Replacement cost for historic homes
How to set the dwelling limit on a historic home: replacement cost vs. market value, the 80% rule, functional replacement, extended replacement cost and appraisals.
Guides for owners of historic and older homes
Straight answers on insuring an old house, from rebuilding cost and code upgrades to old wiring, roofs and nonrenewals. Every guide lists its sources.
New here? Start with how historic home insurance works, then use the quote preparation checklist to organize questions and relevant guides.
Coverage basics
HO-8 policies for older homes
Understand HO-8 modified homeowners coverage and compare causes of loss, settlement terms, roof provisions and restoration priorities before accepting a policy.
Ordinance or law coverage
What ordinance or law coverage pays after a covered loss, why 10% is rarely enough for an old house, how much to carry, and a calculator to check your limit.
Flood insurance for historic homes
Compare NFIP and private flood insurance for a historic home. Review limits, basement coverage, waiting periods, lender needs and floodplain requirements.
Older home systems
How insurers judge an old house
Prepare an older-home insurance review with roof, wiring, plumbing and update records. Compare coverage terms and possible options after a nonrenewal.
Old wiring, plumbing and heating
Fuse boxes, Federal Pacific panels, aluminum wiring, galvanized and polybutylene pipes, oil tanks: how insurers view older home systems and which documents help.
Knob-and-tube wiring and insurance
Prepare for an insurance review of knob-and-tube wiring. Document active circuits, electrician reports, completed updates and any required repair deadlines.
Slate, tile and wood roofs
Insurance questions for slate, clay tile, wood and metal roofs: condition records, replacement cost, cash value, matching and preservation requirements.
Four-point inspections
Learn how a four-point insurance inspection covers the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems. Check report requirements and prepare your home's records.
Historic homes and designation
National Register homes and insurance
How National Register listing, local historic districts and preservation easements affect home insurance, repairs after a loss and what to tell your insurer.
Historic home styles
Victorian, Colonial, Craftsman, Tudor and mid-century homes: document original features, additions and materials for rebuilding estimates and insurance.
Hard-to-place homes
What to do after a nonrenewal
Got a nonrenewal notice on an older home? A step-by-step plan, your options (standard, specialty, surplus lines, FAIR Plan) and how to avoid a gap in coverage.
Planning and reference
Historic home insurance checklist
A checklist for insuring a historic or older home: system update dates, rebuilding details, designation papers, occupancy, history and coverage decisions.
Insurance during a renovation
Insurance for historic home renovations: telling your insurer, vacancy limits, builder's risk, contractor insurance, lead-safe rules and updating coverage after.
Materials and update records
Build a documented timeline of wiring, plumbing, roofing and renovation work. Separate known materials, partial updates and unanswered questions for insurance.
Reference
- Historic home insurance glossary, with plain-language definitions.
- States where we take quote inquiries, with questions about state requirements.
- Sources and references, every source we cite.
Tell us about your house
When it was built, what has been updated and when your current policy ends. Start with what you know. We can help identify the next questions.