How much is listed buildings insurance?

It’s difficult to provide a general cost estimate for listed building insurance without having specific information about the building and the cover needed. However, the cost can be higher than standard home insurance due to the specialist work often required to repair or restore listed buildings in line with Historic England and Historic Environment Scotland.

Will future works on a listed building affect my insurance?

Yes, future works on a listed building can affect your insurance. It’s important to inform your insurer about any planned works before they commence. This helps ensure that you comply with the terms of your policy and maintain correct cover. If you’re unsure how the works will affect your insurance, consulting with your insurer or insurance broker is a good idea.

My property is a listed building in Scotland, will your policy cover it?

Yes, we can arrange insurance for listed buildings in Scotland. We offer cover for Grade A, B and C listed buildings across Scotland.

Does this insurance policy cover my flat, which is a listed building with a ground floor shop?

In short, yes. It’s essential to determine who the freeholder and leaseholder are, and we will discuss your property in detail before arranging cover. By doing so, we can explore crucial aspects of your property, such as its registered status and the commercial use on the ground floor. These discussions give us the necessary level of detail to identify an appropriate policy.

Can buildings insurance on a listed building be backdated?

Insurance policies, including those for listed buildings, can’t be backdated. They cover future risks from the policy start date onwards, not past events. Any damage occurring before the policy start date won’t be covered. Always consult with an insurance professional for specifics.

If I start renovation work on my listed property, will I still be covered?

Renovation work on a listed property can affect your insurance cover. Standard policies may not cover damages that occur during renovation, so you might need additional renovation insurance. It’s crucial to inform your insurer or broker of any planned works beforehand, to ensure adequate cover and policy compliance. Some insurers allow up to £100k of works to be carried out on your listed property without the need to be informed.

Are there any restrictions on the use of listed buildings?

Listed buildings may have certain restrictions on their use, particularly if they have significant historical or architectural features. It’s important to be aware of any specific uses of your property if it’s residential and/or has a commercial use element. This understanding will help us determine if any restrictions or limitations are relevant.

Is it compulsory to have insurance on a listed building?

Listed buildings are invaluable assets in the UK, serving as historical touchstones that enrich our cultural heritage; thus, they must be well-maintained to preserve their architectural uniqueness and historical significance for future generations. However, you are not legally required to have insurance for a listed building, although mortgage lenders usually require buildings insurance to be in place for the property. Regardless, it’s highly recommended to insure any property, especially listed buildings, due to potential high repair and restoration costs and to maintain the property’s cultural heritage.

What factors should be considered when working on a listed building?

When working on a listed building, it is important to consider: how long you will need alternative accommodation for (the works may take longer than for a standard construction property) conservation officers must approve materials to match the original ones quality restoration with higher-quality materials is crucial hiring specialist builders may result in additional costs obtaining a surveyor’s report is highly recommended for accurate insurance cover

How many listed properties are there in England, Wales, and Scotland?

Across England, Wales, and Scotland, there are over 577,000 listed properties.

Can a listed building become delisted?

In some exceptional cases, a listed building may be delisted. However, this is a rare occurrence and usually requires strong evidence that the building no longer holds the significance for which it was originally listed. Delisting a building typically involves a formal review process by the relevant heritage authorities.

Insurance for Listed Buildings | Cover All Grades of Properties

Name: Listed Building Insurance
Brand: Alan Boswell Group
Rating: 4.9 (1420 reviews)

Listed Building Insurance

Specialised and tailored support to ensure you obtain the most suitable insurance policy for your beloved property.

Cover for all grades of property

Valuations from certified BCH surveyors

Listed building insurance safeguards you against the expenses of repairing or reconstructing your cherished historic property if it sustains damage or is destroyed and/or replacing its contents. Listed buildings are an important asset and are a piece of heritage that requires special attention and care.

At Alan Boswell Group, we have access to a wide range of insurance products, enabling us to compare and tailor cover to ensure you receive the most suitable home insurance for your unique listed building’s requirements.

Key features

Knowledgeable professionals with a deep understanding of listed properties.

Support in acquiring accurate reconstruction valuations from certified BCH surveyors.

Cover for Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings across the UK and Grade A, B and C listed properties in Scotland.

Protection for listed properties serving as holiday homes, rentals, and commercial use.

The Alan Boswell Group Difference

Alan Boswell Group recognises that no two homes are the same. With friendly and truly independent professional advice, we will guide you through the home insurance process. We can provide expert guidance on buildings and contents valuations, and with access to a wide panel of insurance partners we can ensure you have the right policy tailored to your individual requirements often with delegated authority for claims, meaning we can ensure a smooth and quick claims process.

Alan Boswell Group expert on Listed Building insurance

How our customers rate us

Mark regularly searches the market for a better deal. It’s great working with him. I enjoy the personal service and being able to pick up the phone and speak to him. He is very reliable and gets straight back to me.

Priscilla Bradley-Watson

4.9/5 1420 reviews

Listed building insurance in detail

As the owner of a listed building, you will want to know your property will get the time and attention it deserves should the worst happen. Our cover could include:

Buildings cover

Listed buildings tend to be unique and can be constructed using various materials, such as stone, handmade bricks, ornate carpentry and one-offs, such as bespoke staircases.

Specialist fine art, collections, and antiques cover

Cover specifically for your fine art and collections, such as antique furniture, books, clocks, gold and silver watches, paintings, rugs and tapestries, sculptures, stamps, wine and other memorabilia.

Specialist tradesmen

Your listed property may have unique features or bespoke detailing. Our policy allows the use of skilled tradespeople to undertake repair works, helping you to maintain your property's unique character and features.

Worldwide all risks

Offering worldwide all risks cover, extending comprehensive protection and its irreplaceable contents when away from the property.

Alternative accommodation

If your property becomes uninhabitable due to a large claim and extensive restoration work is required, our policy offers alternative accommodation. You will find that listed buildings require a longer period for restoration when compared to a modern house. Therefore, we tailor your insurance cover to take this into consideration.

Certified BCH surveyors for valuations

We utilise BCH surveyors to conduct thorough evaluations, ensuring an accurate assessment of any outbuildings and permanent structures. Depending on the building's age, architectural style, and historical significance, this may include various features such as boundary walls, fences, garden ornaments, bridges, barns, stables, greenhouses, and summer houses. Our services also cater to non-traditional structures like timber frames, wattle and daub, stone, cob, lead roofs, thatched roofs, crenellations, cupolas, and more.

Case study

In our case study, we talked to Priscilla Bradley-Watson, the owner of a Grade II listed property in the Norfolk countryside. We discuss her beautiful property, maintaining the grounds and insurance for such a unique building.