The Home of Building Work Insurance

You’ll need Building Works Insurance if you want financial protection for work being undertaken on your property.

This cover protects your project from various different risks that come with undertaking renovations, conversions, restorations and more. These can include theft, as well as damage to your building due to fire, flooding, subsidence, or a landslip.

These risks are rarely covered in existing home insurance policies – and having building work undertaken may mean your standard home and contents policy won’t stand if you do need to make a claim. This is why it’s important to seek out specialist cover that works for you and your circumstances.

No two projects are the same, so no two Building Works Insurance policies are either.

When you come to getting a quote with Renovation Plan insurance, you’ll tell us more about your project – for example, whether that’s a restoration, conversion, new build or an extension. Then you’ll get to choose between two different cover levels so you can select the policy best suited to your project. You can also control your cover length between three and 36 months – so even the longest building projects remain protected.

You’ll be protected from your project start date until the end of your cover. And if your project finishes early, you can even request a refund so you’re not paying beyond completion.

If your project is signed off earlier than expected, let us know and we’ll refund the time left.

If your project is complete and has run to schedule, your policy will expire. Then you’ll go back to relying on your standard home insurance.

If your project runs over, you can get in touch before the project end date to extend your policy.

However, it’s important to get full signoff from everyone involved in the project, including contractors, so you’re fully satisfied that completion has been reached.

We give you a choice of flexible cover options to suit your needs and to consider a number of outcomes. From short to long-term projects, you can opt for cover between three and 36 months, and we can extend this if things run over.

Plus, if you finish the work before your policy ends, we’ll refund you for the time left.*

No two building projects run to the same timeline. What starts as a simple repaint may end up taking longer than expected, or a loft conversion could be completed in record time. That’s why we put the power in your hands.

*Subject to no claims and our £25 cancellation fee unless you take out further cover with us.

Yes, you can usually live in your house while building work is underway. This is usually a matter of choice and depends on how far-reaching the building work is.

You’ll just need to let your insurer know your plans, so they can factor in whether or not your property will be occupied.

If a major incident like a fire, flood, or structural collapse makes your home uninhabitable during building works, Renovation Plan insurance also covers the cost of temporary accommodation if you choose Premier Plus cover.

It’s best to have a specialist Building Works Insurance policy when undertaking building works on your property. You need to get this secured before work begins to ensure you’re covered throughout the project.

Start by contacting your home insurance provider to let them know that building work is about to take place; otherwise, your existing policy may become invalid and you may have to face costly fixes if something happens.

At the same time, you can enquire about whether your policy covers renovation/building works – essentially identifying the gaps you’ll need to fill. Even if your insurer confirms they’re happy to continue cover during the works, it’s important to check the exclusions in the policy wording. You may find that…

• Any property being worked on is excluded
• The existing structure itself may not be covered while undergoing work
• Unfixed materials or fittings might not be insured until installed

These gaps could leave you exposed if something goes wrong.

Note that some smaller projects may be covered by standard home insurance without the need for specialist insurance. But we suggest talking to your insurer to both inform them and check what your policy covers you for.

We can tailor a policy to suit you and your project’s requirements.

Your builder should usually have the following insurance in place at a minimum:

• Public Liability Insurance
• Employers’ Liability Insurance

However, it’s important to remember that you can’t rely on your builder’s insurance alone. The builder’s Liability Insurance will only protect them when they are liable for damage. You need to be covered in the event of any surprises – projects sometimes go wrong and it’s best to have your own solutions in place.

As specialists in Building Works Insurance in the UK, we know a thing or two about what a good, comprehensive policy looks like – whether it’s for Extension Insurance, Conversion Insurance or another type of specialist cover. Here’s why you can count on us:

• We have almost two decades of experience in matching individuals with the right building works policy for their projects
• Whether you’re a homeowner, property developer, or broker, we can help you secure the right cover
• If your project runs over, we can extend your policy without any issue, allowing you plenty of flexibility
• Not only do we have two levels of cover, but we can also offer long and short-term policies to suit you
• We have a 4.9-star rating on Feefo, where past customers have shared their experiences of getting cover with us

You can find our policy wording and other useful documents here.