Buildings insurance in Ireland: what it covers and how much you need
Buildings insurance can protect the structure of your home if it’s damaged or needs to be rebuilt. Here’s what it covers and how to work out the right level of cover.
At a glance Buildings insurance in Ireland
- Covers the structure: Buildings insurance protects the physical structure of your home, including walls, roof, floors and permanent fixtures.
- Often required by lenders: Buildings insurance is not usually a legal requirement, but mortgage lenders normally require suitable cover.
- Different from contents insurance: Buildings insurance covers the property itself, while contents insurance covers your belongings.
- Use rebuild cost, not market value: Your cover should be based on the cost of rebuilding your home, not what it could sell for.
- Check exclusions carefully: Cover varies by insurer, so check limits for flooding, subsidence, vacant periods, poor maintenance and accidental damage.
What is buildings insurance?
Buildings insurance is a type of home insurance that can cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home if it is damaged by an insured event.
It usually protects the physical structure of the property, including the walls, roof, floors, ceilings and permanent fixtures and fittings, such as fitted kitchens and bathrooms.
Buildings insurance is different from contents insurance, which covers your personal belongings inside the home.
Do you need buildings insurance in Ireland?
Buildings insurance is not usually a legal requirement in Ireland, but your mortgage lender will normally require it if you have a mortgage.
If you own your home outright, buildings insurance is optional, but going without it could leave you paying major repair or rebuild costs yourself.
If you are a landlord, you are usually responsible for insuring the structure of the rental property, while your tenants are responsible for insuring their own belongings.
If you rent your home, you usually do not need buildings insurance because this is normally your landlord’s responsibility. However, you may want tenant contents insurance to protect your own possessions.
Buildings insurance vs contents insurance
Buildings insurance and contents insurance protect different parts of your home. You can buy them separately or choose combined buildings and contents cover.
For the structure of your home
Buildings insurance
Buildings insurance protects the physical structure of your property and permanent fixtures and fittings.
- May cover walls, roof, floors and ceilings
- May cover fitted kitchens and bathrooms
- May cover garages, sheds and boundary walls
- Usually needed if you own your home
- Often required by mortgage lenders
For the belongings inside it
Contents insurance
Contents insurance protects the personal belongings you keep in your home.
- May cover furniture, appliances and clothes
- May cover jewellery, electronics and valuables
- May cover theft, fire and water damage
- Useful for homeowners and renters
- High-value items may need to be listed separately
What does buildings insurance cover?
Buildings insurance can cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding the structure of your home if it is damaged by an insured event.
The exact cover depends on your insurer and policy, but buildings insurance can usually include:
- Main structure: Covers the walls, roof, floors, ceilings and other structural parts of your home.
- Permanent fixtures and fittings: Covers fitted kitchens, bathrooms, built-in wardrobes, tiles and fitted flooring.
- Garages and outbuildings: May cover garages, sheds, conservatories and other permanent structures on your property.
- Boundary walls and gates: May cover boundary walls, fences, gates, patios, decking and driveways.
- Pipes, cables and drains: May cover underground pipes, cables and drains you are responsible for.
- Alternative accommodation: May cover somewhere else to stay if your home is unsafe to live in after an insured event.
Buildings insurance does not cover your personal belongings, such as furniture, clothes, jewellery or electronics. You’ll need contents insurance to protect these.
What does it protect against?
Most buildings insurance policies cover damage caused by specific insured events. These can include:
What does buildings insurance not usually cover?
Buildings insurance can protect your home from major damage, but it won’t cover every problem. Exclusions vary by insurer, so always check the policy documents before you buy.
Common exclusions can include:
If you’re planning renovations, leaving your home empty for a long period, or have had previous flood or subsidence issues, tell your insurer before you buy or renew your policy.
What extras can you add?
Some buildings insurance policies include extra cover as standard, while others let you add it for an additional cost. Before choosing a policy, check what’s included and whether you need extra protection.
Common buildings insurance extras can include:
How much buildings insurance do you need?
You should insure your home for the full cost of rebuilding it, not its market value.
The rebuild cost is the amount it would cost to rebuild your home from scratch if it was badly damaged or destroyed. This can include demolition, site clearance, materials, labour, professional fees and VAT.
Your rebuild cost may be very different from your home’s market value, which is based on what the property could sell for.
Some insurers may estimate your buildings cover based on the number of bedrooms, but this may not always reflect the true cost of rebuilding your home.
