Brownstone homes are historic buildings that feature a red-brown façade made of sandstone, unique architectural details, and large front stoops. If you own or rent a brownstone, it’s important to make sure you get the proper type of insurance for your historic home. Muller Insurance, an independent insurance agency, is based in Hoboken, NJ, and licensed in over 20 states, including New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. We offer a wide range of home insurance policies, including historic house insurance. Here, we explore the top factors to consider when pursuing insurance for your brownstone.
Why Brownstones Need Special Insurance
Since brownstones are historic buildings with unique and ornate details, they typically need a more comprehensive insurance program than a typical homeowners insurance policy. The architectural elements found in brownstones aren’t usually found in modern-day construction, so it’s important to pursue an insurance policy from a company that has experience with historic buildings. If you need to file a claim, you want to be sure that your brownstone building will be properly restored to its historical condition.
One way to do this is by obtaining historic home insurance, which is specifically designed for maintaining the structure and history of homes that are 50+ years old and have cultural significance. Another option is pursuing a standard homeowners insurance policy and adding enhancements like ordinance or law coverage, which helps a homeowner pay for upgrades that bring historic homes up to code.
What to Consider When Getting Historic House Insurance
When you’re looking for insurance for your brownstone, there are several factors to consider when choosing a policy. These include:
Building Codes
Preserving the historic and architectural details of an older home or brownstone can result in them not always meeting current building codes or regulations. In the event of a fire or other damage to your brownstone, you will have to bring the building up to code when making repairs. This can be costly, especially if you don’t have ordinance and law coverage that can help pay for the upgrades. Including this enhancement in your insurance policy is one factor to consider.
Architectural Details
Brownstones and other historic buildings feature architectural details that are specific to the period in which they were built. If you file a claim after damage or destruction to your brownstone, you don’t want an insurance policy that will only cover modern replacements and not pay attention to restoring these important details. Choose an insurance company that has experience with historic buildings.
Renters
Another factor to consider when choosing insurance for your brownstone is whether you own it and rent it out, or if you’re a renter yourself. Brownstone owners who rent their building out to tenants need to pursue residential apartment building insurance coverage to protect themselves against circumstances like:
- Accidental or malicious damage to the building
- Loss of rental income due to extensive damages
- Liability for damages or injuries that occur in common areas of the property
If the owner lives in one of the units, they can obtain owner-occupied dwelling insurance. If they own the building, but don’t live there and rent it out to others, tenant-occupied dwelling insurance is a good idea. If you rent a unit in a brownstone, make sure to get renters insurance that will cover your personal belongings in the event of damage.
At Muller Insurance, we have been in business for more than 118 years and have made strong partnerships with several leading insurance companies, allowing us to offer various policies for historic homes and brownstones.
Find Historic Home Insurance Policies at Muller Insurance
Working with an independent insurance agency like Muller Insurance can help you access a vast range of insurance policies from different companies to ensure you get the best coverage and value. At Muller Insurance, we partner with over 20 insurance companies, allowing us to offer you the best options for your specific needs. They include:
- Chubb: They offer a Masterpiece City Home Insurance policy for city homeowners with historical homes.
- The Andover Companies: They have a Superior Home Protection Plan that covers guaranteed replacement of homes constructed after 1925 with enhancements like ordinance and law coverage.
Our team at Muller Insurance can tailor policies for your type of building, including historic ones like brownstones, and even offer bundling opportunities that can help you save on insurance costs.
Get a Quote for Historic Home Insurance From Muller Insurance
Now that you know the factors to consider when obtaining insurance for your brownstone, turn to Muller Insurance in Hoboken, NJ, to explore your policy options. Through our decades of business, we have developed a strong reputation that clients in more than 20 states rely on for trusted insurance knowledge and options. To learn more about our historic house insurance options or to get a quote, contact us today.
