My partner and I are planning a trip overseas and want to know how we can get contents insurance as the house will be unoccupied for more than 60 days. Whilst we will have a friend popping into the property to check on a weekly basis, they will not be living there, so we cannot claim the house is 'occupied'. Are there specialist insurers we should be investigating? Any advice you can give would be gratefully received !! Thanks.

smudger_smith:

Speak to your insurance company as they can normally arrange to endorse your policy, that provided you take certain precautions, some of the unoccupancy exclusions can be removed. Normally Insurers would exclude theft, water damage and various other perils after 30 or 60 days of unoccupancy.

The precautions required would be that the heating is left on to maintain a temperature of atleast 55F or tanks, pipes and apparatus drained, water turned off at mains and electricity switched off. House to be internally inspected atleast once every ten days. All doors and acessible windows to be locked. etc etc.

The Insurers can also normally extend the personal belongings insurance to cover a longer trip, for an additional premium. This is worth doing as the personal effects cover under Travel Insurance is normally limited.

If you are unhappy with the cover offered by your current insurers, my advice is to contact a good local insurance broker (not Swintons) and they will search for a suitable policy, to meet with your requirements.

Huckster

huckster:

The precautions required would be that the heating is left on ............and electricity switched off.

Ha, ha, ha. I had that once from More Than. They also wanted the alarm system switched on.

Jalexa:

huckster:

The precautions required would be that the heating is left on ............and electricity switched off.

Ha, ha, ha. I had that once from More Than. They also wanted the alarm system switched on.

You missed the OR. The choice is either 1) Leave heating on, so you need electricity to be on OR 2) you drain tanks,pipes apparatus, turn of water, switch off electric.

Most people choose to comply with 1) as they have security lights and Alarms which they want to operate when they are away. Plus option 2) can cost you money, if you don't know how to drain your , tanks, pipes and apparatus and turn water off from the main.

I know what you are saying though, as I have come across some comical endorsements e.g. Keep you Alarm on but switch off your electric. Yes ha,ha,ha

Huckster

huckster:

You missed the OR.

NOT in the case of More Than, though I shouldn't have used the word "also" in my post.

Possibly I should withdraw this post (can't) as I replied without noticing your last sentence.

Wasn't an edit was it?