Buildings insurance
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of your home – the bricks and mortar – and any permanent fittings or fixtures
Holiday home insurance
Compare quotes for holiday home insurance.
Get a holiday home insurance quote
MoneySuperMarket can help you find holiday home cover with the insurers listed below.
Click on a listing and input a few details about yourself and the property you want to cover to see that provider's prices.
UK holiday home insurance policies can be quoted and purchased online with Homeprotect. They cover some of the most complicated situations such as a listed holiday cottage by the sea or if you own an unoccupied holiday home. Apply for a quote online today. Policies are underwritten by AXA insurance.
Great for
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£1,000,000 buildings cover typically provided
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£5,000,000 worth of public liability insurance
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24/7 home emergency line. Airbnb, b&bs, coastal properties and more covered. Available to buy online
But be aware that
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No cover for holiday homes outside the UK
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If the property is empty for 30 days+ no cover is available for escape of water (1st Oct-1st April inclusive), theft, money, cards or valuables
Howden are highly rated insurance specialists with over 20 years’ experience in covering holiday home and holiday let (including Airbnb) properties in the UK and abroad. Policies are tailored around individual needs, finding the right cover at a competitive price.
Great for
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Holiday homes and holiday lets in the UK and abroad
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Reasonable unoccupancy terms
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Professional advice, UK based service and claims teams
But be aware that
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Legal cover is optional
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£100 minimum compulsory excess
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A winter condition applies in certain countries
InsureMy make it quick and easy to protect your UK home away from home. By searching multiple insurers for you and allowing you to quote and buy online, InsureMy helps you find the right cover and the right price in minutes. Policies underwritten and administered in the UK.
Great for
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Up to £1m buildings cover typically provided
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Cover also available for unoccupied and non-standard properties
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Buy and manage your policy online
But be aware that
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No cover for holiday homes outside the UK
What is holiday home insurance?
Holiday home insurance is specialised home insurance. It works like regular home insurance, and can be divided into buildings cover and contents cover.
It protects your holiday home against expensive problems such as:
Fire damage
Floods and storms
Burglary
Subsidence
Do I need holiday home insurance?
🚩 Standard home insurance does not usually cover holiday homes.
There is no law requiring you to take out any form of home insurance. But without it you will be left paying some expensive bills if something goes wrong at your second home.
Since holiday homes are often unoccupied for long periods of time, they can be more attractive to thieves. It may also take you longer to notice damage being caused by something like a leaking pipe.
💡 Top tip: If you let to paying guests you may need holiday let insurance instead.
Why is standard home insurance not suitable for holiday homes?
Standard home insurance is designed for properties inhabited full-time.
Most policies insist that a property isn’t left empty for more than 30 consecutive days in a row. At a maximum, you may find an insurer who will allow up to 45 or 60 days.
Holiday homes are usually left unoccupied for much longer time periods than this. Insurers won't cover that risk as standard.
What types of holiday home cover can I get?
As with standard home insurance, holiday home cover is divided into buildings and contents insurance.
You buy these separately or get a combined policy.
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Contents insurance
Contents cover protects the possessions in your home. Some policies also cover certain belongings out of the home
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Buildings and contents insurance
Combined policies offer maximum protection under one policy and are often cheaper
Frequently Asked Questions
What is classed as a holiday home?
A holiday home is a property you own that is:
not your main residence
used for recreational purposed by you, your family and friends and other guests
Is it more expensive to insure a holiday home?
Yes, taking out a holiday home insurance insurance policy on a property is generally more expensive than it would be to take out a standard home insurance policy.
That is because insurers consider holiday homes as having a higher risk for claims. They are often unoccupied for long periods of time, meaning problems like a burst pipe could go unnoticed for longer. Empty houses also attract thieves.
How do you insure a holiday home?
You can find holiday home insurance with MoneySuperMarket. The providers we work with are:
To get a quote, click on the insurer name above and fill in a few details about yourself and your holiday home.
What insurance do I need for an unoccupied house?
Standard home insurance will only cover unoccupied homes for a few weeks. The cut-off is usually 30 days, although some policies will allow up to 60 days.
If your home is going to be unoccupied for longer than that, you need specialised insurance to cover it. You can get:
Holiday home insurance (ideal for second homes that will be consistently unoccupied for periods of time each year)
Unoccupied home insurance (ideal for one-off situations including renovations, extended holidays, and waiting for a sale to complete)
Landlord insurance (if you rent a property and have a gap between tenants. You may need to add unoccupied cover as an add-on to your policy.)
