to disclose material information to the underwriter to enable the underwriter to properly assess the risk at hand.

  "While insurers generally are relaxed in issuing policies in joint names, it remains the duty of the client to fully disclose this change in the risk profile to the insurer," says Dombo.