Sixty-four per cent of UK homeowners begin a renovation without checking their home insurance policy first. That’s nearly two in three. For a household spending £15,000 on a new kitchen extension or loft conversion, it means the existing structure, the new work, the materials stacked in the garden, and the builder’s liability could all sit outside any cover. One roof leak, one theft of copper piping, one injury to a subcontractor, and the bill lands entirely on the homeowner.
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The gap between what people assume their insurance covers and what it actually covers during a renovation is wide. Most standard home policies are written for a finished, occupied property. Once you start knocking through walls, leaving the house empty for weeks, or storing £5,000 worth of materials in an unlocked garage, the risk profile changes — and the policy often changes with it, sometimes without the owner realising until a claim is rejected. Whether you’re updating a single bathroom or taking out a load-bearing wall, the difference between a claim being paid and being voided comes down to a few straightforward steps that most people skip. Here’s what you actually need to know.
Check your existing policy before you book a contractor. The difference between buildings and contents cover matters more during a renovation than at any other time, because the work can affect both.
Four Things to Know Before You Start
Most renovation insurance problems start with the same assumption: “My home insurance will cover it.” The research from Lloyd Whyte suggests otherwise. The 64% who don’t check and the 55% who don’t inform their insurer are essentially self-insuring by accident. The core issue is that a renovation changes the property’s risk profile in ways a standard policy was never designed to handle — increased fire risk from hot works, theft of materials, liability for site injuries, and long periods of vacancy.
Understanding the terminology your insurer uses — like “FLEA” and “unoccupancy” — is half the battle. The key insurance terms that apply to a standard policy often change meaning once renovation work begins. What I tend to notice is that people focus on the cost of the renovation and not on the cost of the gap in cover that the renovation creates.
When Standard Cover Stops — The Numbers That Matter
The single most important figure in any renovation insurance decision is the vacancy threshold. Most standard home insurance policies define a property as “unoccupied” after 30 or 60 consecutive days, depending on the insurer. Once that clock runs out, cover drops to FLEA only — fire, lightning, explosion, and aircraft. Theft, storm damage, escape of water, and public liability all fall away. For a renovation project that takes eight weeks, that means the property is exposed for at least two weeks if the policy has a 30-day limit, and potentially longer if materials are left on site.
Specialist renovation insurance fills the gap. It covers the existing structure, the new works, materials on-site, unfixed materials stored off-site, and public liability for third-party injury or property damage. The table below shows how the two types of cover compare across the main risk areas.
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| Risk Area | Standard Home Insurance | Specialist Renovation Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Existing structure (walls, roof, floors) | Covered, but may be reassessed once work starts | Covered with declared rebuild value |
| New works and contract value | Not covered — excludes work in progress | Covered up to declared contract value |
| Materials stored on-site | Limited or excluded once building work begins | Covered for theft, vandalism, weather |
| Vacancy period (over 30–60 days) | Drops to FLEA only | Covered with vacancy extension |
| Public liability (injury to third parties) | Not covered for renovation-related risks | Covered including site hazards |
What this means in practice: for a £20,000 loft conversion that takes 10 weeks, the standard policy would leave the property underinsured for the entire period the house is empty and the work is in progress. The cost of adding a specialist renovation policy is typically a fraction of the contract value — often a few hundred pounds — and covers the gap that could otherwise become a total loss.
Checking your policy’s vacancy clause before you start is the single most cost-effective step you can take. If you’re unsure about your current rebuild valuation, the underinsurance trap is especially dangerous during a renovation, because the rebuild cost rises with the new work.
Where the Gaps Open Up
The research points to specific, repeatable mistakes that cost homeowners thousands. Each one has a mechanical explanation and a practical fix.
Not telling the insurer about structural work
Fifty-five per cent of homeowners do not inform their insurer that renovation work has started. For cosmetic changes — repainting, new carpets, replacing kitchen cabinet doors — notification is rarely required. But the moment you open up a wall, change the roof structure, or add an extension, the risk profile changes. Insurers routinely include a clause that requires notification for work above a certain value. If you don’t disclose it, the policy can be voided from the date the work began. A claim for a fire caused by hot works, submitted six weeks into a project the insurer knew nothing about, will be rejected. The fix is straightforward: ring your insurer or broker before work starts, tell them the scope and duration, and ask whether your existing policy covers it or whether you need a renovation add-on. If your insurer says no, a specialist broker can source a dedicated renovation policy within a few days.
Assuming the builder’s insurance covers you
A common misunderstanding is that the builder’s public liability insurance protects the homeowner. It does not. The builder’s policy covers their legal liability for injury or damage they cause to third parties. It does not cover the property itself, the materials you bought, or the work in progress if it is damaged by weather, theft, or a fire that starts accidentally. If the builder goes out of business during the project, their insurance ends immediately, leaving you with no recourse. The fix is to ask for a copy of the builder’s public liability and employers’ liability certificates before work starts, and to check that the policy is still in force on the day work begins. But even then, you need your own cover for the building and the materials.