Can I insure my overseas holiday home?
Yes, many UK insurers offer cover for holiday homes abroad.
Cover can vary and there may be exclusions, such as earthquake damage in regions prone to them.
You can also opt for a local insurance firm, although if you have a holiday home in a region where you aren't fluent in the local language you should choose a firm that is able to provide you with a translation of your policy documents.
Get my overseas holiday home insurance quote
MoneySuperMarket can help you find overseas holiday home cover with the insurers listed below.
Click on a listing and input a few details about yourself and the property you want to cover to see that provider's prices.
Howden are highly rated insurance specialists with over 20 years’ experience in covering holiday home and holiday let (including Airbnb) properties in the UK and abroad. Policies are tailored around individual needs, finding the right cover at a competitive price.
Great for
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Holiday homes and holiday lets in the UK and abroad
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Reasonable unoccupancy terms
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Professional advice, UK based service and claims teams
But be aware that
-
Legal cover is optional
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£100 minimum compulsory excess
-
A winter condition applies in certain countries
Intasure, specialists in holiday home insurance for over 20 years, offering insurance solutions for properties in the UK and overseas. Cover available whether your property is occupied, unoccupied or let out. Get a quote and buy your policy online in minutes and at your convenience.
Great for
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Limited restrictions for unoccupied properties
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Cover for properties in the UK and abroad
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Friendly, UK-based customer service and claims teams
But be aware that
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Winter warranty applies in certain countries
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Emergency travel is optional
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Limited accidental damage cover as standard – increased cover available on request
Does holiday home insurance cover paying guests?
Yes, holiday home insurance often covers guests, including paying ones. Check your policy documents to be sure, as different policies have different inclusions and exclusions.
If you sometimes rent your holiday home out and also stay in it yourself, holiday home insurance is probably the most appropriate cover for you.
If you only rent your place out and do not stay in it yourself, holiday let insurance may provide you with better cover.
How much does holiday home insurance cost?
The cost of holiday home insurance will vary depending on your individual circumstances.
Factors that affect the price of cover include:
How often the home is occupied and how it is used
Local crime levels
Property's flooding risk and subsidence history
Size of your holiday home
Your claims history
How can I reduce the cost of my holiday home insurance?
Maintain your property
Keeping your home in good condition can prevent disrepair and protect against weather damage
Enhance security
A burglar alarm and secure locks can deter thieves and may lower your premiums.
Increase your excess
The excess is a fixed contribution you pay towards any insurance claim. A higher excess can result in lower premiums. However, it will make any insurance claims more expensive for you personally.
Use one insurer
Combining your buildings and contents cover with one provider will usually save you money.
Pay annually
Paying your premium annually will be cheaper than paying monthly.
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We get paid by the companies we work with, but the payment we get doesn’t have any bearing on the information we provide. We get paid in different ways, depending on the type of product or service you buy through us. Our goal is to search deals from as wide a range of companies as possible, but we only show results from our partner providers.
Our comparison service is, and will always be, free to use.
Why should I use a price comparison website?
One of the best ways to get the lowest prices and best deals is to compare quotes from different companies. We do the work for you, comparing quotes side-by-side and giving you all the information you need so you can choose the right deal for your needs and your wallet.
We don’t give recommendations or financial advice, but we give you clear information so you can choose financial products that suit your circumstances.
Does MoneySuperMarket work with all the providers on the market?
No, not every company can be included in our service. This is because some companies don’t want their products included on comparison sites, and some decide that they would rather not pay a fee. There are also a few smaller providers who can struggle to cope with the volume of customers that can find their products if they appear on MoneySuperMarket.
Our goal is to search deals from as wide a range of companies as possible so that you can choose the deal that suits you.
Is holiday home or holiday let insurance eligible for SuperSaveClub and rewards?
No, at this time holiday home and holiday let insurance are not eligible products for unlocking our SuperSaveClub rewards. They are also not included in our Price Promise.
Reviewed on 23 Dec 2025 by
YouGov Survey 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025. Net Recommend score derived from “Which of the following online service websites would you recommend to a friend or colleague, or tell them to avoid?” Base: Current Customers of (MoneySuperMarket n=18,382, Compare the Market n=16,802, Go.Compare n=10,162, Confused.com n=8,229, Uswitch n=528).