Thatched property insurance: specialist cover for unique UK homes

Thatched property insurance: specialist cover for unique UK homes

Thatched properties are among the most difficult to insure in the UK. The standard market largely declines them, applies restrictive conditions or prices them without understanding the actual risk. The John Albion team at Jensten Insurance Brokers (East) has arranged cover for thatched and unique properties for more than 30 years.

We’ve delved into a typical thatched property owner’s situation to see why finding the right insurance broker may prove difficult.

Typical thatched property owner profile

• Property type: Thatched Residential Properties, including listed properties
• Tenure: Primary residences, second homes and long-term rentals
• Key risks: Fire from chimneys, wood burners and electrical faults and underinsurance from inaccurate rebuilding valuations
• Market challenge: Very few insurers cover thatched properties. Most decline or impose conditions that leave owners without practical cover

The core challenge: a small, restrictive market for a highly specific risk

1. Very limited insurer availability
   Owners approaching the standard market typically face outright declines or policies with exclusions so wide the cover is effectively meaningless.
2. Restrictions on wood burners and chimney height
   Many specialist insurers won’t cover the use of wood-burning stoves or open fires if the height of the chimney stack isn’t above 1.8m, but the team at Jensten Insurance Brokers (East) can do over 1m on most properties.
3. High minimum excesses
   Insurers frequently set minimum excesses of £1,000 or more. Many owners don’t realise that significantly lower excesses are achievable through a specialist broker.
4. Underinsurance risk
   Thatched homes, which need specialist materials and craftspeople to rebuild, a major claim on an underinsured policy could be devastating. A specialist team can help to advise on how to get an up-to-date valuation.
5. Unfamiliar policy conditions
   Thatched cover usually requires specific chimney sweeping criteria, regular electrical testing, and flue inspections. New owners can inadvertently void their cover by failing to meet them.

The solution: 30 years of specialist knowledge and active risk management

1. In-house claims handling from the John Albion team at Jensten Insurance Brokers (East), and specialist market access
   All claims are handled directly by the Jensten Insurance Brokers (East) team in Norwich, not outsourced, so clients speak to the same team who know their property and their policy. Policies are underwritten by Aviva, an A-rated insurer, with interest-free monthly payment terms available.

2. Wider acceptance of chimney heights
   The team has policies that accept wood-burning stoves and chimney stacks over a metre in height, subject to surveys. Depending on the age of the flue and its use, a CCTV inspection by Thatch Fire Prevention may be required every five years, at the homeowner’s cost.

3. Flexible excess options
   Excess levels from as low as £250, well below the £1,000 minimum many providers impose as standard.
4. Active risk management guidance
   Clients receive clear guidance on their maintenance obligations, including chimney sweeping, electrical testing, spark arrestor maintenance needs and flue inspections, helping reduce the risk of a disputed claim.
5. Accurate rebuilding valuations
   The team can advise on the right approach for an RICS-approved survey report, which can be necessary to make sure your property is not underinsured.

The outcome

Specialist thatch insurance through the John Albion team provides bespoke thatched property coverage that the standard market may not.

Specialist cover where others decline
For chimney use where the stack is less than 1.8m, but over 1m, listed buildings, second homes, and long-term rentals, often on terms unavailable elsewhere.

Lower excesses and fair pricing
With risk-based assessment, so clients pay for their actual circumstances and not broad assumptions.

A genuine long-term partnership
Retention rates for the John Albion team thatched property insurance exceed 90 per cent. Many clients have been with them for decades.

For owners of thatched and period homes in the UK, finding an insurer who truly understands what they own is rarely straightforward. Jensten Insurance Brokers (East)’s specialist thatched insurance scheme provides that specialist knowledge, together with the personal service these properties demand.