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Property DeveloperInsurance

Property Developer Insurance

Cover for works in progress, site risks and completed units, built for new builds, conversions and renovation projects.

Cover for works in progress, site risks and completed units, built for new builds, conversions and renovation projects.

Contract works
Site & passers-by
Unoccupied once built
Compare from 20+ Trusted Insurers

Cover for property developers across the UK

Speak to a specialist 0330 027 0996

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Instant Underwriting logo with a stylized purple speed stripe icon and modern uppercase text
Square Pegs Logo with transparent background
Mi Speciality logo with transparent background
DOA logo
Commercial Express logo with a red shield-like icon and white curved stripes to the left of the company name in black text
Aviva logo with a dark blue abstract square icon and the word โ€œAVIVAโ€ in bold uppercase blue letters.
Logo with the word ABACUS in blue surrounded by colorful abacus beads on horizontal lines.
Zurich Insurance logo with a stylized white โ€œZโ€ inside a blue circle and the word โ€œZURICHโ€ in blue capital letters.
Jensten Insurance Brokers logo with stylized dark blue text and two small orange rectangles inside the word โ€œJENSTEN.โ€
Iprism logo with lowercase black text and a multicolored paper-plane style icon on the upper right
MODUS logo with three blue vertical bars forming an abstract icon to the left of the brand name in blue uppercase letters.
Pink circular logo with the word โ€œcorinโ€ in lowercase white letters at the center.
Qunderwriting logo with a red circular โ€œQโ€ icon followed by grey lowercase text spelling โ€œunderwritingโ€.
NBS Underwriting logo with overlapping hexagon outlines in yellow and green beside navy text.
Gresham logo with gray text and an orange abstract flower-like icon on the right.
Aqueous Underwriting logo with gradient blue, green and purple text on a transparent background.
Arya Underwriting Services logo with stylized golden figure and lowercase โ€œaryaโ€ text on a transparent background
Nelson Policies at Lloyd's logo
Instant Underwriting logo with a stylized purple speed stripe icon and modern uppercase text

What is property developer insurance?

Property developer insurance covers a building project from site acquisition through to sale or letting. It combines contract works cover for the build itself, public liability, employersโ€™ liability, and cover for the property once complete.

Development is a different risk to owning finished property, an incomplete building is more exposed to fire, theft and weather, and standard property policies wonโ€™t respond.

The right developer cover depends on:

New build, conversion or renovation
Contract value and build period
Whether the property is occupied
Plant and materials on site
Whether you sell or retain units
Number of concurrent projects
A man getting into a car outside an office building

Is property developer insurance right for your project?

Is property developer insurance right for your project?

If youโ€™re building, converting or renovating rather than simply owning finished property, this is the cover built for you, at any project scale.

If youโ€™re building, converting or renovating rather than simply owning finished property, this is the cover built for you, at any project scale.

New Builds

Ground-up construction of houses, flats or commercial units.

Conversions

Changing a buildingโ€™s use, such as offices or barns into residential.

Renovations

Major refurbishment of an existing structure, often while it stands empty.

Extensions

Adding to a property, where the existing structure also needs insuring.

Build-to-Rent

Developments you intend to retain and let once complete.

Multiple Sites

Developers running several projects at different stages at once.

What could put your development at risk?

What could put your development at risk?

Theft of materials and fire on part-built structures cause most development claims, with weather damage close behind on buildings not yet watertight.

Theft of materials and fire on part-built structures cause most development claims, with weather damage close behind on buildings not yet watertight.

Fire on a part-built structure, where thereโ€™s no completed fire separation and materials are often exposed.

Close-up of a crack running down brickwork beside a window.

How could a claim affect your project?

How could a claim affect your project?

A single incident can destroy work youโ€™ve already paid for and push back completion. Here are four common scenarios and the cover that responds.

A single incident can destroy work youโ€™ve already paid for and push back completion. Here are four common scenarios and the cover that responds.

Fire

A fire destroys weeks of completed work before handover.

