Rows of brownstone buildings are a quintessential sight in Hudson County, New Jersey. While they present a wonderful opportunity to live surrounded by local history, these homes can be tricky to insure. Muller Insurance is an independent insurance agency based in Hoboken, NJ, that works with more than 20 leading insurance companies. Here, we discuss Chubb, The Philadelphia Contributionship, and The Andover Companies as top providers for historic property insurance in Hudson County.
Chubb Masterpiece City Home Insurance
The Chubb Masterpiece City Home Policy is specifically designed for owners of historic brownstones. It offers comprehensive and customizable protection with a focus not just on repair but on prevention as well. These are just some of the advantages homeowners enjoy with a Chubb policy:
- Replacement coverage: Chubb city home insurance covers the cost of replacement to ensure you receive the payouts you need for full restoration – exceeding policy limits if necessary.
- In-house consultants: Risk consultants apply historical expertise to document the distinctive features that make your home special, ensuring that those features are protected.
- Code updates: If repairing or restoring your older home involves bringing it up-to-date with modern building codes, Chubb will cover updates to damaged areas.
- Risk protections: Infrared scanners reveal missing insulation, faulty electrical connections, and other potential risks. Chubb will cover these repairs and other preventative measures.
- Restoration specialists: Chubb’s network of vetted specialists can help you repair rare materials, traditional techniques, ornate detailing, and even your lovingly landscaped gardens.
Unique Endorsements with The Philadelphia Contributionship
The Philadelphia Contributionship, also called TPC, was founded in 1752 by Benjamin Franklin to insure homes lost by fire. As an antique institution with headquarters in a National Historic Landmark, it offers a unique perspective when protecting historic properties. This company delivers state-of-the-art coverage enhancements to protect unique buildings in unique circumstances. Some of the special offers available include:
- Functional replacement cost: If expensive features like custom molding or plaster walls are damaged during a covered event, TPC allows homeowners to reduce their premiums by allowing for modern but functional equivalents like crown molding or drywall.
- Service line coverage: When it comes to old homes, the building itself might not be the only thing that’s outdated. TPC will pay for repairs to underground systems, including plumbing, electrical lines, and more that may be at risk of breakdown due to age.
- Scheduled personal property: Many owners opt to enhance their home’s historic charm by furnishing it with antiques, fine art, or valuable curios. TPC will protect these high-value belongings with specified coverage amounts per item.
- Ordinance and law: The older your home, the more likely it is that you’ll need coverage to bring it up to modern building codes. TPC offers homeowners the ability to increase their code upgrade coverage to ensure all repairs meet safety standards.
Competitive Rates at The Andover Companies
Like The Philadelphia Contributionship, The Andover Companies has a centuries-long history of service. This provider prides itself on offering the highest-quality coverage for competitive rates. Homeowners receive the widespread protection they look for, but at a cost to keep insuring their historic homes affordable. Here are just a few reasons why brownstone owners choose The Andover Companies as their insurer:
- Guaranteed replacement coverage: Many insurance companies cover for market value. When your historic home costs more to reconstruct than it would to sell, you need better protection. The Andover Companies offers guaranteed replacement coverage for the whole home.
- Discount credits: Insuring historic homes can be expensive. With The Andover Companies, homeowners can earn credits to reduce their premiums. Available credits include protective device and alarm services credit, generator credit, and non-smoker credit.
- Scheduled personal property: If your home is furnished with antiques or fine art, you want to ensure these valuable belongings are as well-protected as the home structure. The Andover Companies offer extra coverage for scheduled items to help you protect your belongings.
- Home systems protection: Outdated HVAC systems, electrical connections, and plumbing may be prone to breakdown. If one of these vital systems is damaged in a covered event, The Andover Companies will help you pay for repairs to keep your home comfortable.
Benefits of Working With a Private Agent
No two homes are alike. This is just as true for historic homes, which each exist in different states of update and repair. As a result, insurance solutions aren’t one-size-fits-all. The best provider for one household may not meet the coverage or budgetary needs of another.
Muller Insurance is an independent agency that represents over 20 different leading insurance companies. With so many policies to choose from, we can help homeowners meet their needs precisely. Our agents work with you to understand your priorities and preferences, then select from a portfolio of options to find the perfect policy for your brownstone home.
We can also help you identify bundling opportunities. If you also need flood, auto, life, or umbrella insurance, bundling policies together can be a great way to reduce hassle and save money.
Shop for Historic Property Insurance with Muller Insurance
When insuring a historic home, it’s more important than ever to partner with the right provider – and the right agency. Muller Insurance has served the NJ area and other states for over 118 years, helping homeowners find the right historic property insurance solutions for their homes. For more information, contact us today or request a quote to get started.
