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What is a listed building?
A listed building is either a structure or property that is of special historical or architectural significance. A building is listed to celebrate its special interest and also to protect it from any future town planning or nearby development work.
There are two ways that a building can be listed in England. The first is to nominate a building to Historic England (the authority responsible for safeguarding our country’s history). The second is that Historic England chooses to assign a listed building status to buildings based on their own research.
Listed buildings are categorised into grades:
- Grade I: Buildings of exceptional special interest
- Grade II: Particularly important buildings of more than special interest
- Grade III: Buildings of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them
What does listed building insurance cover?
Listed building home insurance works in a similar way to standard home insurance with the main difference being that an older, possibly ‘period’ home is often subject to more deterioration, damage, and increasingly noticeable aging compared to newer homes made with newer materials.
The kinds of coverage you can receive will vary slightly from insurer to insurer, but we’ll go into greater detail on this shortly. For now, you can expect to receive two kinds of coverage - take a look and think about the specific areas you think might apply to your home.
Home insurance for listed buildings
You can be covered against the following:
- Floods
- Fires
- Burst pipes
- Accidental damage
Contents insurance for listed buildings
Similar to regular contents insurance, you can be covered against the cost of repairs/replacements for the following:
- Furniture
- Electronics and gadgets
- Clothing
- Money
- Financial/important documents
What coverage should I consider?
There are countless add-on policies that are relevant to your needs, and plenty more that are perhaps not. Grade 2 listed building insurance will have slightly different coverage than grade 1 listed building insurance.
What you need to do is think about your property (e.g, how old it is, what condition it is in, and how well it has been maintained) and think about your lifestyle/other variables (e.g, do you have children, do you own pets, or does your property often experience extreme weather conditions).
Note that all building insurance won’t cover you for general wear and tear but you’ll be protected against unforeseen circumstances that you won’t likely have much control over.
Think about the following policies and whether or not you need them:
Legal expenses
Though listed buildings are protected from development works by Historic England, they can still be involved in complex legal cases so you might want to consider coverage against legal costs. Legal fees are a common part of listed building insurance costs.
Personal belongings
This can be extended onto any standard contents insurance plans and will insure your belongings outside your home (e.g, valuable jewellery or smartphones).
Home emergency
Without the proper upkeep, many listed buildings still have their original electrics or plumbing installed which have likely become outdated and, as such, potentially dangerous. Home emergency coverage protects you against things like electrical faults or pipework disasters and is a central factor in producing a residential listed building insurance quote.
Subsidence coverage
If your property is at risk of subsidence (the gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land), then you can take out subsidence coverage. This applies to many older buildings, as well as buildings situated near a cliffside.
Unoccupied property
If you own a listed building but may not be able to occupy it for a certain period of time, unoccupied property insurance is a recommended option. If a property is unoccupied for longer than a month, plans like this should be considered.
Accidental damage
An accidental damage plan simply covers you against costs related to unintentional damages (e.g broken windows, damaged ceilings etc).
Average cost of listed building insurance
Because the grade of a listed building often influences the cost of insuring it, there is no hard or fast rule regarding how much you might pay. There are also other variables that affect the cost, like a building’s age, its construction, and the cost of any rebuild work that is needed.
A general rule of thumb is that the insurance will cost more the older your listed building is. The further a building stretches back in time, the less familiar today’s construction professionals will be with construction and build methods.
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FAQs
Is it more expensive to insure a listed building?
It is generally more expensive to insure a listed building than a contemporary property, and as we have said above - the older a listed building is, the more expensive insuring it may be.
Can you get insurance for a listed building?
Of course. Some policies are standard home insurance plans which you can add on specific listed building benefits, while other insurers can offer insurance packages specifically dedicated to listed buildings.
Do I need special insurance for a listed building?
Think about your own needs and the condition and maintenance of your property, and then communicate all this to whichever insurer you choose. They will be able to recommend a plan that meets your needs.
Do I need special insurance for a listed building?
Think about your own needs and the condition and maintenance of your property, and then communicate all this to whichever insurer you choose. They will be able to recommend a plan that meets your needs.
Are listed building rules different in other parts of the UK?
Yes, different rules do apply for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If your property is in any of these three areas and you wish to appeal for listed building status and, in turn, listed building insurance, take note:
- Wales. To appeal for listed status in Wales, you need to get consent from your local authority (who then need consent from the planning division of the Welsh government’s historic environment service).
- Scotland. If you wish to appeal for listed status in Scotland, you must speak to your local authority who then consult Historic Environment Scotland.
- Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, historic buildings are listed a little differently. Speak to your local authority and get consent. Your local authority will then speak to the Historic Environment Division (Department for Communities).
How can I reduce my insurance costs?
The best way to do this, especially with listed buildings, is to maintain the property as best you can. Not only will this preserve the magnificence of your property, but it will prevent you from making too many claims and consequently driving up the price of your insurance.