The insurance market for museums and historic homes remains competitive yet stable, with favorable loss experience, intelligent and loyal buyers, as well as a certain degree of prestige attached to it, marketers of this specialty coverage say.

The niche, while somewhat insulated from the volatility of the broader insurance market, has not been immune to the impact of the troubled economy and soft pricing trends afflicting the property and casualty industry in general, National Underwriter learned.

James M. Henry, underwriting manager for Markel Insurance, for example, said pricing for properties such as historic homes and museums has been soft–for museums in particular. “We see some fluctuation in price, with a downward trend over the past several years,” he said. “But coverage has been readily available at a competitive price for some time now for the better risks, and underwriting results have been good.”