Specialist Non-Standard Home Insurance
If your property or personal circumstances mean that your home falls under the non-standard category, Howden can help. There is a myriad of insurers on the market, each with their own requirements, restrictions, and definitions of what is non-standard. That’s why you need a broker.
Why choose Howden for non-standard home insurance?
Finding insurance for a home that’s unusual, unique or quirky can be difficult. Insurers’ definition of ‘standard’ can vary greatly and often there isn’t the tick box that perfectly reflects your home. It may seem like a small issue at the time, but at the point of a claim it could become the difference between your claim being paid, and not.
Non-standard construction
Standard construction is normally defined as a house being built of brick or stone with a tiled roof. So, any property that doesn’t fit this description would be seen as “non-standard”. However, it can be difficult to know if a home doesn’t conform to standard specifications. Here are some examples:
- A modern timber-framed property is often indistinguishable from a traditionally built house, with the timber frame hidden behind non-structural brickwork. Not all insurers class modern timber-framed properties as standard. This is because repairs following a claim can be more expensive than a brick-built house. It’s therefore easy to unwittingly tick ‘yes’ to the standard construction question.
- It’s commonplace for modern homes to be non-standard as homebuilders look to build something a little different.
- A standard home insurance policy will usually cover your garage and a straightforward timber shed if on your land, but if you have anything more then you may not have cover for all your property’s outbuildings. For example, a garden office, home gym or annex.
- If you are adding sustainable features to your home, then you need to check your home insurance policy. For example, solar panels may be automatically covered under the definition of ‘buildings’ but you may need to increase the buildings sum insured to take into account the additional value of solar panels. Some home insurance policies have inner limits within the buildings sum insured, which may be less than the solar panel value. Other policies may not cover solar panels that are not on your roof or battery arrays in your garage. These principles would apply to wind turbines and other renewable energy systems.
If you’re not sure if your home needs non-standard home insurance, please call us for advice. If your home is non-standard and you have not declared this to your insurer, the insurer may reduce the amount of a claim paid out, or even decline paying a claim completely.
Non-standard personal circumstances
Having unusual personal circumstances can make it difficult to find insurance. You may find yourself on the end of a large premium increase, a higher excess, stringent policy terms or you might be refused cover altogether by your current insurer. This can include:
- A poor claims history
- A difficult financial history
- Previously refused or declined insurance
Our experienced team has access to a range of specialist insurers who can help with your insurance. We’ll not only understand why insurers decline but also know which insurers to approach.