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Masonry or frame construction – which is the more expensive home to insure?

tony • May 25, 2018

The short answer is a frame construction home will typically be more expensive to insure when compared to a masonry construction home.  There are three main reasons why this is the case:

  1. Masonry construction homes are considered less combustible than frame construction home
  2. Masonry construction homes are less prone to degradation over time.
  3. Masonry construction homes have a lesser risk of Wood Destroying Organism, such as termites, weakening the structural integrity of the home.

It’s only natural for insurance companies to price for these additional layers of risk when determining the insurance premium.  Another interesting fact is that frame construction homes have insurance premiums that increase at an increasing rate when compared to masonry construction homes.

Say what?

While a new frame construction home may only have $100 difference in annual premium when compared to a masonry construction home, a 25 year old frame construction home may have a premium difference of $1000 or more.

So what happens when you have a home of mixed construction such as a masonry construction first floor and a frame construction second floor?

Every insurance company looks at this situation differently.  Some companies will consider the home masonry construction for rating purposes if the frame construction is less than 33% of the total construction.  Other carriers will consider a home masonry construction if the home is less than 50% frame construction.  While other carriers will give a masonry type of rating if the frame home is covered with masonry stucco.

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