What counts as a non-standard home?
“Non-standard homes” is a broad term encompassing properties with a non-standard construction, as well as situations where the homeowner’s circumstances or the property’s location are a little unusual. Examples include:
- Homes in flood risk areas: these are properties in high flood risk areas or houses that have previously been affected by floods.
- High-value properties or contents: this is where your property has high rebuild costs or your contents are highly valuable (e.g. a collection).
- Properties affected by subsidence and underpinning: this includes properties in moderate to high-risk subsidence areas (including those over old mines) or homes that have been underpinned due to previous subsidence.
- Unoccupied properties: you usually need specialist cover if you own a second home or holiday home that’s left unoccupied or you leave your property unoccupied for 30 days or more.
- Listed buildings: these properties tend to be more heavily regulated, especially when it comes to renovation and restoration work, and therefore require specialist cover.
- Individual circumstances: this includes individuals with a criminal record, those who have claimed backruptcy or have previously had a CCJ.
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What is a property with a non-standard construction?
In the strictest sense, a house is only considered “standard” when it’s made from stone or brick and has a slate or tile roof. As a result, any homes that fall outside this definition are classed as having a non-standard construction and will therefore most likely need specialist cover.
If you’re not sure whether your home would be considered non-standard, contact us directly as we’re happy to help. Some examples of properties with a non-standard construction include:
- Properties with thatched roofs or flat roofs
- Timber-framed and wood-built buildings
- Steel-framed buildings
- Modular and prefabricated homes
- Converted chapels and listed buildings
- Cob homes
- Concrete homes
- Eco homes
- Self-built properties
Over 82.4% of customers who got an online quote could have saved money if they’d called us instead.
Why do I need specialist cover?
If you’re thinking about buying a non-standard property or your situation is unusual, you might find that many mainstream insurance companies refuse to cover you – or offer you a standard policy that doesn’t suit your circumstances. In such cases, getting a specialist quote from an insurance broker like us can help you find the right insurance so your unique property remains covered.
Types of non-standard house insurance
You can choose from three different types of home insurance:
- Buildings insurance: this insures the main structure of your house and will cover you for the expenses involved with rebuilding or repair.
- Contents insurance: this covers the personal belongings and possessions in your home against theft, loss and damage.
- Combined cover: this combines buildings and contents cover and is often more cost-effective than buying the policies separately.
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How much is non-standard home insurance?
The cost of your non-standard house insurance depends largely on the type of property you have and what makes it unusual. For instance, a property with a thatched roof might be more affordable than one affected by subsidence. If you’re looking to get an understanding of how much your cover will cost, the easiest way to do so is to get a quote from us.
FAQs
Is it difficult to insure a property with a non-standard construction?
Although you might struggle to get cover from mainstream insurers, we have access to schemes specifically designed for those with unusual properties and circumstances and can therefore get you a quote where others cannot.