Listed building insurance
Key takeaways
- Listed buildings can benefit from specialist insurance due to their historic and structural complexity
- Specialist insurers are more experienced with risks such as damp, decay and historic repair methods
- Listed buildings insurance can cover damage from events like fire, storms, theft and flooding
- You may need consent before altering a listed building or risk fines and enforcement action
- Regular maintenance can help reduce damage risk and may help keep insurance premiums lower
Listed buildings have their own unique and historical charms, but they can also be troublesome and complicated to maintain. That means finding the right kind of insurance for a listed building can be difficult.
Read on to find out what listed buildings insurance covers and why it might work out better for your property than standard home insurance.
What is a listed building?
A listed building is recognised for its special architectural or historic significance. In many cases, it’s considered nationally important and is recorded on a statutory register.
Listed buildings are legally protected under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. This means special consent is required before making repairs or alterations to the interior or exterior.
Listing helps protect the nation’s built heritage. Older or rarer buildings are more likely to be listed because of their historical or architectural value.
There are three grades of listed building in England and Wales:
- Grade I: Buildings of exceptional interest, such as Blackpool Tower or Clifton Suspension Bridge.
- Grade II*: Particularly important buildings of more than special interest, including Battersea Power Station and Manchester Town Hall.
- Grade II: Buildings of special interest that warrant every effort to preserve them, such as the Kursaal or Broomhill Pool.
Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own systems for recognising historic buildings. However, the key principles for insuring listed properties are broadly similar.
If you’re unsure whether your property is listed, contact your local council for guidance.
If your property is listed, you may wish to consider specialist listed buildings insurance.
What is listed buildings insurance?
Listed buildings insurance is designed specifically for properties with listed status. Specialist listed buildings insurers are more familiar with the risks associated with historic buildings, such as drainage problems, decay, broken tiles, or damp. As a result, they’re often better equipped to assess listed properties and understand the challenges they present. They also tend to have greater experience with historic construction methods and the specialist repair work these buildings often require.
Listed buildings insurance is a type of non-standard buildings insurance. It covers properties built with unusual materials or designs, such as homes with thatched roofs or properties with exterior walls made from glass or timber.
What does listed buildings insurance cover?
Listed buildings insurance usually covers damage to the building’s structure, including its bricks and mortar. Policies typically cover damage caused by events such as fire, flooding and storms.
Depending on your level of cover, the policy may also include temporary accommodation for you and your family while repairs are carried out.
One feature often included is cover for specialist repair materials. If unique materials are damaged, insurers may help source or pay for suitable replacements. This helps preserve the building’s original character and historic features.
Repairs may also require specialist contractors. Listed buildings insurers are more likely to use professionals experienced in restoring historic properties. If you need to repair or restore a listed building, you may need consent before making changes. Alterations without approval can lead to fines or enforcement action.
- In England, you should consult Historic England.
- In Wales, contact Cadw.
- In Scotland, guidance comes from Historic Environment Scotland.
- In Northern Ireland, contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
What’s covered?
- Damage caused by subsidence, landslip or ground heave
- Damage from unexpected events such as:
- Bad weather or storms
- Burst pipes
- Falling trees
- Fire
- Flooding
- Vandalism
- Burglary or theft, including damage caused during a break-in
- Temporary accommodation while repairs are carried out on your home
What’s not covered?
- Accidental damage, unless you add this cover for an extra cost
- Damage caused by poor maintenance or neglect
- Pest infestations
- Routine maintenance or repair costs
- Storm damage to fences
- Unoccupied properties left empty for longer than 30 to 60 days
- Wear and tear or damage caused by ageing
How much is listed buildings insurance?
The average cost of a listed buildings insurance policy is £6321 per year.
| Type of building | Average price |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 listed building | £549.75 |
| Grade 2 listed building | £715.14 |
| Not listed | £240.44 |
| Preservation order | £432.16 |
1Median annual premiums for Grade 1, Grade 2 and standard buildings - Uswitch home insurance data, Q1 2026.
The price can vary depending on things such as the property, its age and the level of cover you choose. Optional extras can also increase your premium. Common add-ons include accidental damage cover, alternative accommodation, home emergency cover, and legal expenses cover.
