High-risk home insurance is for homes that may need specialist cover due to flood risk, subsidence, being empty, or unusual construction.
High-risk home insurance is cover for a home that an insurer may see as more complex than a standard property. This can be due to the building, its location, how it is used, how often it is lived in, or its claims history.
It does not always mean the home cannot be insured. It usually means the insurer may need more detail before it can decide whether to offer cover, what price to charge, and what terms to apply.
A high-risk home may still need normal types of cover, such as buildings insurance for the structure and contents insurance for belongings. MoneyHelper explains that home insurance can include buildings cover, contents cover, or both, depending on what you need.
A home may be seen as higher risk for many reasons. Common examples include flood risk, previous subsidence, long empty periods, listed status, unusual construction, renovation work, or use as a let property.
Flood risk is a common reason. The GOV.UK service can help you check long-term flood risk from sources such as rivers, the sea, surface water, reservoirs, and groundwater where data is available.
Some homes in flood-risk areas may be helped by Flood Re, but not every property qualifies. The ABI explains that Flood Re has eligibility rules, and homes built after 1 January 2009 are not usually eligible.
Subsidence can also affect cover. The ABI says subsidence happens when the ground beneath a building sinks and pulls the foundations down. Many buildings policies include subsidence cover, but the excess is often higher than for other claims.
Empty homes may need special care. The Financial Ombudsman Service says many home insurance policies limit cover if a home is left unoccupied for a set period, often 30 or 60 days. This can affect claims for theft, malicious damage, or escape of water.
High-risk features can affect the insurance premium, excess, cover limits, exclusions, and policy conditions. In some cases, an insurer may ask for extra information before offering a quote. In other cases, it may offer cover with restrictions or decide not to quote.
For example, a policy may have a higher excess for flood or subsidence. It may also exclude some types of damage. The Financial Ombudsman Service explains that home insurance policies often exclude gradual damage, sometimes called a gradually operating clause.
This is why it is important to read the policy wording and not focus only on price. You may need to check the buildings sum insured, rebuild cost, flood excess, subsidence excess, empty-home rules, alternative accommodation cover, security conditions, and exclusions.
You should answer insurance questions carefully when you get a quote, renew, or change your policy. The Financial Ombudsman Service explains that consumers must take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation when buying or renewing insurance.
For high-risk homes, an insurer may ask about the property’s age, construction, roof, listing status, flood history, subsidence history, claims history, occupancy, tenants, renovation work, security, and rebuild cost.
If key details are wrong or missing, it could affect your cover. It may also cause problems if you need to make a claim.
At Got You Covered, we arrange home insurance for many types of property, including homes that may not fit a standard quote. This can include homes affected by flood, subsidence, unoccupied periods, renovation, or other non-standard features.
We can also help with landlord insurance where the property is let out or between tenants. A standard home policy may not be right for a rented property, so it is important to check the cover matches how the home is used.
Cover, price, acceptance, excesses, and policy terms depend on the insurer and the full property details. We arrange insurance through insurers and do not underwrite every policy ourselves.
High-risk home insurance is for homes that may need closer checks before an insurer can offer cover. This could include homes with flood risk, previous subsidence, long empty periods, listed status, unusual construction, or landlord use.
The main thing is to give accurate information and check the policy terms. The FCA says insurance communications must be clear, fair and not misleading, so you should be able to understand what is covered, what is excluded, and what conditions apply.
