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Most standard home insurance policies only cover unoccupied homes for a maximum of 30-60 days. If your home will be empty for longer, you’ll need unoccupied house insurance to keep it protected.
Home insurance is designed to protect your home’s structure (buildings insurance) and your possessions (contents insurance).
With home insurance, your property and belongings are covered against various circumstances – called “insured events” – including fire, flood, storm damage, vehicle or aircraft impact, burglary and vandalism.
Unoccupied home insurance normally costs more than standard home insurance due to the increased risk of these events. For example, if your home is unoccupied, there may be a delay in discovering a burst pipe or flood, meaning your home suffers more damage. Or passers-by may realise your home is empty, increasing the risk of break-ins or squatting.
Unoccupied house insurance is also known as “empty house insurance”, “empty property insurance” or “vacant property insurance”.
This specialist insurance policy can cover a vacant property for three, six, nine or 12 months – sometimes even longer.
Some unoccupied home insurance policies insist on adherence to certain rules for the policy to be valid.
These rules are called “unoccupied building conditions” and may include:
There are many reasons why a property you own may be unoccupied for more than 30-60 days (the maximum period covered by standard home insurance policies).
Common reasons for leaving a property unoccupied include:
Exactly what’s covered under unoccupied home insurance varies between policies. But unoccupied home insurance will normally cover damage to the building’s structure and contents from:
| Weather | Damage from storms, hurricanes, excessive rainfall, etc. |
|---|---|
| Fire | Damage from fire, explosions or arson |
| Crime | Burglary, theft, vandalism, squatting and fly-tipping |
| Impact | Collision from a vehicle or a falling aircraft |
| Legal expenses | Solicitor’s fees for removing squatters |
| Public liability | Injury to a person caused by an incident on your property |
| Water or oil | Damage from burst, frozen or leaking pipes |
Things not covered by an insurance policy are known as “exclusions”. Exclusions on buildings insurance for an unoccupied house policy may include:
| Unforced entry | Thieves or squatters entering your home through an unlocked window or door |
|---|---|
| Renovation works | Building works are covered under a different type of insurance policy. Any contractors you hire should have their own insurance |
| Poor maintenance | Damage due to improper maintenance of the property |
| Deception | For example, theft by a tradesperson you allowed to access the property |
| Failing to stick to “unoccupied building conditions” | For example, failing to switch off utilities or drain the water system |
Unoccupied property insurance will usually be more expensive than standard home insurance because vacant properties are considered a higher risk by insurers.
Incidents such as fires, burglaries and floods may not be detected as quickly as they would be in an occupied home, leading to more extensive damage and a higher claim.
The cost of unoccupied home insurance varies among providers and depends on:
Yes, you should tell your home insurer if your home will be empty or unoccupied for more than the maximum time stipulated in your policy (normally 30 or 60 days).
Your home insurer may offer to cover the extended period for an extra premium or may stipulate certain conditions, such as turning off the electrics and draining the water system, that must be met for the policy to be valid.
You risk invalidating your home insurance policy if you fail to tell your provider that your home will be unoccupied for longer than the time set out in your policy details. Any claims you make will be rejected if your policy is deemed invalid.
Yes, you can get unoccupied home insurance if you are selling your property and have already moved out. You can normally add this cover to your existing home insurance policy, so speak to your insurance provider.
Technically, there is a difference between vacant property insurance and unoccupied home insurance.
If a property is unoccupied, no one is living there, but there are still belongings on the property. For example, your property is unoccupied if you go on an extended holiday.
A vacant property will have no one living in it and will also be empty of furniture or personal property.
You can get home insurance for both situations – talk to your insurer to ensure you get the most suitable policy.
Yes, you need unoccupied home insurance in this situation.
If you split your time between two homes, a home insurance policy with a maximum unoccupied period of 60 days may work out better than buying specialist unoccupied home insurance.
Depending on your circumstances, your existing home insurance provider should be your first option for unoccupied home insurance.
If you are taking an extended holiday or your home will only be unoccupied for a bit longer than the maximum length stated on your policy, your insurer may cover your unoccupied home for an extra premium.
In other circumstances where the property will be unoccupied for longer, you should look for an insurer that specialises in unoccupied home insurance.
You’ll normally need to speak to these insurers on the phone rather than use price comparison tools to generate a quote. Unoccupied home insurance is viewed as “non-standard” insurance, and the insurer will have extra questions to ask you.
Specialist unoccupied home insurers include:
You’ll need to do some legwork to find the right cover at the best price, so shop around and compare quotes from different insurers.
Specialist unoccupied home insurance will normally cover a vacant property for three, six, nine or 12 months, but policies can normally be extended as necessary.
Take note of any “unoccupied building conditions” stated on your policy. You may need to document regular property checks, switch off utilities, drain the water system or install certain locks to keep the policy valid.
