Matthew Ashton

Written by

Matthew Ashton

Reviewed by William Cooper

5 minute read

Updated 28th August 2026

At a glance

  • When it comes to your high value home, rebuild costs, contents and valuables matter as much as market value
  • Two similarly priced homes can require very different cover
  • As your home, possessions and collections grow, your insurance needs may change too
  • Specialist cover may be worth considering if your home, contents or valuables exceed standard insurance limits
  • Regular reviews can help identify and prevent underinsurance

If you’re unsure whether your home counts as high value to insurers, the answer is nuanced. Rather than being based on market value alone, insurers consider factors such as rebuild costs, contents, valuables and the property’s construction. In this guide, the team at Stanhope explain how high value homes are assessed and when it may be time to review your current cover.

How does Stanhope define a high-value home?

Every insurer has its own criteria. At Stanhope, high value home insurance may be right for you if one or more of the following applies:

  • Your home’s market value exceeds £1.5 million
  • It’d cost over £1.5 million to rebuild
  • Your contents are worth at least £150,000
  • Your jewellery, watches, artwork or collections are worth over £50,000
  • You currently pay over £1,000 a year for home insurance

These indicators suggest that your home and possessions may have outgrown the features behind standard home insurance. That’s why, at Stanhope, we take the time to understand your circumstances, rather than recommending a product based on property value alone.

Why property value only tells part of the story

We often find that homeowners assume an expensive house needs specialist insurance. While sometimes that’s true, it’s the details behind the property that make the difference.

For example, a listed cottage may sell for less than a modern townhouse, yet cost considerably more to rebuild due to factors including traditional materials and specialist construction methods.

Similarly, two homes with the same market value can have very different insurance needs, particularly where valuable contents are involved.

For insurance purposes, taking an inventory of what you own is often just as important as knowing its value.

Rebuild cost can matter more than market value

One of the biggest misconceptions we see at Stanhope is homeowners using their property’s sale price as the figure to insure.

In reality, insurance is typically based on rebuild cost, not market value. Your rebuild cost includes everything required to reconstruct your home after a major loss, including:

  • Demolition and debris removal
  • Architects and professional fees
  • Labour and materials
  • VAT where applicable
  • Listed-building requirements
  • Specialist finishes and bespoke features
  • Garages, gates and outbuildings

Due to cost fluctuations, if your rebuild value hasn’t been reviewed for some time, your insurance may no longer reflect the true cost of reinstating your home.

This is one reason we often recommend a professional rebuild assessment, particularly for period, listed or architect-designed properties.

Rebuild value and guide value: a guide for homeowners

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know – what the rebuild cost is, how and why it differs from the market value, and why it’s so important to get it right.

Your contents can quietly become high value

While you may know how much your house is worth, it’s difficult to know exactly how much it would cost to replace everything inside it.

Furniture, lighting, technology, clothing, artwork, homeware and personal belongings all add up, often faster than expected.

It’s something we see regularly. Families renovate over time, furnish room by room and sometimes inherit valuable possessions. Together, these changes can leave contents cover looking very different from when the policy was first arranged.

As a guide, we consider contents worth £150,000 or more as one of the indicators that specialist cover may be needed.

Valuable possessions deserve closer attention

Some belongings need more than a rough estimate to ensure they’re covered for their correct amount. This might include:

Keeping valuations up to date is equally important. The price you paid ten years ago may bear little resemblance to the replacement cost today.

When standard home insurance may no longer be enough

Standard home insurance works well for many households. The question is whether it still reflects your circumstances today. It may be worth reviewing your cover if:

  • Your home has been extended or renovated
  • Your rebuild cost has increased
  • You own valuable jewellery or watches
  • Your collections have grown over time
  • You have more than one UK property
  • You regularly take valuables away from home
  • You own a listed or unusual property

What does specialist home insurance offer?

Specialist home insurance is all about making sure the cover reflects the realities of your home and lifestyle. Depending on your circumstances, it can include:

  • No fixed upper limit for buildings and contents
  • Worldwide all-risks cover for valuables
  • Cover for multiple UK homes
  • Accidental damage and loss
  • Children’s possessions at university
  • Home emergency assistance
  • Identity theft and cyber protection

By taking the time to understand your rebuild costs, review valuations and identify potential gaps in cover, we can help shape a policy to you.

How we approach high-value homes

At Stanhope, we don’t start with a quote. We start with questions.

Has your home changed since you last reviewed your insurance?

Are your rebuild costs still accurate?

Have your collections grown?

Do you divide your time between more than one property?

Our heritage in specialist insurance has taught us that two homes with the same value can have completely different insurance needs. That’s why we look past the numbers and take the time to understand your lifestyle and assets before making a recommendation.

Our approach ensures your insurance reflects your circumstances, rather than just your postcode.

Do you need high-value home insurance?

If your property or rebuild cost exceeds £1.5 million, your contents are worth more than £150,000, your valuables exceed £50,000 or you’ve renovated, extended or restored your home, it may be time to review whether your current insurance still reflects your needs. The same applies if your lifestyle or possessions have changed significantly since you first arranged your policy.

At Stanhope, we take the time to understand your home, your belongings and how you live before recommending insurance. Whether you’re reviewing your existing cover or exploring your options for the first time, get in touch with us to find insurance that’s tailored to your circumstances.

Get a quote now

High-value home insurance FAQs

Do I need high-value home insurance if my home is worth more than £1.5m?

Possibly. Property value is one indicator, but rebuild cost, contents, valuables and the complexity of your home all play an important part.

Is high-value home insurance the same as high-net worth insurance?

The terms are often used interchangeably. Both describe insurance designed for higher-value homes, possessions and more complex personal circumstances.

What contents value might mean I need specialist cover?

At Stanhope, contents worth £150,000 or more is one of the indicators that high value home insurance may be appropriate.

What if my jewellery or watches are worth more than £50,000?

If the combined value of your jewellery, watches, artwork or collections exceeds £50,000, it’s worth reviewing whether your current policy still reflects their value and whether they should be specified individually.

Can high-value home insurance cover more than one property?

Yes. Depending on the policy, specialist home insurance can include multiple UK homes under one arrangement.

Are valuables covered away from home?

They can be. Many specialist policies include worldwide all-risks cover for valuables, although limits, security requirements and exclusions still apply.

What’s the difference between contents and valuables?

Contents are your everyday belongings, such as furniture, clothing and technology. Valuables are higher-value possessions like jewellery, watches, artwork and collections that often need more detailed consideration when arranging insurance.

Written by Matthew Ashton

I started working in the insurance industry in 2004. Four years later, I left to focus on theological studies, working as a youth worker and then as a ministry director in Seattle, USA. When returning to the UK, I had an opportunity to work for the late Andrew Marchington. I joined his firm as a sales advisor when it had around ten staff members. Within three years, I was Head of Ops with a staff team of over 30 people. After a chance encounter in 2019 with Rachel Living and Will Cooper, I co-started Stanhope to build a high-value home, luxury watch, and jewellery broker synonymous with trust. I love being with Donna, my wife, and four kids when not working, cramming in the odd row, or run when I can. I am fortunate to love what I do and consider it a blessing to grow the Stanhope brand.

Matthew Ashton