Buildings insurance
Covers the physical structure of your property as well as its fixtures and fittings against risks
We gather quotes and compare prices from 83[1] UK insurance providers so you can find the cover you need at the best price. Super Save up to £201[2] on home insurance
Most standard home insurance policies won't cover your property if it is unoccupied for a certain period of time, which is typically more than 30 days. So, if you’re going to be away for a while, for example, because you’re going on an extended holiday or having building work done, you’ll need short term home insurance.
Whether for your own home or a rental property, if no one’s going to be living in a house or flat you own for more than 30 days, short-term unoccupied buildings insurance provides essential protection for your property and possessions during that time. If you're a landlord, you'll need short term home insurance in addition to landlord insurance.
Situations in which you may need short-term home insurance include:
As a home insurance product, short-term home insurance offers comparable protection to a standard home insurance policy, albeit for a shorter time and designed for properties that are largely unoccupied. As such, most policies include:
Covers the physical structure of your property as well as its fixtures and fittings against risks
Provides similar cover for your possessions, including your furniture and clothes
Almost a third of people still have a key to one of their previous homes, according to The Master Locksmiths Association (MLA). This means if you have not changed your locks an individual with an old key could potentially enter without any signs of forced entry, which may result in your home insurance claim being denied.
You can buy short-term home insurance that lasts for as little as one week if that’s all the cover you need, but most policies run for between three and nine months. When choosing how long to insure your property, remember that some companies limit the number of short-term policies you can take out each year, so it’s worth checking this with the insurer if you think you might need several polices.
If your home, or another property you own, is going to be unoccupied for a while, you’ll usually need both buildings and contents cover to protect the property itself and its contents. If, however, the property is completely empty, temporary building insurance alone will suffice.
When it comes to the amount of cover required, you should base short-term unoccupied buildings insurance on the rebuild cost of your home, rather than its market value. For contents cover, meanwhile, it’s important to have enough to replace all your movable possessions in the event they are destroyed or stolen. Take the time to
Calculate this properly as underestimating how much cover you need could have serious financial consequences, but over-insuring will mean paying more than necessary for unoccupied home insurance.
Short-term home insurance is usually more expensive than standard home insurance due to the extra risks involved in insuring an unoccupied property.
These include uncontrolled leaks, for example from a burst pipe, and a higher likelihood of vandalism, burglary or squatters because there’s no one living there. So, it’s vital to shop around for cheap short-term home insurance.
When choosing a policy, remember to check the levels of cover, as well as the price, as these vary between insurers. For example, some policies may refuse to pay out for unforced entry burglaries, or for damage caused by building contractors.
No, all standard home insurance policies run for 12 months, so they are not designed to provide short-term cover. The options if you need temporary home insurance are therefore to buy short-term unoccupied buildings insurance lasting for the time you need it. Or, if the property is occupied, take out a standard policy lasting 12 months and cancel it when you no longer need it. You may be able to claim a pro-rata refund for the months you don’t use. However, most insurers will charge an administration fee to organise this.
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You may be able to reduce your short-term home insurance premiums by:
Choosing a higher excess, which is the amount you pay towards any claims
Protecting your home with extra security measures such as an approved burglar alarm
Installing a smoke alarm made by an insurer-approved manufacturer
Insulating your water pipes to reduce the risk of leaks
Shopping around for the best deal using our comparison service
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Yes, with a specialist unoccupied buildings insurance policy.
Essentially yes, as the only form of short-term home insurance available is designed for unoccupied properties.
With most insurers, you can be covered from the day you take out the policy.
Yes, standalone short-term buildings insurance is available, but you can also find policies offering cover for both the physical structure of your property and its contents.
Yes, you can buy a short-term home insurance policy that lasts just one month.
Yes, some insurers offer temporary home insurance policies lasting just seven days.
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Accurate as of 17 June 2025.
51% of consumers could save up to £201.41 Consumer Intelligence , Buildings and Contents May 2025 Exc NI, CI, IOM
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