Self-Build House Insurance
Self-Building House Insurance Backed By ‘Exceptional’ Service
Want to save money on your self-build insurance? Let the self-build insurance specialists at Coversure Hull compare our markets to find you the self-build house insurance protection that’s right for you. Whether you’re building yourself a home or a property to rent or sell, call us today on 0800 977 6037 and let our award-winning team help you get the protection you need.
Self-build house insurance backed by ‘Exceptional’ service
Our award-winning team is rated as ‘Exceptional’ by feefo and with over 50 years of property insurance experience, you can rest assured you’re in safe hands. Being independent we can put your needs first, and we’ll compare the market to find you great cover for a great value premium. To find out more, call us free on 0800 977 6037 or start your self-build house insurance quote today.
What is self-build insurance?
Self-build insurance, self-build house insurance or self-build building insurance as it’s also known, is a specialist policy designed to protect people and properties being built by their owners. Standard home insurance won’t give you the protection you need as it won’t provide things like tools insurance or employers’ liability insurance if you’re employing contractors on the build. Self-build house insurance can offer you essential covers such as:
- Public liability insurance
- Tools insurance
- Employers’ liability insurance
- Contract works insurance
- Materials insurance
Do I need self-build house insurance?
If you’re building your own home then yes, you’ll need self-build insurance. Many people take out self-build house insurance once they have purchased the land they are going to build it on. Policies can last from three months to two years so you’ll have plenty of time to get the job done and should things overrun, a common issue with self-build projects, you can extend the policy to cover any contract works.
The number of self-build or custom-built homes built in the UK has risen sharply in the last few years. Government data shows that between October 2021 and October 2022, 6,374 planning permissions were granted for plots of land suitable for self and custom builds. This follows a Johnson Government's report by Richard Bacon MP, which aimed to increase the custom and self-build homes (CBS) in the UK from around the current 13,000 to 40,000 per year.
While it’s increasingly common, self-build properties still present complex problems from an insurance perspective. You’ll need to consider things such as:
- Protecting your property while it's being built and therefore unsecured
- Protecting the site, including tools, machinery – including hired-in plant equipment
- Covering your public liability risks
- If you’re using a contractor, they should have their own insurance, but this will only protect them, not you or your home when they’re off-site
This is why self-builders need self-build insurance. If you’d like some help or advice, call us free on 0800 977 6037 or start your self-build house insurance quote today.
What does self-build house insurance cover?
Self-build insurance offers a wide range of protections, including:
- Damage to your building, tools, materials, equipment and any temporary buildings - protecting everything from the structure of your new home to fixtures like power outlets, pipes, and lighting
- Theft – of tools, materials, and personal possessions from the site
- Employers’ liability insurance – EL insurance as it’s also known – protects you from compensation claims from your employees should they sue for loss or injury at work. If you have any employees such as building contractors, then having EL cover is a legal requirement. Failure to have it in place can result in a £2,500 per day fine
- Public liability insurance – or PL insurance as it’s sometimes known – is a policy that protects you and your business from financial loss should someone be injured or their property damaged owing to your business’s activities
- Non-negligence cover - also known as JCT 21.2.1 insurance, this protects from claims should surrounding properties be damaged owing to your work
What doesn’t self-build house insurance cover?
As with most insurance policies, there are some things that aren’t covered by a self-build insurance policy. Common exemptions include:
- Existing damage - any problems that already existed before the policy was taken out won't be covered
- Wear and tear - damage caused by gradual wear, tear, and weathering is unlikely to be covered
- Vermin - infestations of vermin such as mice, rats or wasps and the damage/delays they cause
- Deliberate damage - you won't be covered for any deliberate damage by you or your workers
- Damage from extreme weather to a building that’s open to the elements - during the build your property may be damaged by storms or floods, and you won’t be insured against these as the property is under construction
What types of property can be covered by a self-build insurance policy?
While self-build insurance is a specialist form of cover, thanks to our network of insurer contacts we can offer self-build insurance protection for:
- Houses
- Second homes and holiday homes
- Commercial properties
- Buy-to-let self-build properties
- Custom-build properties
If you have a specific project in mind, please call us on 0800 977 6037 and the team will be happy to help.
How much does self-build insurance cost?
At Coversure Hull we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions for our clients. Instead, we’ll get to know your needs and create a package of cover that fits your requirements. What we can say is that your self-build insurance quote will depend on things like:
- The size of the project
- How long it will take
- What you will be storing on-site, e.g. hired-in plant equipment
- If you have contractors
- Its location
- Your claims history
- Whether the site’s at risk from flooding
- Whether there are properties nearby
The best way to get the right self-build insurance is to get some independent advice. Our team of property insurance specialists will be happy to get to know your needs and provide you with the self-build house insurance quote that’s right for you.
Self-build insurance FAQ
Self-build insurance is a complex area of cover and it’s important to get it right. To help you get the protection you need, here are our self-build house insurance frequently asked questions. We hope they will prove helpful, but if you’d like to get some independent advice, then please call us free on 0800 977 6037. Our team of specialists will be happy to talk you through the options to ensure you get the protection that’s right for your property.
Q. Is self-build insurance a legal requirement?
A. No, but if you are employing contractors, you will need employers’ liability insurance as that is a legal requirement
Q. Why do self-builders need insurance?
A. Because accidents happen, thefts occur, people can be injured and if you’re employing contractors they will need protection. Home insurance won’t cover these eventualities, so you need self-build insurance
Q. What types of property can be covered?
A. We can offer cover for houses, second homes and commercial properties
Q. Are there any policy add-ons I should consider?
A. Yes, many self-builders take out personal accident cover should someone be accidentally killed or suffer a permanent disability while on site. They also take out legal expenses insurance which is designed to cover the legal costs arising from contractual disputes between you and your contractor, utility companies, or the removal of squatters from the site during the insured period
Q. How much does self-build insurance cost?
A. That will depend on things such as:
- The size of the project
- How long it will take
- If you have contractors
- Its location
- Whether the site’s at risk from flooding
- Whether there are properties nearby
- Your claims history
Q. How can I get a self-build insurance quote?
A. Getting a quote is easy. You can start yourself-build insurance quote here or call us on 0800 977 6037
Get a self-build house insurance quote today
If you'd like some self-build house insurance help or a self-build house insurance quote here or call us on 0800 977 6037. We can give you all the advice you need and can compare our markets to find you the cover you require.
