60-second summary
Just want the essentials? Here’s your quick guide to how external walls affect your buildings insurance:
Why external walls matter: Insurance providers consider your wall materials when calculating premiums. Non-standard materials often carry higher risks, making them more expensive to insure.
Examples of non-standard materials: Materials like timber, cob, flint, metal cladding, or straw bale are classed as non-standard. These materials can be harder to repair, more flammable, or less durable than brick or stone.
Be honest with insurers: Giving inaccurate information about your wall materials could invalidate your policy, leaving you unprotected in case of damage or destruction.
How will my external walls affect my buildings insurance?
If your home is damaged or, worse, destroyed by fire, flood or even subsidence, buildings insurance could cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home. So your insurance provider needs to consider what your home is built from when it’s calculating that cost. Some materials are more susceptible to damage by fire or water than others too, which is an important factor.
Your external walls are any that face the outside. Protecting you from the elements and holding the structure of your home, outside walls typically have a more solid construction than internal walls.
Standard properties for insurance purposes have brick or stone walls, topped by a roof of tiles or slate. If your home is built from ‘non-standard’ materials (such as a timber frame, prefab housing or a thatched roof) you’ll likely pay more for your buildings insurance. Depending on the materials used, you may even need a specialist provider.
What are walls made of?
Your internal and external wall construction materials can vary. External wall materials can include brick, stone or concrete, or something less conventional – like glass, timber or metal, or even rammed earth or straw bales.
How do different materials affect my buildings insurance premiums?
Homes made of standard red bricks should be reasonably cheap to insure. They’re hardwearing and clay is in plentiful supply.
Specific types of stone, like flint or granite, are also hardwearing but, unlike standard bricks, could be expensive to source and replace (especially if yours is an old property that must be rebuilt in a certain way).
Insurance providers typically class the following wall materials as non-standard:
Concrete: often used in modernist or brutalist architecture, concrete can be prone to cracking and may require specialist repair techniques.
Timber walls, timber frames, log cabins: common in eco-friendly homes or rural settings, timber is a renewable resource but poses a higher fire risk.
Glass and fibreglass: typically found in contemporary designs or extensions, these materials offer a sleek look but can be costly to replace.
Cob: used in traditional or historic homes, cob is a natural building material made from subsoil, water and organic fibres, requiring specialist knowledge for repairs.
Wattle and daub: found in medieval or Tudor-style properties, this material is a composite of wooden strips and a sticky material like soil or clay, needing expert restoration.
Straw bale: often used in sustainable building projects, straw bale offers excellent insulation but may not be as durable as conventional materials.
Metal cladding: popular in industrial-style homes, metal cladding provides a modern aesthetic but can be susceptible to rust and corrosion.
Corrugated iron: a cost-effective material that is resistant to extreme weather conditions.
Flint: common in certain areas like Norfolk, flint is durable but also hard to bond together. This means if walls aren’t well maintained, rainy weather could weaken the structure.
Even if these materials seem pretty conventional to you, the added risks they pose could make your home more expensive to insure.
How do I know what my walls are made from?
In most cases, you should be able to tell what your external walls are made of by looking at them. If you aren’t sure, the home buyers report or building survey you commissioned when you bought your property should tell you.
What happens if I don’t tell my insurance provider exactly what my external walls are made from?
If you give inaccurate information when you take out home insurance, you risk invalidating your policy. This could be devastating if your home were to be seriously damaged in a fire or flood.
Different insurance providers will have their own ideas about what constitutes an ‘unconventional’ or ‘non-standard’ material, so shop around. And make sure you’re as honest and accurate as possible when it comes to getting a quote.
How do I make sure my buildings insurance covers my needs?
Compare home insurance with us and we’ll ask you a few simple questions about your home – including what the outside walls are made from
.If you’re not sure how much it would cost to rebuild your home, we’ll even help you with this when you get a quote.
We’ll then give you a selection of quotes from a variety of insurance providers, leaving you to simply compare and choose.
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FAQs
Does home insurance cover cracked render?
Home insurance policies can include accidental damage as an add-on (which means you must pay a bit extra), but they may not cover wear and tear or maintenance issues, which cracked render could be classified as.
Cracked render on your home's exterior walls can be a concern, as it may lead to further damage if not addressed.
If in doubt, check your policy wording to understand what’s covered or contact your insurance provider.
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As well as writing for Churchill and Privilege insurance websites, Karen’s CV includes working with M&S, Debenhams, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis. With over 20 years of editorial experience for big household names she leads a talented content team with a focus on simplifying personal finance for everybody.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
Amy helps make sure you get the best value when choosing insurance. Thanks to more than four years’ experience at Compare the Market, she understands what people look for, working closely with insurance providers to offer you deals and services that are fair, easy to understand and right for your needs.
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