Underestimating the vacancy period
A kitchen renovation that takes six weeks might not trigger a vacancy clause. A loft conversion or extension that takes 12 weeks almost certainly will. The 43% of landlords who reported a void period in early 2026 faced this issue directly. Once the property is empty beyond the policy’s vacancy limit, standard cover drops to FLEA. Theft of tools and materials, water damage from a burst pipe while the house is empty, or storm damage to an exposed roof section — all become uninsured. The fix is to check the vacancy clause in your policy wording before you move out, and to buy a vacancy extension or switch to a specialist renovation policy that covers the full duration of the project.
Treating structural work like cosmetic work
Cosmetic updates — painting, new flooring, replacing fixtures — are considered maintenance and rarely need notification. Structural work — removing a load-bearing wall, adding a dormer, changing the roof, extending the footprint — is a different category entirely. The research from Just Quote Me makes a clear distinction: structural work requires specialist insurance. The practical test is simple: if you need building regulations approval or planning permission, your insurer needs to know. If the work involves a structural engineer, the risk profile has changed. The fix is to treat any work that requires a professional tradesperson or a local authority approval as a trigger for a phone call to your insurer.
How to Match Your Cover to the Work
Getting the insurance right for a renovation is a process with a clear sequence. The steps below cover the full cycle from planning to completion.
- 1Assess the scope before you buy anythingDecide whether the work is cosmetic (maintenance — no notification needed) or structural (load-bearing walls, roof, extensions, new windows — requires insurer notification). If you need planning permission or building regulations approval, the work is structural.
- 2Contact your insurer before work startsCall your insurer or broker and tell them: the start and end dates, the total contract value, whether you will stay in the property or move out, and the contractor’s public liability insurance details. Ask explicitly whether your existing policy covers the work or whether you need a renovation endorsement.
- 3Get specialist renovation cover if neededIf your insurer says no to structural work, or if the project will leave the property empty beyond the vacancy threshold, buy a dedicated renovation insurance policy. This covers the existing structure, the new works, materials on and off site, and public liability for the duration of the project.
- 4Update your policy after completionOnce the work is finished, notify your insurer of the changes: the new room count, any increase in rebuild value, and any new security features. Update your buildings insurance to reflect the higher rebuild cost. If you added a conservatory, extension, or loft conversion, the premium will change.
What specialist renovation insurance actually covers
A specialist renovation policy — sometimes called a “renovation and refurbishment” or “self-build” policy — bundles several covers that standard home insurance excludes during construction. It covers the existing structure against the same perils as a standard policy, plus the contract value of the new works, materials on-site (including unfixed items like bricks, timber, and windows), materials stored off-site (at a supplier or storage unit), public liability for injury to visitors, neighbours, or passers-by, and employers’ liability if you are managing the project yourself and hiring subcontractors. The policy runs for the duration of the project and ends when the building is finished and reoccupied. Pricing is based on the contract value and the rebuild cost, not on the market value of the property.
2026 and beyond: EPC and environmental compliance
From 2026, changes to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirements will affect renovation projects, particularly for rental properties. Specialist renovation insurance policies are beginning to offer cover for environmental compliance — including the cost of meeting new EPC standards if the property is damaged and needs to be rebuilt to a higher efficiency level. This is still an emerging area, but if you are renovating a property that will be rented out, it is worth asking your broker whether the policy includes any provision for post-damage compliance costs. The cost of upgrading a property to a higher EPC band after an insured event can be substantial, and standard policies typically do not cover it.
Planning permission and building regulations
Insurers will check that the necessary planning permission and building regulations approval are in place before they pay out on a renovation claim. Unauthorised work — even if it was completed by a previous owner — can void a policy. If you are taking on a renovation project that involves structural changes, make sure the approvals are in place before you start. If you are unsure about the legal status of existing work on the property, it is worth speaking to a property lawyer who can review the documentation and flag any issues before they become a claim problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it always necessary to tell my insurer about a renovation? ▾
What happens if I don’t tell my insurer and there’s a fire? ▾
Does my builder’s insurance cover damage to my property? ▾
Can I get renovation insurance if I’m doing the work myself? ▾
What is FLEA cover and when does it apply? ▾
How much does specialist renovation insurance cost? ▾
The Cost of Not Checking
The research is clear: the majority of UK homeowners are one renovation away from an uninsured loss, not because they made a bad decision, but because they never checked what their policy covered. The 64% who don’t check and the 55% who don’t inform are not taking a calculated risk — they are operating on an assumption that the research shows is unsupported by policy wording. A single phone call to an insurer before work starts, or a short conversation with a specialist broker, can close the gap completely. The cost of a specialist renovation policy is small compared with the cost of
