Roofs and roof coverings
How to compare insurance for a house under construction
Insurance for a house under construction should reflect the stage the work has reached. An open structure faces different risks from a building with a finished roof, windows and services. Compare premiums alongside the scope of cover, sum insured and exclusions. Ask whether the policy covers materials, weather damage and liability to third parties. A low premium can leave costly gaps. As work progresses, deliveries, completed work and newly installed equipment increase the value on site. Check that the insurer’s definition of a house under construction covers the building as it stands. Insurance intended for an occupied home may exclude an open shell without windows or completed services.
In this guide
Why does the stage of construction matter?
Tell the insurer how the work is being carried out and what stage it has reached. Agree when cover for the completed building should take over. Ask whether a prolonged break in construction affects the insurer’s obligations. Keep the information supplied at the start up to date as the project progresses.
How do you establish the sum insured?
Base the sum insured on the valuation method in the contract. Check whether it uses rebuilding cost, current value or another basis. An insufficient sum can limit the payout. Allow for labour, services and completed roofing work alongside the cost of wall materials when valuing the project.
Update the estimate at major milestones. Deliveries of sandwich panels, metal roof tiles or insulation increase the value of property on site. Some materials may be subject to a separate cover limit. Ask how the policy treats installed components, materials in storage and items belonging to the contractor. The settlement terms may differ in each case.
What do the terms say about wind and water damage?
Read the definitions of insured events, the cover and the exclusions. Water damage, flooding, torrential rain and water entering through an unfinished roof may all be treated differently. Check each scenario against the wording. Also check your duties for protecting openings, materials and the structure during breaks in work.
For a roof of T18 or T35 trapezoidal steel sheets or sandwich panels, choose the product for the design loads and install the supports as specified. Sheets laid temporarily do not yet form a finished roof covering. Agree weather protection for the site with the contractor regardless of whether the policy covers the particular risk.
When are materials and tools covered against theft?
Theft cover may depend on whether the building can be locked, which security measures are in place and how property is stored. Check the definition of the insured event. Burglary involving a break-in and theft from an open site may be treated differently. Storage conditions can matter as much as the maximum payout.
Schedule roofing deliveries as close as practicable to installation. Protect stored materials against weather, damage and unauthorised access. Store PIR boards according to their instructions and keep bundles of sheet metal out of standing water. Retain purchase records, delivery lists and photographs of the storage area.
What should you check about the contractor’s liability cover?
The building insurance and the contractor’s liability insurance serve different purposes. Ask whether the contractor has current cover for the work to be undertaken. Whether either policy covers a loss on site depends on the event and the contract terms.
Set out in the construction contract who must secure the site and protect materials and work in progress against the weather. Agree how damage will be reported and recorded. When several trades are involved, document the handover of each work area. If the next contractor scratches newly installed sheet metal, record when it happened and the extent of the damage.
How do you compare the premium with the cover provided?
Compare quotations on the same sum insured and a similar scope of cover. Check excesses, limits, waiting periods and security requirements. Premiums depend in part on the location, project value and risks selected. A generic figure for insuring a house under construction says little until these details are known.
Before signing, ask what happens if part of the roof covering is torn off, how the insurer would value a delivery stored on site and what evidence you would need. Ask for answers that refer to the policy wording. Keep the quotation, contract terms and correspondence clarifying the cover. After a loss, records of the site’s condition before the event can be valuable. Build up that record during construction alongside the required technical documents and your accounts with contractors.