Your guide to non-standard home insurance
Still have some questions about renovation home insurance? Find out more on the guide.
Read moreIf you plan to begin renovation works on your home, it’s important to let your insurance provider know as they may need to update your home insurance policy – or may not be able to provide cover at all while renovation works are taking place. That’s why, as part of our renovation home insurance, we can provide cover for:
A home renovation insurance policy will protect your property against fire, theft, flood and a number of other risks while building works are being carried out, although we cannot provide cover for the actual contract works.
Property owners’ liability protects landlords and property owners during claims being made against them concerning legal liability. Endsleigh provides up to £2 million public and property owners’ liability cover as standard.
Renovation insurance covers the cost of repairing structural damage caused by subsidence, heave or landslip. Garages, sheds and fences are also included, as well as the cost of repairing items such as pipes, cables and drains.
We’ll provide cover for your property while it is empty pending renovation. Please read the policy wording for full unoccupied terms and conditions.
Not sure whether you need specialist insurance for your renovated home? We’ve answered some of your frequently asked questions.
Renovation insurance covers you for the things that might go wrong while building works are being carried out at your property. For example, if you’re having an extension, or you’re undertaking a home refurbishment. This is whilst the property is unoccupied for longer than the time stated on your standard home insurance policy (usually 30-60 days).
While most contractors will have insurance for the works carried out on your home, this may not protect you in all circumstances. Therefore it’s likely that you will still need buildings insurance in place to protect your property both whilst it’s unoccupied, and against risks such as fire, theft, flood and subsidence.
House renovation insurance is also known as building work insurance, building renovation insurance and house refurbishment insurance to name a few terms.
If you’d like to remain covered by insurance during your renovation, and your property will be unoccupied for longer than the time stated on your standard home insurance policy (usually 30-60 days), then yes, you’ll probably need house renovation insurance. This is because your property is identified as higher risk when it’s unoccupied.
You may also require additional cover if works are extensive, or if expensive equipment and materials will be kept at the property during building works.
If you fail to tell your insurer, then you could invalidate your policy and may not be able to make a claim should you need to (for example, if there’s a fire or burglary in your time away from the property).
As well as providing cover full cover for your buildings and property owners’ liability cover, we can also provide cover for:
Yes. You’ll still need to organise property renovation insurance. Your contractor will only cover the liability for the works themselves, for example, if a passer-by were to get injured as a result of the construction. Therefore, it does not provide any cover for the physical building.
Renovation insurance is there to protect your property against risks such as fire, flood, theft, malicious damage, and anything else that won’t be covered under your contractors’ liability insurance.
Most standard home insurance policies will provide cover for unoccupied properties between 30 and 60 days (check your policy details to find out the exact period of time). If your home will be unoccupied for longer than this amount of time because it’s undergoing renovation, then you’ll probably need unoccupied renovation insurance.
As a first step, you should speak to your current insurer to see if they can provide house insurance during your renovation. For some insurers, this may simply be a case of updating your account so you have a home renovation insurance policy in place. However, some insurers may not cover unoccupied properties during renovation, so you may need to source your own cover for this period.
If you’re looking for home insurance while renovating, call us on 0333 234 1507 for a quote, or arrange a call with one of our team today.
Essentially, yes, both extension insurance and renovation insurance provide cover for your property whilst it’s unoccupied due to building work taking place.
Renovation insurance for homeowners is really important to consider if you’ll be leaving your property unoccupied for longer than the time stated on your standard home insurance policy. Homeowners should always be careful to make sure they have insurance during construction.
Yes, our renovation home insurance will provide cover for your unoccupied property while renovation works are being carried out – however, please note this will only provide cover for the property itself rather than insuring the renovation works.
Your contractor (if you have one) will usually arrange their own liability cover that will insure the risk of renovating the property. If you’re carrying out the renovation works yourself, it will be your responsibility to arrange this cover. Either way, if you want your property to remain covered whilst unoccupied and going through a renovation, you’ll probably want to consider house renovation insurance.
Contact our specialist team today (or arrange for us to call you) with the details of your property and we’ll find you our most competitive price. More often than not, we can get you a quote right there and then.
Then all you need to do is let us know when you want to go ahead and we’ll get you set up.
Before getting a quote for renovation home insurance, it’s useful to have the following information to hand:
When you speak to us regarding insurance for a house being renovated, you’ll need to provide the current rebuild value before the works begin. We will then keep a note on your policy of the estimated costs of the project.
