What is specialist home insurance?

Written by Mehdi Punjwani

5 min read

Updated: 16 Jun 2025

In this guide / article

Key takeaways

Specialist home insurance policies offer tailored cover for properties, risks and circumstances that are not included in standard home insurance
You might need it if your property is a particular risk for damage, if it’s of unusual construction, or if your home and/or its contents are of especially high value
If you have a history of claims, convictions or bankruptcy, travel frequently or use your home for business, you might also need specialist insurance

What is specialist home insurance?

Specialist home insurance refers to multiple types of home insurance policies you might need if your home, contents, or circumstances aren’t what insurers would call conventional.

It usually means your risk profile is a little higher than usual, and as such standard insurance providers are usually less willing to offer cover.

This can be for plenty of reasons, ranging from the nature of your property and its location, to the type of contents you have and even your own personal circumstances and financial history.

Find out more with our guide to non-standard home insurance.

What types of property require specialist home insurance?

You’ll often find that specialist buildings cover is required to cover the following types of properties:

Non-standard construction, which usually refers to homes that aren’t build from brick or stone walls and slate, tile or flat roofs
Thatched roofs, which are a higher fire risk and also require specialist repairs that can be costly
Listed buildings, often due to their architectural or historical significance, unique features and high cost of replacing or repairing period-specific materials
Homes in flood risk areas and those with a history of subsidence or heave, which present a higher claim risk due to their history
High-net worth and high value homes that are worth significant sums of money will often require specialist cover, while expensive and high-value personal possessions such as collectibles and jewellery will also require specialist contents cover

When would my circumstances requires specialist home insurance?

You might find that getting standard home insurance can be difficult in certain circumstances, so you’ll likely need to look for specialist cover if:

You run a business from your home, or use it as a bed and breakfast/guesthouse
You let rooms out to tenants - you’ll need to look for landlord insurance
You leave your property unoccupied for more than 30 days at a time - you’ll need unoccupied home insurance
Your home is used as a holiday home, in which case you can take out holiday home insurance or second home insurance
You have a history of adverse home insurance claims, refused claims or cancelled policies
You have a history of bankruptcy or criminal convictions
You have a high risk job

How will I know if I need a specialist home insurance policy?

You’ll find out if you need specialist cover when you look for home insurance. Insurers and price comparison websites like MoneySuperMarket will ask you questions about yourself and your property before showing you quotes. If your answers means you won't be eligible for standard insurance, we'll let you know.

You may also become aware that your home that will require you to take out specialist insurance when you apply for a mortgage or have a home valuation.

Is specialist home insurance more expensive?

Yes. If you need specialist insurance it’s likely because insurers consider you to present a higher claim risk. As such, you can generally expect to pay more for cover.

You should be up-front and honest with your insurer about any potential risks on your policy, even if it means your premiums are a little higher. If you're not then any insurance claim you make is likely to be refused and your policy can be voided. Having had your home insurance invalidated can make cover even more expensive in the future.