The Hartford doesn’t offer historic home insurance online, but a local agency or Tivly may be able to help you find the coverage you need. The following content includes information from various sources and can change over time.
What Is Historic Home Insurance?
Historic house insurance is made up of different types of business insurance coverages designed to help protect your property from the unique risks that come with owning a historic home. Whether you're living in your century-old home or operating it as a public venue, many things can go wrong, such as a storm damaging your delicate wood or someone vandalizing your priceless garden statues.
Historical home insurance can help cover the cost of restorations and repairs. It can also protect you from liability if an accident occurs on your property, such as a guest getting hurt during a tour or event.
Although The Hartford doesn’t offer historic home insurance, we help connect you with Tivly, so you can get the coverage you’re looking for.
Why Might You Need Historic Home Insurance?
Homeowners insurance for historic homes is a collection of coverage options designed to help people who own a historic property. These types of homes often have fragile structures that are more susceptible to damage and may require specialty craftsmen to properly maintain them. The costs associated with accidents and damages can be overwhelming without proper coverage.
Historic home insurance can help protect your property from potential risks, like:
- Property Damage: A fire damages a rare, original feature like a stained-glass window or antique woodwork.
- Theft or Vandalism: A break-in occurs, leading to the loss of valuable antiques or historical artifacts.
- Liability Claims: A visitor falls during a tour, leading to costly medical bills and liability claims.
Who May Need Historic Home Insurance?
Many business owners who operate from a historic property can benefit from insurance coverage, including:
What Historic Home Insurance Coverages Might I Need?
When it comes to protecting your historic property, you’ll want protection that matches your potential risks. Many owners of historic museums start with a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) because of the peace of mind it can provide.
A BOP combines three types of coverage to help protect you and your historic property from common claims that can come up during normal operations:
General liability insurance helps protect your home or museum from claims that it caused bodily injury or property damage to others.
General liability insurance helps protect your home or museum from claims that it caused bodily injury or property damage to others.
Commercial property insurance helps protect your owned or rented home, as well as the furniture and equipment you rely on.
Business income insurance helps replace your lost wages if you can’t operate temporarily because of covered property damage caused by wind, fire or theft.
It’s important to remember that a BOP won’t cover every type of claim your historic home might face. You’ll need other types of coverage to have well-rounded protection for your business, including:
Workers’ compensation insurance to give your employees benefits to help them recover from a work-related injury or illness.
Commercial auto insurance to help cover bodily injury or property damage claims from an auto accident your business causes while you or an employee drives a company-owned vehicle for work.
How Much Does Historic Home Insurance Cost?
While The Hartford doesn’t offer coverage for historical homes, here are the average costs our small business customers pay for common types of coverage. You can use these amounts to help estimate your insurance cost:**
- BOP: $1,687 a year, or about $141 a month
- Stand-alone general liability insurance: $810 a year, or about $68 a month
- Workers’ compensation insurance: $1,032 a year, or $86 a month
- Professional liability insurance: $744 a year, or $62 a month1
Keep in mind that the cost of insurance for historic homes varies because every property faces unique risks. Insurance companies consider several factors when determining your coverage cost, including:
- Location of your property
- Type of coverage
- Your claims history
- The limits you select for your coverage
To find out your specific historic home insurance costs, get a free quote online through Tivly.
General Liability Insurance
“A visitor tripped over a loose brick during a garden tour and ended up with a sprained ankle.”
General liability insurance helps cover claims that you caused bodily injury or property damage to someone else.
Business Income Insurance
“A fire damaged the porch, and we couldn’t host any tours or events for over a month.”
Business income insurance can help you continue paying ongoing expenses like rent, payroll and utilities when your business can’t operate because of property damage caused by fire, theft, wind or vandalism.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
“My historian tweaked her back while giving a tour. She had to take a few days off work and go to physical therapy for treatment.”
Workers’ compensation insurance gives your team benefits to help them recover from work-related injuries or illnesses. It can help pay their medical bills and replace lost wages.
Commercial Auto Insurance
“Our tour guide was picking up supplies when he lost control and rear-ended another car.”
Commercial auto insurance helps protect your employees on the road while they’re driving a business-owned vehicle for work.
Commercial Property Insurance
“A fire broke out in the kitchen of the 150-year-old home we maintain. It caused significant damage to several rooms.”
Commercial property insurance helps protect the owned or rented building you use to run your business. It can help cover repair or replacement costs.
Extended Replacement Cost Coverage
“When we had to replace our slate shake roof after a tree fell on it, the cost was way more than we expected.”
Extended replacement cost coverage can help cover the cost of rebuilding a historic home after a covered loss, even if construction prices exceed the policy’s dwelling coverage limit.
Get a Quote for Historic Home Insurance Options
Whether it's your private residence or a public landmark, insurance can help keep your investment safe. Get a quote for historic home coverage through Tivly.
Last Updated: April 28, 2026
1 What you pay for professional liability insurance will vary by product, limits chosen and risk class or hazard group associated with your business.
2 The Hartford, “Water and Freezing Damage, Burglary Lead The Hartford’s Top Five Small Business Claims,” viewed March 2026.
3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2023,” viewed April 2026.
4 National Fire Prevention Association, “Fire Loss in the United States,” viewed April 2026.
** Costs, premiums, and coverages mentioned are estimates and are not guaranteed. Actual cost, premium, and coverage are determined at the time of quote or issue and are specific to an individual risk. Premiums are based on information provided to The Hartford, including, but not limited to, underwriting and rating criteria. All examples included on this website or in an advertisement are intended for informational purposes only and are not an offer or a guarantee of premium or coverage. Coverage and products described are subject to the terms and conditions found in the policy contract. Any educational information provided about available coverages does not modify the policy language or imply that any claim is covered. Products are not available in all states or for all businesses.
The Hartford does not currently have a product available to provide the coverage described on this page. You are being referred to Tivly in an effort to connect you with a carrier who may provide this coverage. This link will redirect you to a third-party website, owned and operated by an independent party ("Tivly"). Any link you make to or from the Tivly website will be at your own risk. Any use of the Tivly website will be subject to and any information you provide will be governed by the terms of the Tivly website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy and security. The Hartford and its affiliates (collectively "The Hartford") do not endorse or approve and make no warranties, representations or undertakings relating to the content of the Tivly website. The Hartford assumes no liability for loss, damage and any other consequence resulting directly or indirectly from your access to the Tivly website or any information that you may provide on the Tivly website.
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