Insurance for Cape May, America’s First Seaside Resort
Cape May is the only U.S. city entirely designated a National Historic Landmark district, with more than 600 historic buildings, most of them Victorian, rebuilt after the great fire of 1878. Two-thirds of its homes are seasonal. Historic construction, inns, flood and wind are what a Cape May policy has to get right.
Written and reviewed by Nate Feuerman, Stonebrook Insurance
Updated
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Short answers
Who insures Victorian homes in Cape May, NJ?
Stonebrook Insurance is an independent agency that insures Cape May homes, inns, cars and businesses, including with carriers that rebuild historic homes with matching materials.
Do I need flood insurance in Cape May?
Most homes should carry it; Cape May sits about 10 feet above sea level, with the ocean and the harbor on two sides.
Do you insure B&Bs and inns?
Yes, with property, guest liability, liquor and business income.
Does historic district status change rebuild costs?
It can. Ordinance or law coverage pays for the extra cost of rebuilding to required standards.
Cape Island, a great fire and a Victorian rebuild.
The cape is named for Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, the Dutch captain who charted this coast in the early 1600s. The town became Cape Island in 1848 and Cape May City in 1869. By the mid-1700s it was already drawing summer visitors, which is why it calls itself America’s oldest seaside resort.
Presidents came: Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Ulysses Grant, Chester Arthur and Benjamin Harrison, who made Congress Hall his Summer White House in 1889. Then in 1878 a five-day fire burned about 30 blocks. The town rebuilt almost entirely in the Victorian style, with architect Stephen Decatur Button designing more than 40 buildings.
That rebuild is why Cape May looks the way it does. The historic district of about 380 acres was named a National Historic Landmark on May 11, 1976. In 1970 volunteers saved the Emlen Physick Estate from demolition and founded the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts.
Everything you insure in Cape May, in one place.
The local facts that shape your coverage.
From Census data and the National Register.
| Fact | Cape May | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,768 (2020); 40,000–50,000 in summer | Inns, rentals and crowds. |
| Homes vs. households | 4,157 housing units; 1,382 households (2020) | About two-thirds seasonal or vacant. |
| Historic district | 600+ buildings, NHL 1976 | Costly, careful rebuilds. |
| Elevation | About 10 feet; high point 14 feet | Flood and surge. |
| 1878 fire | About 30 blocks burned | Close-set wood buildings. |
| Ferry | Cape May–Lewes Ferry | The town at the end of the Parkway. |
The Cape May our clients know.
Washington Street Mall
The pedestrian heart of town.
Congress Hall
Rebuilt in 1879 after the fire; Harrison’s Summer White House.
Emlen Physick Estate
The 1879 house saved by volunteers in 1970.
The Beachfront
Hotels and Victorians facing the ocean.
Cape May Harbor
Commercial and sport fishing, and whale-watching boats.
Coast Guard Training Center
Where every Coast Guard recruit trains.
An independent agency for Cape May.
Because we’re independent, we compare more than 25 carriers, including the high-net-worth carriers in our Private Client group, and put your home, cars and umbrella together.
Many Cape May owners run an inn or rent by the week, and keep a primary home elsewhere. We put it all together.
Send us your declarations pages and we’ll show you what we’d change.
What our clients say.
Five-star reviews from Stonebrook clients on Google.
“This agency got me a better policy for a fraction of what I was paying prior. I highly recommend giving them a try!”
“Great experience overall. Responsive, knowledgeable, and easy to work with. Everything was handled clearly and efficiently.”
“Straightforward advice and great rates! I like how they don't hesitate to point you to a different agency or carrier if they feel you can get better elsewhere”
More for Cape May homeowners.
What Cape May homeowners ask us.
What insurance agency serves Cape May, NJ?
Stonebrook Insurance Group, an independent agency founded in 1982, insures Cape May homes, inns, cars and businesses.
Who is Cape May named for?
Dutch captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey.
Why are there so many Victorian buildings?
A five-day fire in 1878 burned about 30 blocks, and the town rebuilt in the Victorian style.
Is all of Cape May a historic district?
It’s described as the only U.S. city entirely designated a National Historic Landmark district.
How do I get a quote?
Call (732) 905-4100, email info@stonebrookins.com, or use the form on this page.
Sources for this page
Figures come from the sources listed and are dated where the source gives a date. Coverage descriptions are general; your policy wording controls.
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