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When an insurer asks what your house is made of, the answer does more than describe the look of the place. Wood frame and masonry construction carry different risks, and insurers price that difference into every policy.
Why brick and masonry homes are cheaper to insure
The logic is straightforward. Brick, concrete block, and stone do not burn, do not rot, and are not eaten by termites. Wood frame construction is more vulnerable to fire, to wind-borne debris in storms, and to pest damage. Because the expected claim cost is lower, insurers routinely quote lower premiums for masonry homes.
A survey of commercial property insurers found that quotes for concrete buildings ran 14 to 65 percent lower than quotes for wood-frame structures, which shows how seriously the industry takes the difference. Residential pricing does not swing quite that far, but the direction is the same: masonry costs less to insure, all else equal.
The earthquake exception
There is one region where the advantage flips. In earthquake-prone areas, the rigidity of brick and masonry can be a liability. Stiff walls crack and crumble under seismic shaking, while wood framing flexes and absorbs some of the movement. If you are buying a brick house near a fault line, expect the earthquake risk to show up in the quote. Note that standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage anyway, so this mostly matters for separate earthquake coverage.
Brick veneer is not the same as solid brick
Many houses that look like brick are actually wood frame with a thin brick veneer skin. From the street you cannot tell the difference, but from an insurer’s point of view they are different construction classes. Brick veneer gives you some of the wind and fire benefits of a masonry exterior, but the frame behind it is still wood. Insurers usually classify veneer between the two, which means a smaller discount than solid masonry. If your application asks, answer based on the actual structure, not the facade.
What else about construction matters
Construction type is one piece of the building profile insurers build for your home. The roof is the other big one. Metal roofs earn lower premiums than asphalt shingles in many markets, while wood shake roofs cost more. An older roof of any material raises the price. The interplay between roof and structure is covered in our guide to how roof age affects insurance rates.
If you are buying a home, find out the construction class before you get quotes, because it changes the number. If you already own, the class is listed on your policy paperwork. Review it on your declarations page and make sure it is right. A wood frame house mislabeled as masonry is a small overcharge; a masonry house mislabeled as frame means you are leaving money on the table. Pair that check with the discounts worth asking your insurer about.
