Insuring a thatched property is more involved than insuring a standard house, but it is not as complicated or as expensive as many people assume. The key is knowing what insurers want to see, having your paperwork in order, and using a specialist who understands thatched buildings. This guide covers the main things you need to know.
Use a Specialist Insurer
Standard home insurers often decline thatched properties or quote unrealistically high premiums because they lack the experience to assess them accurately. You will get a better result — both on price and on the quality of cover — by going directly to an insurer who specialises in this type of property.
Well-regarded specialist insurers for thatched properties in the UK include:
- NFU Mutual — widely used for rural and agricultural properties; experienced with thatch
- Ecclesiastical — specialist heritage and listed building insurer; strong on older properties
- Towergate — broad specialist insurance broker with a specific thatched property product
- Alan Boswell Group — rural insurer with good thatched property experience
- Home & Legacy — high-net-worth insurer that handles complex rural properties well
It is worth getting quotes from at least two of these. Premiums can vary considerably for the same property.
What Information Insurers Will Ask For
Before approaching an insurer, gather the following:
- When the roof was last re-thatched or re-ridged, and by whom
- What material the thatch is made from — water reed, long straw or combed wheat reed. If you do not know, a visit from a thatcher will confirm it
- Whether the property is listed, and at what grade
- Details of fire safety measures in place (see below)
- The rebuild cost of the property — this is not the market value but the cost to rebuild from scratch, including clearing the site and rebuilding to the same specification with traditional materials. For a thatched listed building this can be substantially higher than the market value
If you do not know the rebuild cost, a RICS-accredited surveyor can provide a reinstatement cost assessment. Getting this figure wrong — usually underestimating it — is one of the most common and costly mistakes thatched property owners make.
Fire Safety: What Insurers Look For
Fire is the primary risk that specialist insurers assess. A well-maintained thatched property with proper fire precautions is insurable at reasonable rates. What insurers typically want to see:
- Working smoke alarms on every floor, including the roof space
- A spark arrestor on every chimney — a mesh fitted over the chimney pot to prevent burning material from landing on the thatch. These are inexpensive and many insurers require them as a condition of cover
- Chimney swept regularly — annually for open fires and solid fuel stoves, at minimum. Keep records of when this was done
- No open fires or woodburners added without building regulations sign-off — adding a stove to a thatched property without proper approval can invalidate your policy
Some insurers will also ask whether a fire retardant treatment has been applied to the underside of the thatch. This is not required by most insurers but can reduce premiums with some providers.
How the Thatching Material Affects Your Premium
Water reed is generally viewed more favourably than long straw or combed wheat reed by insurers, as it tends to be denser and slightly less permeable. However, the difference in premium is usually modest, and switching material purely for insurance reasons is rarely worthwhile — particularly if you have a listed building where the planning authority specifies the material.
What matters more to insurers than the specific material is the condition of the roof and how recently it was last worked on. A freshly re-thatched roof in good condition will attract better rates than an ageing one regardless of material.
Maintenance Records Matter
Keeping a record of all work done on your thatched roof — who did it, what was done, and when — is genuinely useful when it comes to insurance. It demonstrates that the property is being looked after and can support your case when renewing a policy or making a claim.
If you have had work done in the past but do not have documentation, ask your thatcher to provide a brief written record of any work carried out. Most are happy to do so.
Listed Buildings: Extra Considerations
If your property is listed, make sure your insurer is aware and that your policy specifically covers listed building reinstatement. Standard policies often exclude or undervalue the additional cost of rebuilding a listed structure using traditional materials and methods — which in the case of a thatched Grade II listed cottage can add considerably to the rebuild cost.
Wiltshire has a very high concentration of listed thatched properties. If you own one, it is worth checking your current policy carefully. Stuart has extensive experience working on listed buildings and can advise on material and planning requirements — see the listed buildings service page for more detail.