Grown-up gap years are on the rise, but this one mistake could invalidate your insurance

'Grown-up gap years' are on the rise thanks to an increase in both paid and unpaid breaks being offered by UK employers.

In 2024, 53% of organisations reported offering sabbaticals to all staff in their benefits packages ¹ and research by MoneySuperMarket confirms that nearly 4.9 million working Brits (14.45%) have taken a sabbatical².

Younger people are driving the grown-up gap year travel trend, with nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials having either been on a sabbatical or currently planning one, compared to 30% of Gen X and 24% of Baby Boomers. 

Among those who have taken a sabbatical, 13% left the country for more than a year, while 20% went for between six months and a year³.

Four out of ten (39%) working age adults don’t know about a clause that could invalidate their home insurance while they’re out of the country.  

While these extended breaks offer great opportunities to really unwind and see the world, many people taking these trips are unaware of a serious mistake they could be making that would invalidate their home insurance.

Most home insurance policies have an important clause that says they won't cover a home that's been unoccupied for more than 30 days, and MoneySuperMarket's survey found that nearly a fifth of Brits (17%) have put their homes and belongings at risk by going away for more than 30 days without notifying their insurance company.  

Research comes as UK property insurance payouts are set to hit their highest level in nearly 20 years, driven by high building costs and the effects of climate change.  Claims paid by insurers in 2024 will total £5.5bn according to external analysis⁴ – the highest level since 2007 when torrential summer floods broke records and were classified as a natural disaster.  

What's at risk by leaving your home uninsured?

Standard home insurance policies don't typically cover homes that unoccupied for long periods because there is a higher risk of something happening.

Without people there to maintain the property, fix minor problems, and deter thieves, all sorts of minor issues can easily become much bigger ones.

For example, escape of water – defined as damage caused by water leaks within a property – is the number one cause of home insurance claims according to MoneySuperMarket data⁵.

This kind of damage often happens when a property isn't maintained properly, especially during cold whether where pipes are prone to freezing. Owners that aren't there to keep warm water running and fix small leaks are then facing the risk of those small leaks become big leaks while they're away.

Without home insurance to cover the cost of these damages, homeowners could be facing repair bills worth thousands of pounds.

MoneySuperMarket’s research shows that four in 10 people surveyed had made a claim on their home insurance in the last five years, with an average pay out of £10,216⁶.

How to stay insured when you're out of the country

The most important first step to staying insured while you're enjoying your sabbatical is to inform your insurer if you plan to leave the insured property unoccupied for more than 30 days.

Some home insurance policies offer basic cover for properties that are temporarily unoccupied. However, this cover usually comes with special conditions, like leaving the heating on in winter, and you may not be insured for certain types of events while you're away.

If this cover isn't available with your current insurance provider, your other option is unoccupied home insurance - specialised insurance for unoccupied properties.

^{1 Chartered Institute of Managers – Managers Voice report} 

^{2 Based on 14.45% of estimated 33,780,000 of UK residents aged 16+ in employment: UK labour market Statistics 2025.}

<sup>3 All consumer polling figures unless otherwise stated are from a poll of 2,000 adults carried out on behalf of MONY Group by Censuswide between 28/01/2025 and 29/01/2025.

Generations referenced are defined as follows:  
- Generation Z (18-27) 
- Millennial Generation or Generation Y (28-43)
- Generation X (44-59) 
- Baby Boomer Generation (60-78)</sup>

^{4 Deloitte report – UK property insurance payouts hit highest level since 2007} 

^{5 Escape of water claims account for 30.06% of all home insurance claims based on MoneySuperMarket consumer data acquired between 01/01/2024 and 31/12/2024.} 

^{6 Based on MoneySuperMarket home insurance data - average home insurance claim payout in 2024}