Free £250 home excess cover, excluding claims for accidental loss or damage More info

Timber framed house insurance

Compare cheap insurance quotes for your timber-framed home

Get quotes

Insuring your timber-framed home

Timber frames used in modern, mainstream buildings doesn’t pose a problem, but finding home insurance for older or more unusual buildings can be a challenge.

That’s because insurers view them as a higher risk than other homes.

Despite how common timber-framed homes are in the UK, insurers still view them as being constructed from non-standard building materials.

Timber-framed buildings can be more vulnerable to flooding and fire too.

Because of these extra risks, you might find your choice of insurers limited and your premiums could be higher.

timber-framed buildings insurance

How to insure your timber-framed home

You can get quotes for your timber framed home in the same way you would any other type of house.

You’ll need to tell us a bit about your home, including what materials it’s made of.

You need to be accurate and honest about the construction of your home because if you get it wrong and need to claim in the future, you could invalidate your policy.

If your home is built from a timber frame with plaster panels, you'll have fewer insurers to choose from, which can push up the cost of your cover.

That’s because plaster panels include traditional wattle-and-daub buildings that are hundreds of years old.

And if you live in one of these houses, it might also be a listed building or have a thatched roof - two other things that can be more difficult or costly to find insurance for.

Specialist insurers are more knowledgeable about the risks involved, so you might find you get a better deal with them than with standard home insurance providers.

“It’s always important to check the wording of your policy to make sure your home’s protected in the way you think”
Ceri McMillan, home insurance expert

Insurance risks for timber-frame homes

There are a few risks that can make your timber-framed home insurance more expensive, so make sure you have the right cover on your policy.

Timber-framed houses with little or no foundations

Timber framed buildings are constructed from lightweight materials, so some have been built with little or no foundation.

If your home doesn’t have a foundation, your insurer might refuse to cover you against landslip, heave and subsidence.

Make sure you know what’s in the ground beneath your house and be honest about it with your insurer. The survey from when you built the house should tell you if there are issues with the foundations, or you could commission a report from a surveyor.

Telling your insurer the wrong information could invalidate your cover.

Cover for flood damage to timber frames

Flooding is more of an issue for timber-frame buildings than standard homes because the timber frame can suffer more damage from water than brickwork would.

This additional risk can make your insurance more expensive, as well as making it harder to find cover.

Free £250 home excess cover, only with GoCompare^

If you need to claim on your home insurance - for example, if your building is damaged by subsidence or your possessions are stolen - your free home excess cover will refund up to £250 of your excess.

There’s no hidden charge. But you won't be covered for things like accidental loss such as leaving a laptop on a train or accidental damage, such as spilling wine on your carpet or drilling through a pipe.

Get a quote

^UK residents and home insurance purchases only. Excess refunded after claim settled. Excludes accidental loss or damage claims made on your home insurance. Full T&Cs apply.

gio compario home insurance free £250 excess cover

Building your own timber-framed home

Timber-framed homes are sustainable to produce and easy to construct.

Timber itself is accessible, affordable and can last for many years when it’s maintained.

A home built with timber as the main construction material will also have excellent insulation potential, meaning heating your home could be cheaper.

If you’re building your own timber-frame home, get your home insurer involved as soon as possible.

If that’s at the design stage, they’ll know what materials are being used and what systems are being installed to prevent fire, like smoke detectors and fire alarms.

Getting advice from insurers early on will make the process simple and will help make sure you don’t have problems finding insurance once your home’s finished.

Insuring a log cabin

You’ll have to get insurance for your log cabin from a specialist provider, as standard insurers won’t view it as a permanent structure.

If your log cabin is also a holiday home, you’ll need to find an insurer who can offer you the right cover while it’s not in use.

You’ll have to let your insurer know details like how old your property is as well as information about the foundations and the roof.

You can get cover whether your log cabin is your permanent home or on a holiday site.

You’ll also be able to have access to things like emergency helplines and a 24/7 claims hotline.

Home insurance guides and tools