What are the benefits of listed building insurance?
Building insurance for listed buildings helps you offer the care and attention your listed building needs, as stipulated by building regulations. However, listed buildings are more expensive in terms of both a total rebuild and repairs.
When you take out listed property insurance with Park Insurance, we can help you find specialists and tradespeople experienced in repairing listed buildings using original materials and at the level of craftsmanship the regulations require.
If a fire or flood damages your listed building, a storm rips off your roof, subsidence affects your foundations, or vandals wreak havoc, listed building insurance will cover the repairs.
Types of cover
Like standard home insurance, there are two main types of cover to choose from: buildings and contents.
Buildings insurance deals with the physical structure of your listed property and any permanent fixtures and fittings. If you have outbuildings, these can also usually be covered. If a storm knocks off your chimney or brings a tree crashing into the side of your house, this is the cover you will use.
Contents insurance relates to belongings inside your home, from furniture and fashion to devices and decor. In the unfortunate event of a fire or a burglary, you can use content insurance to replace what you've lost. That means it's vital to accurately assess the value of your home contents when you take out your policy to prevent your belongings from being underinsured.
In addition to these core covers, you may also like to consider additions such as:
- Accidental damage cover, for the likes of broken windows
- Home emergencies cover, dealing with those expensive emergency tradesperson callouts
- Personal possessions cover items you take out of your home, like jewellery and your laptop
- Unoccupied property cover to protect your listed building if it will sit empty for more than 30 consecutive days
What is and isn’t covered
As standard, most insurance for listed properties will cover the following:
- Fire, flood, storm, and fallen tree damage
- Burst pipes
- Burglary and vandalism
- Subsidence
- Temporary accommodation during property repairs
Just as important as knowing what is covered is understanding what insurance won’t cover. Typically, this includes:
- Wear and tear
- Standard maintenance work
- Damage caused by negligence
- Storm damage to fences
- Pest infestations
- Unoccupied properties
FAQs
How can I tell if my building is listed?
Make sure your home isn’t underinsured by checking its listed status on the Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Cof Cymru, or Department of Communities listed building registers.
Am I legally required to maintain a listed building?
There is no legal requirement to maintain your listed property if it becomes damaged, but you must remember that local authorities can step in, make repairs, and charge you for it to protect the building.
Why can’t I find cheap listed building insurance?
Because old properties are more vulnerable to issues like subsidence, and listed buildings require more expensive repairs, premium costs reflect the risks and higher values involved.
To find specialist insurance for listed properties, turn to Park Insurance. Our team of experts understands the nuances of caring for a listed building and can tailor a policy that offers it the protection it deserves.