Do you need non-standard construction insurance?

Buildings insurance is one of the most essential types of cover. Let’s face it, how many of us could afford to completely rebuild our home from scratch in the event of a fire, flood or storm? If your house is a little on the unusual side, maybe it has a thatched roof or is a listed property, it might be a bit trickier to insure. Here’s some information on non-standard construction insurance.

1. Finding a specialist

Because it can be somewhat complicated to assess the risk to non-standard properties, many mainstream insurance companies flat out refuse to insure them. At GMIB.ie we’ll help you find specialist cover whatever your house looks like.

2. Full disclosure

It’s important to disclose all construction details when describing your house to your insurer. Homes with timber or steel frames, eco homes or buildings with flat roofs may all require non-standard insurance. Leaving information like this out when applying for cover could invalidate your policy, leaving you unprotected in the event of an accident.

3. Expect higher premiums

Premiums for non-standard properties are often more expensive than they are for regular buildings. This is mainly because these types of properties tend to be more prone to accidents and more costly to repair/rebuild. For example, flat roofs are more likely to get damaged by storms than normal roofs and listed buildings are more difficult to reconstruct.

4. Make sure you’re covered

Calculating the sum assured – i.e. how much it would cost to rebuild the property from scratch and the maximum the policy would pay out – is much more complicated for a non-standard property. You may need to hire a professional to assess all aspects of the building before taking out cover.

5. Get the best deal possible

As with any form of insurance, premiums can vary greatly between different companies so it’s important to shop around. At GMIB.ie we do all the hard work by comparing quotes from multiple insurers. Contact us today to find out more!

So there you have it. Non-standard construction insurance in a nutshell. If you need more information we’re just a call or an email away.

All the best,

The Team at GMIB.ie