Non-Standard Home Insurance

Finding insurance when your home is different can be a prickly business.

If your home is Listed, uses special materials or you have particular considerations to make, you may need Non Standard Home Insurance.

It doesn’t take much to fall outside of ‘the norm’, it could be something as simple as a thatched roof, or that your property is in a floodplain postcode, or perhaps your home had an instance of subsidence many years ago.

Whatever the reason, you need to ensure you have a home insurance policy that reflects your exact circumstances and provides adequate protection. 

Key features of our Non Standard Home Insurance:

Buildings Insurance

Specialist cover for properties that are Listed or built with ‘non-standard’ materials including thatch, timber and steel frames or wattle and daub, to name just a few.

Contents Insurance

Insure the contents and valuables inside your home against loss or damage, caused by fire, flood, storm or theft. If you own high valued jewellery, then consider special high value jewellery insurance cover.

Accidental Damage

Provides insurance cover for accidental damage to windows, pipework (oil, water supply, gas) and drains as well as cover for some home contents.

Optional Covers

You can add optional cover to your policy including public and employers liability insurance, office equipment and trace and access for leaks and more.

Self Build Cover

Building your own home from scratch can be stressful enough.

We can advise you on flexible cover that reflects your needs as you develop the property.

Major Improvement Protection

Most insurers will remove cover if you are spending over £50,000.

We can help ensure your home remains protected if you are having major renovation or extension work.

Who needs Non Standard Home Insurance?

Non Standard Home Insurance is for people whose home is considered at a higher risk of an insurance claim than the average home.

Repairing any home after damage can be expensive, let alone repairing one of non standard construction.  

Rather than the building itself, it could be some unique or unusual circumstances that mean a regular policy won’t suffice. 

Unlike most Home Insurance policies which focus on the physical building, Non Standard Home Insurance also takes the surrounding area into account. You may wish to consider a Non Standard Home Insurance if your property:

  • is situated within 400 metres of a river or other waterway, or in an area with a history of flooding
  • will be unoccupied for at least 30 days consecutively, needing unoccupied house insurance
  • if there are any trees standing taller than 10 metres within a 5 metre radius

A Non Standard Home Insurance Policy can not only help recover the costs of repairing damage to your home, but also provide temporary accommodation should your home becoming uninhabitable when being fixed.

If your home fits into any one of the following categories then you probably need specialist home insurance in the form of a Non Standard Home Insurance policy.

Is a Listed Building – Cover is available for Grade 1, 2 and 2* listed properties.

In a flood area – if your property is situated in an area prone to flooding, or has been previously flooded. You can find out if your home is in a flood risk area on the Environment Agency website

Has a thatched roof – homes with thatched roofs are more at risk from fire damage than a home with say a standard tile roof and require specialist thatched property insurance.

Has had subsidence – houses that have suffered from subsidence or are located in an area with a history of subsidence.

Is unoccupied – empty properties or properties left unoccupied for over 30 days at a time will not be covered by a standard home insurance policy.

Is a Farm – Farms require specialist cover as they are both a business and a residence.

Is of non-standard construction – houses constructed using non-standard materials such as timber frames are only properly covered by a specialist buildings insurance policy.

Is a self-build property – a non-standard home insurance policy will provide cover during the construction of your property and can extend to employers liability insurance and insurance for tools and equipment.

What does Listed Property Insurance cover?

If you own a listed building then it is your responsibility to ensure that the building remains damage free and as close to its original state as possible. You may also be legally obliged to restore your property if any damage were to occur. There are also restrictions and specifications on the types of material you are allowed to use that could be more costly than a regular repair. All of these things have an impact on the cost of the insurance and the only way to get an accurate price is to get an experienced insurance professional to assess your needs for you.

Typically a Listed Property Insurance policy will include:

  • Damage to the property’s bricks and mortar, beams and any other original features
  • Damage caused to the structure by fire or flood or adverse weather
  • Temporary accommodation while your home is being repaired
  • Costs of having to use expensive or specialised building materials and techniques to restore your home

A Non Standard Home Insurance Policy can not only help recover the costs of repairing damage to your home, but also provide temporary accommodation should your home becoming uninhabitable when being fixed.

What does Listed Property Insurance cover?

Due to the age of most listed buildings, they will need repairing eventually. However, you can carry out regular maintenance and checks to catch any damage early. This can include:

  • Checking pipes and gutters for blocks, leaks or cracks
  • Regular roof checks for loose or broken tiles
  • Check ceilings for damp
  • Look out for erosion in the brick work

Most damage to Listed Buildings comes from damp, so it’s important to stop moisture entering your home where possible.

Owning a listed building can be incredibly rewarding, like owning a piece of history. However it is important to understand the responsibility that comes with a listed building. You can be required by law to fix and repair your listed home so having the correct insurance in place is essential to fulfilling your responsibilities as a listed property owner.

Click to complete a quick form for a free, no obligation quote:

Our team can tailor a policy to suit the exact needs of your home.