A new analysis lifts the lid on what era of property is the most expensive to insure, and which areas have the highest concentration of different era properties.
The analysis of Uswitch buildings insurance quotes revealed that period homes cost more to insure than post-1980 properties in every region of the UK.
The gap does vary by region; in the South West, properties built before 1919 cost almost 80% more to insure than modern homes. In this area, the median premium is £242.68 for a period property (pre-1919) compared to £134.84 for a modern one (post-1980), a difference of £107.84 (80%).
Scotland (66% uplift), London (61% uplift), the South East (52% uplift) and the East of England (51% uplift) all see period properties costing over 50% more to insure compared with modern homes. The North West has the smallest gap, with period homes costing 31% more to insure.
The median cost of building insurance for a pre-1919 home vs a post-1980 home, and the premium uplift
| Region | Median premium pre-1919 (£) | Median premium post-1980 (£) | Premium uplift (%) |
| South West | £242.68 | £134.84 | 79.98% |
| Scotland | £261.16 | £157.00 | 66.34% |
| London | £306.63 | £190.16 | 61.25% |
| South East | £254.67 | £167.48 | 52.06% |
| East of England | £245.18 | £161.95 | 51.39% |
| Wales | £215.36 | £146.29 | 47.21% |
| East Midlands | £201.48 | £140.22 | 43.69% |
| West Midlands | £183.89 | £132.52 | 38.76% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £196.75 | £143.56 | 37.05% |
| North East | £172.24 | £128.79 | 33.74% |
| North West | £178.39 | £136.64 | 30.55% |
Uswitch also found that nationally, it costs 3.3x as much to insure a Tudor/Stuart property (£503.75) as it does a modern (post-1980) property (£151.50), with the age pushing insurance premiums up.
Based on Uswitch quotes, Victorian properties are the UK’s most common period home, yet insuring one costs a median £224.36 a year, nearly £73 more than a modern (post-1980) home at £151.50.
Property age and median annual insurance premium
| Property build era | Median annual premium |
| Tudor & Stuart (1485–1714) | £503.75 |
| Georgian (1714–1830) | £389.56 |
| Edwardian (1901–1918) | £256.80 |
| Victorian (1830–1901) | £224.36 |
| Inter-war (1919–1939) | £214.41 |
| Post-war (1940–1960) | £180.13 |
| Late 20th century (1960–1980) | £175.84 |
| Modern (post-1980) | £151.50 |
It isn’t just age that drives up cost; specific features common in period homes carry their own premium.
Oil heating, found in many older properties without mains gas, brings the median annual premium to £287.04.
Homes within 200m of water cost, on average, £269.50 to insure, reflecting the greater flood risk.
Property features and median annual building insurance premium
| Feature | Median annual premium (buildings only) |
| Oil heating | £287.04 |
| Within 200m of water | £269.50 |
| Flat roof >30% | £244.50 |
| Solid fuel heating | £205.04 |
| Multi-fuel heating | £204.92 |
The research also mapped where period housing is most concentrated.
Wales and London are tied for the highest share of pre-1919 stock in the country, with almost 1 in 3 (29.6%) homes in each area falling into the period property category.
Pre-1919 property concentration by region
| Region | Pre-1919 (%) |
| Wales | 29.6% |
| London | 29.6% |
| North West | 23.3% |
| South West | 22.4% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 21.0% |
| North East | 18.5% |
| East Midlands | 17.7% |
| South East | 17.1% |
| West Midlands | 15.6% |
| East of England | 13.7% |
