The cost of insuring a home can vary widely depending on when it was built, and new data suggests that older properties still come with a significant insurance premium, despite recent price drops.

Research from Compare the Market shows that the average cost of insuring a period home — typically defined as one built before the First World War — was £376 per year in February 2026. That is £197 more than the £179 average for homes built after 2000, meaning period properties cost around 110% more to insure.

The gap highlights how age, construction methods and materials continue to play a major role in determining insurance costs. While modern homes tend to benefit from standardised building techniques and up-to-date systems, older properties often present more uncertainty and higher potential repair bills.

The data also shows clear differences within the period property category itself. Homes built during the Stuart period (1603 to 1714) are the most expensive to insure, with average premiums of £545. Georgian homes (1714 to 1830) follow at £446, with Tudor properties (1485 to 1603) next at an average of £418 per year.

Later-period homes tend to be cheaper, as construction standards improved over time. Properties built between 1831 and 1836 average £351, while Victorian homes (1837 to 1901) cost £252 to insure. Edwardian homes (1901 to 1910) come in slightly lower at £243.

These differences are largely down to risk. Many older homes were built using materials and techniques that are no longer common, making repairs more complex and expensive. Features such as timber frames, solid walls, and non-standard roofing can increase rebuild costs, while ageing plumbing and electrical systems raise the likelihood of claims linked to leaks, faults or fire.

Even where upgrades have been made, insurers may still factor in the original structure and design of the property. Specialist tradespeople are often required for repairs, and sourcing like-for-like materials can add further cost and delay.

However, there is some positive news for homeowners. Despite remaining significantly higher than newer builds, insurance premiums for period homes have fallen over the past year. The average premium dropped from £442 in February 2025 to £376 in February 2026, a 15% reduction.

This decline reflects a wider trend across the home insurance market. Separate research from Compare the Market indicates that average premiums for all homeowners fell by around 9% annually in early 2026, suggesting that pricing pressures have started to ease after a period of sharp increases.

Those earlier rises were driven by a combination of factors, including higher inflation, increased rebuild costs and ongoing supply chain challenges, all of which pushed up the price of claims and, in turn, premiums.

While the recent drop offers some relief, the underlying differences between property types remain. Buyers considering older homes may need to factor in higher ongoing insurance costs alongside purchase price, maintenance and energy efficiency considerations.

At the same time, the variation in premiums highlights the importance of reviewing cover carefully. Costs can differ not just by property age, but also by location, condition and the level of protection chosen.

For homeowners, this means it is worth comparing policies regularly rather than renewing automatically. Even in a softening market, ensuring the right level of cover at a competitive price can make a noticeable difference to annual costs.

Ultimately, while period homes continue to attract buyers with their character and history, they still carry a financial trade-off. Insurance is one of the clearest examples of how that trade-off plays out in practice, and a reminder that the true cost of a home goes beyond the purchase price.