Non-Standard Home Insurance
- Wooden, timber-framed, concrete, pre-fabricated and eco-homes covered.
- We cover more than brick, slate and tile.
- Underwritten by AXA Insurance.
- Average quote time is only 10 minutes.
More information
Houses built from non-standard materials can be harder to insure because of their increased risks
Non-standard materials can cause your premium to increase because the risks that affect the property can be greater. It is typically more difficult and costly to maintain a building of non-standard construction. This is often the case with listed buildings, where traditional methods must be carried out by a specialist tradesman to preserve the historical importance of the property.
For this reason, you will likely need to source non-standard building insurance from a specialist provider like Homeprotect. The more details that you can provide, the more likely you are to find the right nonstandard house insurance at the right price for your unique property.
Specify all of the building materials used
When asking for a non-standard construction home insurance quote, bear in mind that some concrete and prefab or prefabricated reinforced concrete (PRC) homes (such as Hawksley PRC houses) have a brick façade. You need to list all of the building materials used to be properly covered in the event of a claim. If in doubt, a qualified surveyor can help.
What materials are considered non-standard?
- Timber frames.
- Steel frames.
- Concrete.
- Corrugated iron.
- Plastic.
- Glass.
- Fibreglass.
- Asbestos.
- Flint.
- Asphalt.
- Shingle.
- Eco-friendly materials including green roofs.
- Cob, and wattle and daub.
- Prefab/HUF Haus.
- Passive houses and zero energy buildings (ZEBs).
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What’s covered by buildings insurance?
Having buildings insurance means you won’t be out of pocket if you need to repair or rebuild your home if it’s been damaged or destroyed.
What we offer
Quick fix for uncontrollable leaks
Have a home emergency, such as electricity failure, faulty locks or vermin infestation? With the 24/7 Home Emergency cover, which we provide as standard, you can typically get an engineer at your home within four hours. And if you’re worried about an uncontrollable leak in your home, we aim to have an emergency plumber to you within two hours.
Extreme weather conditions may extend response time. Policy terms and claim limits apply.
5 star rated buildings cover
Our building insurance has been given the highest rating by independent financial research companies, Defaqto and Moneyfacts.
Repair guarantee
Any buildings work we undertake is guaranteed for 24 months following a claim.
Legal advice
We provide Legal Protection cover as standard, giving you access to telephone legal advice on any personal legal issue, under the laws of the UK, any European Union country, the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Switzerland and Norway.
What isn’t included?
Damage cause gradually, or by wear and tear, or by failure to fix a known issue.
Faulty design or poor workmanship.
Damage or liability arising out of the activities of contractors.
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BUILDINGS Insurance Cover Levels
Our buildings insurance is designed to protect your home against insured events such as fire, storm, flood, escape of water, theft, malicious damage, subsidence, landslip or heave.
Buildings cover
Covers the main structure of your home, including attached garages and conservatories, if you need to rebuild or repair it following an insured loss. Also covers permanent outdoor structures such as driveways, patios and boundary walls.
£1 million
(more cover available if you need it)
Alternative accommodation
Covers the cost of alternative accommodation for you and your pets, together with reasonable expenses (e.g. travel, food, laundry) if you can’t live in your home (or where you’ve been advised to evacuate) due to an insured loss.
up to £75,000
Home emergency
Covers sudden, unexpected emergencies, such as uncontrollable water leaks, that require immediate corrective action to prevent or limit damage to your home, or make your home secure. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
up to £500
Family legal protection
Covers legal costs following an insured loss. There must be reasonable prospects of winning and the incident must have occurred during the policy term. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
up to £25,000
Trace and access
Covers the cost of detecting the source of a water or oil leak to your home or outbuildings. Includes reinstating any wall, floor, ceiling, drive, fence or path removed or damaged during the search (up to the claim limit).
up to £10,000
Outbuildings cover
Covers rebuild or repair of your outbuildings (e.g. detached garages, greenhouses, sheds and summerhouses) that are within the boundary or a communal area you’re legally responsible for, if you need to rebuild or repair them following an insured loss.
from £20,000
Liability cover
Covers damages and claimants’ costs and expenses for your legal liability in the event of accidental death, injury or illness to a third party, or damage to property belonging to a third party.
up to £5 million
Accidental damage
Covers sudden, unexpected and unforeseen events around the house (e.g. spillages or breakages) that result in physical damage and which was caused by you, your guests, a third party or wild animals. Two levels of cover are available.
Optional
POLICY DOCUMENTS
If you’re deciding on whether to buy home insurance with us, you can use our latest policy booklets as a guide.
Existing Customer?
Your latest policy documents are available to view and download.
Your Questions Answered
An excess is the amount you need to contribute towards the cost of a claim. It is typically deducted from the final claims settlement, as opposed to an amount you need to pay up front. Typically, the higher the agreed excess, the lower the monthly premiums. A standard excess typically applies and a policyholder can supplement this with an additional voluntary excess, as a way to reduce their premium.
Not always. Your premium will partly depend on the rebuild costs of the particular design of your home
Buildings insurance covers the structure of the home together with its fixtures and fittings: it covers the cost of repair or rebuilding after fire or weather damage for instance. Contents insurance covers the contents of your home, the possessions you would take with you if you moved house.
There are a huge number of non-standard materials being used in modern constructions, such as asphalt, concrete, timber, glass and steel. Older properties are also made with non-standard materials like wattle and daub or flint. When in doubt, check with a builder, surveyor or your home insurance provider.
If you purchased the property in the last 5 years your homebuyers survey may include the rebuild cost. However if you purchased the property more than 5 years ago you will need to get an up to date assessment.
If your home is of standard construction (normally brick walls and tile roof), not a listed building and not built before 1720 you can use the free online BCIS Rebuild calculator.
If your home is built with non-standard construction materials, or it’s a Listed Building or it was built before 1720, you will need to consult a Chartered surveyor to provide you with an accurate rebuild cost.
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