[MassHistPres] Home insurance on NR listed properties

[John Sugarman]

My house is a contributing member of a national historic district in
Stockbridge. It is not individually listed.
Hanover is my insurer and the issue has not come up; but the rate is quite
high as all insurers have significantly raised their premiums.

J|S


On Mon, Jun 30, 2025 at 6:34 PM Liebowitz, Jonathan J via MassHistPres <
masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:

> Our homeowner's insurance was not renewed on the basis that our home was
> listed on MACRIS.  I believe the insurer was Safety (not absolutely sure
> about that).  We were able to get a policy from Travelers (or one of their
> affiliates or subsidiaries).  Don't know if you'd consider it affordable or
> not.
> Jonathan Liebowitz
> Littleton
>
> Jonathan J. Liebowitz
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> on behalf of
> Steinitz, Michael @ SEC via MassHistPres <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> *Sent:* Monday, June 30, 2025 10:04 AM
> *To:* Haley, Ben @ SEC <Ben.Haley at sec.state.ma.us>;
> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [MassHistPres] Home insurance on NR listed properties
>
> *This Message Is From an External Sender*
> This message came from outside your organization.
> Report Suspicious
> <https://us-phishalarm-ewt.proofpoint.com/EWT/v1/NcNAlj2UIVkjDA!6QAcQVSKlfoMkgx2WtRInKGkIClJSD55l3TUNlmfg1szM_t2xDl3nEiYGAH1HcuGf4-ZZJactkLIjAohqUXwxMs_IXWsQLDAmH6I5sQH4BTx$>
>
>
> Every week or so we are contacted by another historic homeowner who has
> gotten a notice of cancellation from their insurer.  Some insurers appear
> to  have discovered the MACRIS database, and seem to be dropping policies
> if they find a record there, regardless of whether or not there is a
> National  Register designation.  So in addition  to the memo on National
> Register properties, MHC has also prepared the attached memo regarding
> properties in the statewide Inventory in relation to insurance to help
> those property owners in responding to their insurer’s concerns.   Again,
> this is a national issue, exacerbated by a very challenging property
> insurance environment, with historic properties in general already being
> considered less desirable to insure, and insurers looking for any ways to
> reduce their exposure to perceived  risk.
>
>
>
> Michael
>
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/220+Morrissey+Blvd+%0D%0A+Boston+MA+02125?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
>
>
> Michael Steinitz
>
> Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer
>
> Director, Preservation Planning Division
>
> Massachusetts Historical Commission
>
> 220 Morrissey Blvd
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/220+Morrissey+Blvd+%0D%0A+Boston+MA+02125?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> Boston MA 02125
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/220+Morrissey+Blvd+%0D%0A+Boston+MA+02125?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> 617-727-8470
>
> 617-727-5128 (fax)
>
> *michael.steinitz at sec.state.ma.us <michael.steinitz at sec.state.ma.us>*
>
>
>
> *From:* MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> *On Behalf Of *Haley,
> Ben @ SEC via MassHistPres
> *Sent:* Monday, June 30, 2025 9:13 AM
> *To:* masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
> *Subject:* Re: [MassHistPres] Home insurance on NR listed properties
>
>
>
> This is an issue occurring across the country with increasing frequency. A
> couple of years ago the MHC developed the attached memorandum to provide to
> property owners and/or insurance companies. The National Trust hosted a
> webinar on the subject in 2024 (see
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/220+Morrissey+Blvd.+%0D%0A+Boston,+MA+02125?entry=gmail&source=g>*https://savingplaces.org/stories/insuring-historic-properties-qa
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/savingplaces.org/stories/insuring-historic-properties-qa__;!!O9h35Ks8fCsF!GuxRb8N9Zr_j_UEuMwZfIz-Y4i93B3Em9tGTC-HKfaXpA9E9bp3_fZsvPoHKz6mVBu3vhpALEOUFi3AG0q3mpt9M-7Y3jJ2ODiYx9g$>*
> ).
>
>
>
> Ben Haley
>
> National Register Director
>
> Massachusetts Historical Commission
>
> 220 Morrissey Blvd.
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/220+Morrissey+Blvd.+%0D%0A+Boston,+MA+02125?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> Boston, MA 02125
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/220+Morrissey+Blvd.+%0D%0A+Boston,+MA+02125?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> Ph: 617-727-8470
>
> Fax: 617-727-5128
>
> *www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc__;!!NcNAlj2UIVkjDA!-V33YuMjrwsbIF72cjacKThmoRvt1umBJpeBsfWvILyLTmATL2_ZJo__CBZN8WlVu03Wc0iMZeRz3_O2mmDoFEKQddq4wVU0HSQ$>*
>
> *ben.haley at sec.state.ma.us <ben.haley at sec.state.ma.us>*
>
>
>
> Please be advised that the Massachusetts Secretary of State considers
> e-mail to be a public record, and therefore subject to public access under
> the Massachusetts Public Records Law,M.G.L. c. 66 § 10.
>
>
>
> *From:* MassHistPres <*masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
> <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu>*> *On Behalf Of *Johnstone, Michelle
> via MassHistPres
> *Sent:* Friday, June 27, 2025 2:18 PM
> *To:* *MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu <MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu>*
> *Subject:* [MassHistPres] Home insurance on NR listed properties
>
>
>
> Happy Friday, Preservationists 😊
>
>
>
> Here in Worcester, we have been noticing an uptick in complaints from
> owners (particularly new buyers) of NR-listed buildings related to their
> inability, in some cases, to find an insurance company to cover them *at
> all*, and in other cases, rates being exorbitantly expensive (like in the
> $400/*MONTH* range). Is this something that a lot of you are seeing in
> your communities as well? I’m not sure what it is about National Register
> listing that has become their sticking point, because the NR is an honorary
> program only under most circumstances.
>
>
>
> Does anyone know of any insurers that regularly provide insurance
> regardless of NR listing, and at a reasonable price? Also interested in if
> anything is being doing to address this issue.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
>
>
> *Michelle H. Johnstone*
>
> Senior Preservation Planner
>
> Executive Office of Economic Development | Planning & Regulatory Services
> Division
>
> City of Worcester | 455 Main Street, Rm 404, Worcester, MA 01608
>
> P: 508-799-1400 x31410
>
> C: 774-622-0695
>
> E: *johnstonem at worcesterma.gov <johnstonem at worcesterma.gov>*
>
> *www.worcesterma.gov
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.worcesterma.gov/__;!!O9h35Ks8fCsF!BTD_4i2UwH8wqiZ2PYbjUOIcaP5n1gjqo7XnErlfUT9jgJgnE1n3niOwsivRYvS-VUfuJCLuff3BNdAqUqxeu1OkP5_xM6Pc$>*
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> MassHistPres mailing list
> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
> https://mailman.cs.umb.edu/listinfo/masshistpres
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/pipermail/masshistpres/attachments/20250630/d5ec9405/attachment-0001.html>