Home insurance offers protection against unexpected circumstances, affording you peace of mind that you will not face high costs due to unexpected events such as storms, fire, or a burglary.

Home insurance costs are based on a number of contributing factors, such as the type of home, any previous claims you may have had, and your home’s security, among other things.

But did you know that your address can influence your home insurance premium? Research has identified counties and areas in Ireland where you will be charged more for protecting your home. This is known as the ‘eircode Lottery’ or ‘address penalty’.

Your home is given a score, or risk profile, when you are given a quote for insurance and your address contributes to this. Areas that are prone to flooding, subsidence, or have higher rates of break ins will all face higher home insurance costs, irrespective of the type of home you wish to insure.

There are, of course, other factors besides the address that will have a bearing on the premium that you are quoted for home insurance such as the construction, age, and size of the property which will have an effect on the rebuild cost of your home. The value of your contents, any specific valuables that you wish to protect, as well as the security of your home will also contribute to your home insurance cost.

Garda statistics suggest that about 14 burglaries a day occurred in the first half of 2025, with Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council, and the Fingal areas being most hit per 100,000 population.

More rural areas such as Roscommon, Longford, Claire, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim all experienced a significant increase in residential burglaries in 2023, which math will likely be reflected in insurance premiums.

If your home is in an area more prone to break ins, then you may be able to offset the resulting premium hike by installing additional security measures such as alarms, monitored alarms, or high quality locks.

Statistically, Dublin has the highest number of residences prone to flooding but coastal areas such as Kerry, Cork, and Wexford also experience higher rates of coastal flooding as well as lower lying areas, such as the Shannon estuary, which are also flood prone.

If your home is located close to a body of water, you may find that this has a knock on effect on your home insurance, meaning higher premiums or even having to purchase ex flood home insurance cover that excludes protection against damage to your home due to flooding.

Underlying geology and soil types mean that some areas are more prone to subsidence, including Dublin, Cork, and Meath. However, Galway, Clare, and Roscommon are the most subsidence prone areas in Ireland.

Spells of prolonged drought and, conversely, intense rainfall can mean that the rates of subsidence increase due to movement of soil.

If your home is in a subsidence prone area, you may only be able to find home insurance that excludes cover for damage due to subsidence, or you may have to purchase non-standard home insurance.

It may be possible to carry out work to your home to remedy the issue and provide a home insurer with an engineer’s report in order to obtain cheaper home insurance cover but this can be expensive.

Although the effect of your address on your home insurance costs may not seem especially significant over the course of a year, it can really add up over time.

If your mortgage term is 30 years, for example, an additional €20 per month could add up to almost €10,000 over the term even without the effects of price rises, inflation, or having to make a claim being taken into account.

The following examples show quotes for 3 bed semi detached houses, all built to standard construction within 5 years either side of the year 2000. Quotes are for buildings and contents insurance, with a rebuild value of €400,000 and a contents value of €35,000. All prices are monthly.

These quotes show a significant price difference depending on where in the country you live. The lowest quote was €48.06 for Dublin 14, and the highest was €78.62 for Ennis, Co. Clare. These price differences are largely down to location, given that the amount of cover and type of property were broadly similar.

Is there a way to negate the effects of your address on your home insurance premium? Not completely but there are ways to get cheaper house insurance as your address is only one factor that affects the quote you receive.

Home insurance offers invaluable peace of mind that your home is protected in an unexpected event. The Eircode lottery means that home insurance premiums can vary depending on your home’s address and its risk factors.

By taking control of factors where you can effect improvement, such as upping your home’s security, and seeking our professional and impartial advice on customising your cover, or finding alternative home insurance options, Compare Insurance can help you to get home insurance cover for the unexpected.

Complete our online assessment today and get a range of quotes for home insurance, or receive a call back to discuss your options in more detail for a great deal on home insurance, whatever your address.