The cost of listed buildings insurance should be weighed against the potential expense of repairing a listed building if something goes wrong.
Here are some ways that can help you reduce the price.
- Build up a no-claims discount: Avoiding claims over time can increase your no-claims discount, which may help lower the cost of your insurance.
- Compare quotes: Don’t automatically accept your renewal price. Comparing quotes from different insurers could help you find a better deal.
- Don’t over-insure: Make sure your cover reflects the actual rebuild cost of your property so you’re not paying for unnecessary cover.
- Improve security: Installing approved security features, such as burglar alarms and smoke detectors, may qualify you for a discount. Check with your insurer first.
- Pay annually: Paying your premium in one yearly payment is often cheaper than monthly instalments, which can include interest charges.
Maintaining a listed building
Regular home maintenance can help reduce the risk of damage and lower the likelihood of making an insurance claim. Fewer claims may also help keep future premiums down.
Start by inspecting the roof and exterior walls for loose or broken tiles and damaged brickwork. Check for signs of wear, erosion or plant growth.
Drainage is another area to monitor. Clear gutters regularly and check pipes for blockages, leaks or cracks to prevent costly water damage.
It's also important to control moisture levels inside the property. Excess moisture can lead to damp, particularly on ceilings and walls. Many listed buildings contain large amounts of timber. If moisture builds up, the wood can rot and potentially weaken parts of the structure.
Staying on top of routine maintenance can prevent small issues from becoming serious problems.
However, every listed building is different. Specialist insurance can still be important if repairs require historic materials or expert restoration work.
Many listed buildings will have some issues that are simply not as common in most modern buildings such as issues with the drainage, decay, broken tiles and damp. A listed buildings insurer will have better knowledge in dealing with such issues.
However, if you do make a claim and the restoration or repair requires some alteration to the building, be sure to get consent first. Listed buildings are often subject to the rules of statutory bodies across the UK. If you change a listed building you could be fined for doing so and then possibly forced to return the building back to its original condition. You should consult one of the following bodies relevant to where your listed building is: Historic England in England, Cadw in Wales, Historic Scotland in Scotland, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland.
See below (‘Reduce the risk of making a claim’) for tips on how to lower the likelihood of having issues with your listed building and lower your insurance premiums.
What does listed buildings insurance cover?
Like most standard buildings insurance companies, listed buildings insurers are likely to offer cover for any damage that occurs to the building’s bricks and mortar. Listed buildings insurance is also likely to cover damage to the structure of the building as a result of fire, floods and storms.
Depending on the level of cover you pay for, listed buildings insurance could also include temporary accommodation for you and your family while your property is being repaired.
One area that is unique to listed buildings insurance policies is the use of specialist materials in repairs. If you have a special kind of material that gets damaged in a fire, your listed buildings insurer is likely to help you source or pay for the same type of material to maintain the building’s original character. Some aspects of a building’s restoration or repair might also require specialists to carry it out. Listed buildings insurers will look for experts who specialise in repairing listed buildings rather than providing you with standard workers.
Reduce the risk of making a claim
To reduce the risk of having to make a home insurance claim and having your premiums increase the following year, it makes sense to regularly monitor your building and see where you can easily maintain and repair areas without having to make a claim.
This means inspecting your roof and walls for loose or broken tiles and bricks, and any other kind of wear and tear. When checking your brickwork look out for any issues such as plant growth or erosion.
And to avoid having to make an expensive claim on fixing the drainage, regularly check your gutters and pipes for any blockages or leaks and cracks.
You will also want to avoid having excess moisture inside your property, which could cause damp on the ceilings. If your listed building uses a lot of wood then you could face the problem of rotting wood, and if the wood is used heavily in the structure of the building it could cause significant damage.
So try to stay on top of the maintenance of your home and you may never need to make a claim. But each listed building is different and having specialist insurance can be vital in avoiding having to go through the problem of sourcing specialist materials and expert builders and restorers every time there’s a problem.
Compare home insurance quotes
See a range of home insurance quotes in just a few minutes when you compare with Uswitch
