Property value
Expensive properties and belongings cost more to repair and replace, so you’ll have to pay more to cover them.
Unoccupied house insurance covers you when your home is empty for longer than your regular policy will allow. Standard home insurance only insures you if your home is empty for up to 30 or 60 days, depending on the terms. And if anything happens outside this period you won’t be covered.
This is because the chances of theft go up when your home is empty for an extended period. An empty house also carries a higher risk of structural damage – for example, if a pipe bursts and there’s no-one there to repair it, the effects could be even more damaging.
Unoccupied home insurance is not included in a normal home insurance policy, so you'll need to take out a separate policy/add-on if a property you own is going to be empty for a prolonged period. However, you can still get buildings insurance and contents insurance as part of an unoccupied insurance policy.
Yes. In insurance terms, vacant and unoccupied mean two different things. An unoccupied property remains furnished, even though nobody is currently living there. A vacant property is not lived in – often because it’s not fit for habitation – and has no contents or personal belongings inside it.
Situations in which you might need unocccupied property insurance include:
Unoccupied home insurance policies vary, but you can generally expect to find the following features.
Storm, flood or fire damage
In case a natural disaster happens while you’re away
Escape of water or oil
For if a pipe bursts or there’s a leakage somewhere in the house
Theft and/or attempted theft
In case someone successfully breaks in or attempts to break into your home and steal your belongings
Vandalism
In case criminal damage occurs in your absence
Legal expenses
In case you need to pay legal fees for the removal of squatters or trespassers or due to personal identity theft
Public liability insurance
For damage caused by something falling off the property; for example, if a roof tile falls and breaks a car window
Unforced entry
Leaving your doors and windows unlocked or open is a sure-fire way to void a home insurance policy, because thieves and squatters can get into your property without forcing entry
Major works
Some insurers will refuse to cover incidents that happen during major works such as an extension or repairs to the home’s structure
Contractors
If you hire contractors to work on your home while it’s unoccupied, you might not be covered for any damage they cause. Contractors should have their own insurance to cover the damage
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.
The cost of insurance for unoccupied homes will depend on factors such as:
Expensive properties and belongings cost more to repair and replace, so you’ll have to pay more to cover them.
If your property is in an area with high crime rates or a high risk of flooding, the price of cover will go up.
Improving the security features of your home when it’s empty will help to prevent burglaries and should therefore reduce the cost of cover.
Ensuring your water pipes are insulated during winter months will help to avoid escaped water damaging your home and can therefore lead to lower premiums.
The more added extras you choose and the higher the level of cover you take out, the more you’ll pay in premiums.
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You’ll need to contact your insurance company to make a claim, for example by phone or online. So, it’s always a good idea to check if your insurer has any specific terms – examples of this could include needing to contact them within a certain time or file a police report.
Other things to consider before claiming include:
No-claims bonus: Insurers often offer discounts on premiums if you haven’t claimed for a long time – but if you do make a claim, you’ll lose this bonus, meaning your premiums will likely go up
Excess: Your excess is the initial amount you pay towards a claim before your insurer picks up the remaining cost. It can be steep in some cases, so it’s worth considering whether it’s cheaper to preserve your no-claims bonus and pay for the damage yourself. Be sure that you are able to afford your excess amount as this is the amount you will need to pay each time you make a claim.
Ways to keep unoccupied house insurance premiums down include:
Measures such as fitting an insurer-approved burglar alarm can help to keep unoccupied home insurance costs down because they reduce the chances of you having to make a claim.
Paying for your premium upfront, rather than in monthly instalments, works out cheaper over the year because monthly repayments usually have interest added on.
Increasing the amount you will pay towards any claim can cut your premiums but be sure you can afford the excess amount you choose.
If you’re not living in a property, you may well be removing many of your valuables, such as jewellery and electronic devices. So, bear this in mind when estimating the value of the home’s contents.
As with any kind of insurance, the aim is to get the level of cover you need for the lowest possible price.
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Yes. You risk invalidating your home insurance policy if you need to make a claim and you fail to tell your provider that your home is unoccupied for longer than the time set out in your policy details.
Usually, yes. Insurers tend to charge more for unoccupied home insurance because of the increased risk of break ins and of extensive damage from flooding, for example.
If you have a second home that’s unoccupied for long periods, you’ll need unoccupied property insurance. But if your second home is unoccupied for fewer than 30 days at a time, most standard home insurance policies will provide the cover you need.
Landlord insurance policies generally cover unoccupied properties for 60 rather than 30 days. However, if your rental property is going to be empty for longer than this, you’ll need unoccupied home insurance, which can run for up to 12 months.
Yes, you can take out unoccupied house insurance to cover a property that is up for sale and won’t be lived in for longer than 30 or even 60 days. This can often be taken out as an add-on to your existing home insurance policy.
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