If you are unsure what your current rebuild is, there are a number of online resources that can help you - such as the ABI rebuild calculator.
Once the renovation works have been completed, you will then need to increase the rebuild value stated on your policy to reflect the increase in value, post-renovation.
How do I calculate the rebuild value?
Yes we can. We are able to provide renovation insurance cover for works that have already begun.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide building work insurance for renovation projects that include a basement being added to the structure of the property.
If the barn is undergoing its first conversion, then we will be unable to provide cover while it’s being renovated.
However, if the barn has already been converted and registered as a residential property and you are now undertaking further renovation work, we will be able to provide building renovation insurance for this.
Find out more about barn conversion insurance.
Our house renovation insurance policies provide cover for a minimum of 12 months, and your policy will be tailored to the renovation works as you described them to us during quote stage.
Our house renovation insurance policies provide cover for a minimum of 12 months, and your policy will be tailored to the renovation works as you described them to us during quote stage.
If the project will take longer, changes or completes sooner than expected, you will just need to contact us so we can update your home renovation policy.
Yes, we are able to provide home insurance during renovation for unoccupied listed buildings.
At Endsleigh we are able to provide comprehensive buildings and property owners’ liability cover for listed buildings, including grade I, II and II* properties that are over 100 years old.
Find out more about listed property insurance.
Whether or not you choose to move out when your home is undergoing building renovation is totally up to you. A house renovation could include anything from knocking a few walls through, to creating an open-plan living space, to planning an extension or conservatory.
Living in a house while renovating can be stressful. Whether you’re conducting the work yourself or hiring professionals, it’s likely to be loud, dusty and even cold. If you’d like to avoid the messy parts of renovating a house and you have the option to, you may like to opt to live elsewhere whilst the work is being complete – this could be staying at a generous friend’s house, or even staying at a local hotel.
If you do choose to stay away, make sure to check the amount of time your home insurance allows your property to stay unoccupied. If your time away from home is due to exceed the time on your policy, you’ll likely need to take a moment to source the best home renovation insurance. This is to make sure your home is covered whilst it’s unoccupied.
If you’re looking for house insurance that covers your property during building work, call us on 0333 234 1507 for a quote, or arrange a call with one of our team today.
If you’re conducting work on your property, for example, an extension or conservatory, you’ll probably want to make sure you have house insurance while renovating. But what kind of house insurance do you need?
If you’re a homeowner, it’s likely that you already have building and contents insurance which is a great start. When you’re carrying out work to your property and your property is unoccupied due to this work, you’ll need to update your insurer to let them know. They should then be able to update your account so you have a home renovation insurance policy whilst the property is empty and work is being undertaken.
When the work is complete, you should let your insurer know and then your home renovation insurance can be switched back to standard home insurance.
If your standard home insurance provider can’t provide a house renovation policy, you’ll need to search for home renovation insurance in the UK that will cover your property during renovation whilst it’s unoccupied.
At Endsleigh, we’re proud to provide insurance for unoccupied properties being renovated – whether you’re an existing customer or not.
To get a quote for home insurance whilst you’re renovating, either call us on 0333 234 1507, or arrange a call with one of our team today.
Some home insurance providers will provide cover for your property while it’s undergoing renovations, but this is usually reviewed on a case by case basis, and some insurers won’t be able to provide cover at all.
If you’re planning on renovating your property, you should notify your current home insurance provider as soon as possible to discuss your options.
Even if your current insurer does agree to provide cover under your existing home insurance policy, it may only be for a short period of time, and cover could even be restricted.
Taking out specialist building renovation insurance will ensure that your property is protected against major risks such as fire, theft, flood and malicious damage.
Once your renovation works are completed and have been signed off under building regulations, then you can switch from your building renovation insurance back to your home insurance as normal – but remember that you will need to update your rebuild value to reflect the renovated property (for example, if the number of bedrooms has increased).
With over 15 years’ experience insuring homes during repairs and renovation, our non-standard property team will take the time to understand your unique situation and provide you with the right home renovation insurance solution to protect your buildings and contents.
We can cover converted barns as a let property, main residence, holiday home or second home.
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If your home has been affected by subsidence, heave or landslip, or your property is in an area that is prone to these types of risks, we'll find the right insurance solution for you.
Our non-standard home insurance team specialise in finding insurance products for old homes that are Grade I, Grade II and Grade II* listed, or over 100 years old. Get a quote today.
Our friendly team are ready to talk to you:
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Call us on 0333 234 1507