What cover may respond?

Contract Works

Escape of Water

Materials are stolen from site overnight before installation.

What cover may respond?

Contract Works + Plant

Storm Damage

Storm damage sets the programme back and delays completion.

What cover may respond?

Contract Works + Delay in Start-Up

Visitor Injury

A worker or visitor is injured on site.

What cover may respond?

Employersโ€™ & Public Liability

A man getting into a car outside an office building

Who needs property developer insurance?

If youโ€™re building, converting or renovating, standard property insurance wonโ€™t respond, and if you engage anyone on site, employersโ€™ liability becomes a legal requirement.

This cover may be suitable for:

New build developers
Conversion specialists
Renovation and refurbishment developers
Build-to-rent developers
Developers running multiple sites
Self-builders and small developers

Starting on site soon?

Starting on site soon?

Contract works cover needs to be in place before work begins, and your lender will usually require it.

Contract works cover needs to be in place before work begins, and your lender will usually require it.

Aerial view of a cleared building plot among houses and gardens.

Cover built around your development

Cover built around your development

Most developers combine contract works cover for the build with public and employersโ€™ liability, then add plant cover and unoccupied cover once units complete.

Most developers combine contract works cover for the build with public and employersโ€™ liability, then add plant cover and unoccupied cover once units complete.

Contract Works

Contract Works

Covers the building work itself while in progress, including site materials and temporary structures.


Public Liability

Public Liability

Protection if a member of the public or a site visitor is injured, or their property is damaged.


Employersโ€™ Liability

Employersโ€™ Liability

A legal requirement once you engage anyone on site, including labour-only subcontractors.


Plant & Equipment

Plant & Equipment

Covers owned and hired-in plant, which youโ€™re usually liable for under the hire agreement.


Unoccupied Cover

Unoccupied Cover

Protection for a completed but unsold or unlet unit, when standard cover restricts.


Legal Expenses

Legal Expenses

Legal protection for contract disputes with clients, contractors and suppliers.


Surveyor in a hard hat and hi-vis holding a site plan on a tablet in a field.

Why choose us for property developer insurance?

We arrange cover that follows a project through every stage, from bare site to completed unit awaiting sale or letting.

Specialist development insurers
Experienced UK advisers
Single project or annual cover
Cover for new builds, conversions and renovations
Support for sites left empty overnight
Cover for multiple concurrent projects

How the quote process works

How the quote process works

Simple steps. Expert advice on the cover your project actually needs.

Simple steps. Expert advice on the cover your project actually needs.

1

Tell us about the project

What youโ€™re building, the contract value and the timescale.

2

Set your sum insured

Cover should reflect the full reinstatement value of the works.

3

We compare specialist insurers

We search insurers who underwrite development risk.

4

Get covered before work starts

Receive your documents, usually the same day.

We're with you all the way

UK-based specialist advisers
Access to specialist insurers
No obligation, just expert help

Completed but not yet sold or let?

Completed but not yet sold or let?

A finished unit standing empty is treated differently to an occupied one, and most policies restrict cover once itโ€™s unoccupied.

A finished unit standing empty is treated differently to an occupied one, and most policies restrict cover once itโ€™s unoccupied.

Newly built brick houses beside an unfinished road and construction site.

Trusted by thousands of businesses across the UK

Trusted by thousands of businesses across the UK

From everyday business insurance to complex specialist cover, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right protection and provide expert support when it matters.

From everyday business insurance to complex specialist cover, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right protection and provide expert support when it matters.

Property developer insurance guides

Property developer insurance guides

Practical advice on contract works, site risks and completed units.

Practical advice on contract works, site risks and completed units.

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Property developer insurance FAQs

Property developer insurance FAQs

Straight answers on contract works, site risks and completed units.

Straight answers on contract works, site risks and completed units.

It covers a building project from site through to sale or letting, combining contract works cover for the build itself, public and employersโ€™ liability, and cover for the property once complete.

Still have questions?

Our advisers are here to help you find the right solution.