Coach House Insurance: What You Need To Know

Coach house insurance is a niche type of insurance policy tailored to include freehold and leasehold garages underneath a residential coach house property. Coach houses are typically residential spaces situated directly above a car garage or carport, with the owner usually also the freeholder for the entire building. As standard buildings and contents insurance policies do not allow for leasehold garages, a specialist insurance policy is required to cover the unique risks of a coach house. This includes the need to protect your liabilities to the leaseholders of the garages. Coach house insurance is not typically more expensive than standard home insurance.

Coach houses are a unique property type requiring specialist insurance

Coach houses are a unique property type that often requires specialist insurance. This is because they are typically considered a 'non-standard constructed home'.

A coach house is a residential space situated directly above a car garage or carport. They were originally designed to allow for horse carriages to be parked underneath but are now a popular living space, often rented out by landlords. The owner of the home is usually the freeholder for the entire building, including the garages underneath, which may be leased out to neighbours.

Due to this unique setup, standard buildings and contents insurance policies do not usually cover coach houses. This is a problem as, in the event of a claim, the insurer would simply refuse to pay out. This is because the policy would refer to the building as a 'flat', for example, and the insurer would argue that the true type of property had not been disclosed.

Therefore, it is crucial to seek out a specialist insurer that regularly deals with coach houses. This way, you can be sure that your liabilities as the owner are fully covered. Coach house insurance typically includes buildings insurance, contents insurance, and cover for leasehold garages. It may also include home emergency cover, legal expenses cover, and family legal protection.

Coach house insurance covers freehold and leasehold garages

Coach house insurance is a niche type of insurance policy that covers freehold and leasehold garages attached to a coach house property. A coach house is a residential space situated directly above a car garage or carport. They are usually owned on a freehold basis, with the garages leased out.

Coach house insurance is designed to include these leasehold garages underneath, which are not typically covered by standard buildings and contents insurance policies. This is because the garages are considered part of the building, and so fall under the responsibility of the freeholder to insure.

The freeholder must cover the entire building structure, including all garages, and protect their legal liabilities. This means that if a leaseholder using one of the garages suffers damages or injury as a result of the building, the freeholder can be held liable.

The leaseholders also have responsibilities. They are often unaware of the exact terms set down in the title deeds of their property when they purchased their home with a leasehold garage that forms part of another person's property. For example, leaseholders typically do not have permission to install any plumbing or electricity, or to store any goods or contents other than their motor vehicle.

Coach house insurance must include coverage for all perils, such as fire, storm, flood, and escape of water; impact and collision, which covers the property in case a vehicle collides with the building; and property owners' legal liability, which protects the freeholder's legal liabilities to the leaseholders.

It comes in two parts: buildings and contents insurance

Coach house insurance is a niche type of insurance policy tailored specifically for freehold and leasehold garages underneath a residential, coach house property. It is designed to protect your home against insured events such as fire, storm, flood, escape of water, theft, malicious damage, subsidence, landslip or heave.

It comes in two parts: buildings insurance and contents insurance. Buildings insurance covers the property itself, including attached garages and conservatories, in case of damage. It also covers permanent outdoor structures such as driveways, patios and boundary walls. Contents insurance, on the other hand, covers damaged or stolen items within the home. These can be combined or purchased separately.

Buildings insurance can include cover for garages underneath coach houses, even if they are leased out. Contents insurance covers items within the coach house and contents in the garage underneath. It is important to note that standard buildings and contents insurance policies do not allow for leasehold garages and therefore would not pay out in the event of a claim. This is why coach house insurance is a bespoke policy that needs to be sought out from a specialist insurer.

Your policy must note all the garages that form part of the building. Most high-street insurers, banks and building societies, and online providers do not insure coach house properties. The liability of insuring the garages is too complex for standard online policies and requires more in-depth underwriting and claims handling.

Coach house insurance is not more expensive than standard home insurance

A coach house, also known as a carriage house, is a residential space situated directly above a car garage or carport. They are typically attached to a regular home and owned by the freeholder of the entire building, who may be a homeowner or landlord.

Coach house insurance is a bespoke and niche type of insurance policy tailored to specifically include freehold and leasehold garages underneath. There are some differences between coach house insurance and ordinary home insurance. Standard buildings and contents insurance policies do not allow for leasehold garages and therefore would not pay out in the event of a claim.

However, coach house insurance should not be significantly more expensive than standard home insurance. While there is no standard policy cost, and premiums will reflect the value of cover provided, coach house insurance is typically comparable to regular buildings and contents insurance. This is because the cost of providing coach house insurance is often too high and specialised for most insurers to get involved in, so specialist providers are needed. These specialists are more likely to understand the unique requirements of coach house insurance and can provide accurate quotes that reflect the risks involved.

When requesting a quote for coach house insurance, it is important to choose the property category that best describes your home, such as a detached, semi-detached, or terraced house. It is also crucial to inform your insurer if you live in a coach house or any property where parts are used by different people. This is because the distribution of responsibilities for different parts of the building can be complex, and failing to disclose this information could result in a refused claim.

It's important to declare if you live in a coach house

Coach house insurance is a niche type of insurance policy tailored to specifically include freehold and leasehold garages underneath a residential, coach house property. Coach houses are typically considered a 'non-standard constructed home'.

If you live in a coach house, it is important to declare this when taking out insurance. This is because standard buildings and contents insurance policies do not allow for leasehold garages and therefore would not pay out in the event of a claim. If you were to submit a claim, the insurer would simply refuse to pay out—on the grounds of 'withholding material fact'—and your cover would likely be ended.

By informing your insurer that you live in a coach house, you can ensure that you are covered should you damage any surrounding properties, as well as the fabric (walls, etc.) of the leasehold garages. Leasehold garages within the coach house will need their own contents insurance.

As the owner of a coach house, you will have the insurance responsibility to insure the whole building as part of your house insurance. However, not all providers will cover a coach house under home insurance, so it is important to find a specialist insurer that understands the unique requirements of coach houses.

Your insurance policy must note all the garages that form part of the building. Most high-street insurers, banks, and building societies do not insure coach house properties. The liability of insuring the garages is too complex for standard online policies and requires more in-depth underwriting and claims handling.

By declaring that you live in a coach house, you can ensure that your liabilities as the owner are fully covered.

Frequently asked questions