You can use the SCSI House Rebuild Calculator as a guide, or get professional advice if your home is older, unusual or high-spec.
The more accurate your rebuild estimate, the better. If you insure your home for more than the rebuild cost, you may pay more than you need to. If you insure it for too little, you could be underinsured and your claim may be reduced.
What is underinsurance?
Underinsurance is when your buildings cover is lower than the actual cost of rebuilding your home.
If your home is underinsured, your insurer may reduce the amount it pays if you make a claim. For example, if your home should be insured for €400,000 but is only insured for €300,000, you may only be covered for 75% of the true rebuild cost.
This could affect how much your insurer pays towards repairs, even if you are not claiming for the full rebuild cost.
You can reduce the risk of underinsurance by reviewing your buildings cover regularly, especially when:
What is the average clause?
Some buildings insurance policies include an average clause. This means that if your home is underinsured, your insurer may reduce your claim in proportion to the amount of cover you had.
For example, if your home was insured for 75% of its rebuild cost, your insurer may only pay 75% of an eligible claim.
Check your policy documents or ask your insurer whether an average clause applies.
How much does buildings insurance cost in Ireland?
Buildings insurance costs vary depending on your home, rebuild cost, location, claims history and the level of cover you choose.
Home insurance commonly costs around €400–€600 a year, although this usually refers to home insurance generally rather than buildings-only cover. Some quotes may be lower or higher depending on the property and policy details.
For example, buildings and contents quotes could range from €638 to €926 for a 4-bed detached house with a €375,000 rebuild cost and €37,000 contents cover.
A buildings-only policy may cost less than combined buildings and contents insurance, but the price can rise if your home has a high rebuild cost, previous claims, flood risk, subsidence risk or unusual features.
The best way to check the cost is to compare like-for-like quotes with the same rebuild cost, excess, exclusions and optional extras.
How to get buildings insurance
You can get buildings insurance by comparing home insurance providers, brokers or combined buildings and contents policies.
When getting a quote, you’ll usually need to provide details about your home, including:
- The type of property
- The year it was built
- The rebuild cost
- Its history, including previous subsidence or flooding
- The roof type
- The heating type
- How many smoke alarms are fitted
- Whether there is an alarm system and if it is monitored
Always give accurate information when applying for buildings insurance. If the details are wrong or incomplete, your policy could be affected and a future claim may be refused.
How to get cheaper buildings insurance
The cheapest buildings insurance policy may not give you the protection you need, so compare cover carefully before you buy.
You may be able to reduce the cost if you:
If you use the same provider for other types of insurance, such as car insurance or life insurance, you may be eligible for a multi-policy discount.
Some insurers may also offer discounts for homes with a high BER rating, but this varies by provider, so check the policy terms before you buy.
Find out more about contents insurance
Buildings insurance FAQs
Do I need buildings cover if I’m renting a property?
No, if you rent your home, the property owner or landlord is usually responsible for insuring the structure of the building.
You may still want contents insurance to cover your personal belongings, including any furniture or furnishings you own.
Does buildings insurance cover fitted kitchens?
Yes, fitted kitchens are usually treated as permanent fixtures and fittings, so they are normally covered by buildings insurance.
Freestanding appliances or furniture may need contents insurance instead.
Does buildings insurance cover flooring?
Fitted flooring may be covered under buildings insurance, while rugs and removable carpets may be treated as contents.
Check your policy documents if you are unsure how your insurer classifies flooring.
Do I need buildings insurance if I own an apartment?
The apartment block may be insured through a management company policy, usually paid through your service charge.
Check what the block policy covers and whether you need extra cover for your own fixtures, fittings or contents.
Does buildings insurance cover garden walls and fences?
Buildings insurance may cover boundary walls, gates, fences, patios, decking or outbuildings, but limits and exclusions can vary.
Check whether storm damage, poor maintenance or wear and tear exclusions apply.
Does buildings insurance cover leaks?
Buildings insurance may cover damage caused by escape of water, such as a burst pipe, but it may not always cover the cost of finding and fixing the source of the leak.
You may need trace and access cover for this, depending on the policy.
Do I need to tell my insurer about building work?
Yes, you should tell your insurer before starting renovations, extensions or structural work.
Building work can change the risk, and your insurer may need to update your policy or apply extra conditions while work is underway.
Protect your home with buildings insurance that can cover repair or rebuild costs if your property is damaged.
