Sometimes called high-net-worth home insurance, this is specialist cover for properties and possessions that sit outside what a standard policy is built for. Many insurers treat a home as high-value once it would cost somewhere in the region of £500,000 to £1 million or more to rebuild, or where contents are worth more than roughly £50,000 in total or £25,000 for a single item, though there's no single official cut-off and insurers set their own thresholds. Beyond a certain point, standard home insurance policies start to fall short: single-item limits are usually far too low for real jewellery or art collections, and rebuilding costs on a larger or more unusual home can exceed what a standard policy pays out.
Chris Knott Insurance arranges high-value home insurance through a panel of specialist insurers, tailoring cover to the specific property and the possessions in it rather than fitting them into a standard policy's limits.
Excellent service from start to finish. The team took time to understand exactly what I needed and found me a great policy at a competitive price. Couldn't be happier with the whole experience.
Been with Chris Knott for over 5 years now. Easy renewal process and the team are always a pleasure to speak with. Proper UK-based advice you can actually trust.
After being let down by my previous insurer, Chris Knott made the whole process painless. Honest, straightforward, and friendly from the very first call. Highly recommend them.
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I needed specialist cover for my classic Jaguar and Chris Knott sorted it quickly and at a great price. Really impressed with the level of knowledge and personal service.
Switched my home insurance after a recommendation from a friend. Very competitive premium and the whole thing was done in under 20 minutes. Very pleased with everything.
First-class service. I dealt with Emma who was patient, helpful and knew exactly what I needed for my thatched cottage. Got proper specialist cover, not a standard policy.
Genuinely good old-fashioned customer service. A real person who actually listens and helps you find the right cover. Wouldn't go anywhere else for my insurance now.
Had a claim last year and Chris Knott supported me throughout. Made a stressful situation much easier. Fair, fast, and professional - exactly what you want from a broker.
Renewed my multi-car policy today. Still the best value I've found anywhere and the team remembered me from last year. That personal touch really makes a difference.
Very helpful team, especially when I needed to add a modified vehicle to my policy. Talked me through everything and made sure I was properly covered. Excellent all round.
Chris Knott have been brilliant for my listed property - most insurers wouldn't touch it but they found me comprehensive cover at a sensible price. Grateful for their expertise.
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Beyond the value thresholds, certain features push a home toward needing specialist cover regardless of price: a large property with more than five bedrooms, non-standard construction, a listed building, or a significant collection of valuables such as jewellery, fine art, antiques or fine wine. It's also worth considering if your home insurance policy has ever been declined or heavily restricted because of a previous high-value claim, since that history alone can be enough to move a property outside standard underwriting.
The figure that matters for buildings insurance is what it would cost to demolish and rebuild the home from scratch, including materials, labour and professional fees, not what it would sell for. These two numbers can be very different, especially for period or listed properties where rebuilding to the original standard costs far more than the land and location alone would suggest. Underinsuring against the wrong figure is one of the more common reasons a high-value claim ends up disputed, which is why a proper valuation matters more here than on a standard policy, and why the amount you're insured for should match a genuine rebuild estimate rather than a guess.
Buildings cover protects the structure itself, usually with higher or unlimited rebuild limits than a standard policy offers. Contents insurance extends to jewellery, fine art, antiques, fine wine, and similarly valuable items, either individually specified or covered as a collection, along with everyday items like furniture, electronics and carpets. Many policies also include trace and access cover, which pays for locating and repairing the source of a leak rather than just the damage it causes, and pairs and sets cover, which protects the value of a matching set even if only one piece is lost or damaged. Golf clubs kept at home are protected against theft, loss or damage too, alongside the wider contents cover.
Liability cover typically extends further than a standard policy as well, including cover for domestic staff you employ at the property, such as a housekeeper, gardener or nanny, alongside the usual protection against claims from visitors or contractors.
Because Chris Knott works across a panel of specialist insurers rather than one, valuations, security requirements and collection cover can all be built around your specific home instead of a generic high-net-worth template. We can also point you toward valuation guidance and security assessments as part of arranging your cover, rather than leaving you to source these separately. We're a UK-based broker that's been arranging cover since 1983, with a 4.9-star Trustpilot rating from over 2,200 reviews you can check yourself, and we're not on the comparison sites. We're authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 304452), and you can verify that on the Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk.
Chris Knott Insurance provide excellent service and are very helpful. They could give information and services when other companies couldn’t. We have been using their services for many years for insurance of both cars and home and property.
Mrs Elsa M Richter
The most common questions we're asked about high-value home insurance. Can't find what you're looking for? Speak to our UK-based team on 0800 917 2274.
It depends more on the specifics of the property and its contents than on a general risk band. Rebuild cost, listed status, construction type, security measures, and the value and type of possessions you hold, particular collections especially, all affect the price, sometimes significantly between two homes of similar size. Getting an accurate valuation before you apply is the best way to avoid overpaying for cover you don't need or being caught underinsured.
For anything genuinely valuable, yes, it's worth it. Insurers generally expect a recent, professional valuation for individually specified items above a certain value, both to set the right level of cover and to speed up a claim if the worst happens. A rough estimate or an old valuation can lead to underinsurance without you realising, and it's usually cheaper to get this right upfront than to find out during a claim.
Often, yes, but it depends on the policy rather than being automatic. Standard home insurance usually only covers possessions inside the home, while many high-value policies extend cover worldwide for portable valuables you'd naturally take with you, such as a watch or a ring. It's worth checking this specifically if travelling with valuable possessions is part of your normal life, rather than assuming cover follows you by default.
Some specialist insurers can cover more than one property, including a second home or holiday property, under a single arrangement rather than entirely separate policies. It's worth mentioning any additional properties when you get a quote, since combining them can sometimes simplify cover as well as the cost.
Yes, golf clubs kept at home are covered against theft, loss or damage as part of the wider contents cover, the same as other valuable equipment and possessions.
Beyond higher or unlimited cover limits, a high-value policy is usually built around your specific property and possessions rather than a standardised template. That can mean a bespoke valuation of your collections, more flexible terms for multiple homes or extended travel, and a claims process with a dedicated handler rather than a general call centre queue. It's worth asking what's actually included, since the difference isn't only the size of the limits.
You can make a claim by contacting our team directly, and we'll talk you through what's needed. Having valuation documents, receipts or photographs for the specific items involved ready speeds things up considerably, particularly for claims on individually specified valuables.
Whatever kind of property you own, rent or let, we arrange specialist cover from a panel of leading insurers. Browse our full range below or speak to our team.
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ExploreEvery page is written and fact-checked by our UK-based insurance specialists. Chris Knott Insurance has been arranging cover since 1983.
Call our UK-based team on 0800 917 2274 or email enquiries@chrisknott.co.uk to get a quote built around your property and what's in it. We're open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
*Chris Knott Insurance is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 304452). You can check this on the Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk.*
