Difficulty finding insurance for a property with a timber frame as it is non-standard?
A property constructed with a timber frame will typically fall outside of the definition of ‘standard’ construction by most home insurers despite the fact that the UK have been building property with timber frames for hundreds of years. Typically an insurer will define ‘standard’ as brick/stone/concrete walls with a slate/tiled roof. Anything other than this will be classed as ‘non-standard’ construction and the insurance quote will need to reflect this.
Insurance for timber framed property seems to fall into two categories. The first being it’s use in historic, older property. This will need to be disclosed to an insurer as it will (almost always) fall outside of the definition of standard. Insurers will ask the age of your building so will have rates of premium attached to the age of the building as one of their rating factors but the use of timber and the extent of the use of this material will be of interest to them.
The second category of insurance for property with timber frames is for modern property or properties undergoing renovation or extensions using timber frames with modern construction methods. Timber is seen and the material of choice by most countries but for some reason we tend to view it’s use as a compromise.
Timber can however have major benefits to building projects and you only need to visit a new housing development site to see how the properties are constructed. Typically for lower budget or starter homes, these properties usually arrive in pre manufactured timber sections with the insulation already fitted and which are then assembled on site, with the brick walls added once the timber with the insulated panels are already in place. So, technically, every new home that has a timber frame would need to be referred to insurers as having ‘non-standard’ construction materials.
Whether your property is on a brand new development with a timber frame, whether it is 400 years old with a timber frame we will be able to assist you with insurance quotation for your timber framed property.