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The exterior of a typical Tudor house in Rye, England including a white facade with wood trim, a window, and a sloped roof. Image has copy space.

SPECIALIST COVER FOR HOMES BUILT WITH CHARACTER

Period Property Insurance

Norton Insurance Brokers arranges specialist period property insurance for owners of Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and pre-1900 homes across the UK. Period properties bring unique insurance challenges, from higher rebuild costs and traditional construction materials to features that simply cannot be replaced with modern equivalents. Our in-house underwriting team and panel of specialist insurers understand these properties in a way that comparison sites do not, and we arrange cover that accurately reflects the character, construction, and true reinstatement cost of your home.

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Christine Heron

23 May 2026

We have used Norton for our house insurance for many years ... always helpful and competitive

Joanna Soden

26 May 2026

All our dealings with Norton insurance, our multi car policies, has always been great. Renewing our home insurance has been just the same, professional, smooth and stress free! Thank you.

ivan lambert

21 May 2026

Henry Larkin

28 May 2026

Reece Hill, the agent who handles my account came back to me when he said he would and was very helpful and patently talked me though the whole proses. H Larkin

Speak to a period property insurance specialist

Send us a message and a member of our home insurance team will be in touch to discuss your period property insurance requirements and arrange a tailored quote.

Period properties we can arrange cover for

Norton can arrange specialist insurance for a wide range of period and heritage properties, including homes that standard comparison sites cannot accommodate.

Georgian (1714–1830): Symmetrical facades, sash windows, solid brick or stone construction, and original cornicing, all requiring careful matching in any repair or reinstatement.

Regency (1811–1830): Stucco fronts, curved bays, and decorative ironwork that require specialist trades not accounted for in standard rebuild calculators.

Victorian (1837–1901): The most common period property type in the UK — but many, particularly pre-1880 stock, still require a specialist approach to insure correctly.

Edwardian (1901–1910): Stained glass, decorative timber framing, and clay roof tiles that add complexity to any rebuild or repair.

Pre-1800 and early 19th century: Properties of this age — particularly stone, cob, or vernacular construction, are declined by many mainstream insurers. Our specialist panel can place cover for pre-1900 stock, including homes previously declined elsewhere.

Stone cottages, farmhouses and rural period properties: Solid stone walls, slate roofs, timber or cob structures, and integral outbuildings, all requiring individual assessment and a reinstatement value that reflects the full picture.

What period property insurance may include

Every policy arranged by Norton is tailored to the individual property and client. Cover may include:

Buildings insurance at an accurate reinstatement value — calculated to reflect the cost of rebuilding using period-appropriate materials and specialist trades, not a generic modern rebuild rate
Contents insurance including antiques, period furniture, art, and specialist items commonly found in older homes
Accidental damage cover for the fabric of the building and its contents
Alternative accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable following an insured event
Property owners’ liability cover
Outbuildings and boundary features including period walls, gates, and historic structures within the curtilage of the property
Home emergency cover and family legal protection as optional extensions
High-value and specialist contents cover for items that may exceed standard sum insureds — discussed personally with your client manager

Cover options and availability are subject to individual property assessment. Your personal client manager will review your exact circumstances before any recommendation is made.

Talk to the team

Why owners of period properties choose Norton

Getting the reinstatement value right: The most common and most costly mistake in period property insurance is underinsurance. A standard rebuild cost calculator will estimate rebuilding your home as if it were a modern property, using modern materials, modern labour rates, and modern construction methods. For a period property, this figure can be significantly lower than the actual cost of a like-for-like reinstatement. Our in-house underwriting team reviews your property individually and works with specialist insurers to establish a reinstatement value that properly reflects its age, construction, and heritage features.

Access to specialist insurer ( including for pre-1900 stock ): Many mainstream insurers and comparison site panels decline to offer terms for properties built before a certain date, particularly pre-1850 or pre-1900 stock. Our specialist insurer panel includes providers who are experienced in older property risk and who can offer terms where others cannot. If your home has been declined by other insurers or comparison sites, we would encourage you to speak to our team before concluding that cover is unavailable.

A dedicated personal client manager: Every Norton client has a dedicated personal client manager, a single point of contact who knows your property, your policy, and your history. For period property owners, this continuity matters: when you need to review your reinstatement value, discuss a claim, or add cover for a new acquisition, you speak to someone who already understands your home.

We work with insurers known for their claims handling: Period property claims can be complex. Materials need to be sourced, tradespeople need to be qualified, and the reinstatement needs to meet the character of the original building. We work only with insurers known for their approach to these situations, not just for how they price the policy, but for how they handle a claim when it matters.

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Period property insurance FAQs

Is period property insurance more expensive than standard home insurance?

Period property insurance may cost more than a standard home insurance policy, primarily because the reinstatement costs for a period home are higher. Sourcing period-appropriate materials, finding skilled craftspeople, and restoring heritage features authentically is more expensive than modern construction. However, a policy arranged by a specialist broker may be more accurately priced than a standard policy adapted for a period property, and considerably more likely to provide adequate cover at claim time.

Can I insure a home built in the 1800s?

Yes, though many mainstream insurers and comparison sites decline to offer terms for pre-1900 properties, particularly those with traditional or non-standard construction. Norton’s specialist insurer panel includes providers who are experienced in covering older property stock, including homes built in the 18th and 19th centuries. If your home has been declined elsewhere, we would encourage you to speak to our team.

My period property is not listed, do I still need specialist insurance?

Yes. Listing status is separate from the age and construction of your home. Many period properties, including Victorian terraces, Georgian townhouses, and rural stone cottages — are not listed but still have features and materials that make them unsuitable for a standard home insurance policy. A specialist period property broker can arrange cover that properly reflects your home regardless of its listing status.

How do I calculate the correct rebuild cost for a period property?

Establishing an accurate reinstatement value for a period property is one of the most important, and most commonly mishandled, aspects of period home insurance. A rebuild cost should reflect the full cost of demolishing and reconstructing your home to its original specification using period-appropriate materials and skilled labour, not a modern equivalent. We recommend commissioning a professional reinstatement cost assessment from a qualified surveyor. Our in-house underwriting team can also discuss your property’s characteristics as part of the quotation process to ensure the sum insured is appropriate.

What period features are most likely to affect my insurance?

Features that typically affect the cost and complexity of period property insurance include: original timber sash windows, lime plaster or ornate plasterwork, solid stone or brick construction, clay or slate roof tiles, decorative brickwork or stonework, original fireplaces and chimneys, stained glass, and outbuildings or boundary walls of period construction. These features are more expensive to repair or replace authentically than modern equivalents, and should be disclosed when arranging cover.

Can I get period property insurance if my home has had subsidence?

Subsidence can affect the availability and cost of cover for any property, and is worth discussing openly with a specialist broker. Norton works with insurers experienced in non-standard risk profiles and can discuss your options in detail. Speak to your personal client manager about your specific circumstances.

Contact us

Send us a message below to get in touch. We aim to respond to all queries sent before 5pm the same working day in the week, and the next working day if you message us in the evening or at the weekend.