UNOCCUPIED HOME
INSURANCE
We help vacant property owners compare insurance quotes with less hassle , no matter where your property is based.
Unoccupied homes are as their name suggests, whether dilapidated homes for restoration or second homes, leaving a property unoccupied will bring with it some risks, but what can you do to protect it?
So why leave it empty in the first place? There are a number of reasons why you may be required to leave your property unattended or unoccupied for certain lengths of time:
Whatever the reason for having to leave the property unoccupied, it can be worth having some specialist insurance – known as unoccupied property insurance – in place to cover the property against costs incurred as a result of damage caused by weather conditions or by human factors such as squatters or vandals.
Unoccupied house insurance policies are designed to be short-term policies, and can range from 30-45 days depending on your broker, although longer-term cover for periods of three to twelve months can be arranged depending on your circumstances.
Before approving an unoccupied home insurance quote, your insurance broker will want to know several things:
As with most home insurance policies, the more expensive the property, the more expensive it’s going to be to insure it, even in an unoccupied state. The older the building is, including listed buildings, will also affect the price as they may be more at risk from historic structural damage.
If the property is in a bad state of repair – including broken windows and boarded up entrances – then brokers are likely to view this in a bad light. Some insurers may offer a cheaper deal on unoccupied home insurance if you take the necessary steps to protect the property while you’re not there, especially during periods of renovation.
Having some form of security system in place during times of non-occupation can help to reduce your premium price as it shows you’re taking steps to protect the property even if you’re not there.
This can range from changing the locks and fitting industry-approved locks in their place to installing security systems such as burglar alarms and CCTV in order to deter vandals and squatters from your unoccupied property.
Check your utilities when it comes to an unoccupied property, as these can cost you unnecessarily should you have no control over them.
Having time-controlled heating in place can help keep the property comfortably warm even when you’re not there, and this’ll also help prevent your pipes from freezing in cold weather, reducing the risk of damage caused by burst pipes.
Brokers will usually have exclusions on their unoccupied home insurance, and this can vary from insurer to insurer, so it’s worth reading your terms and conditions in detail before taking out a policy.
Some exclusions include:
Leaving a house unoccupied for any length of time comes with a level of risk, but by taking steps to ensure the property is protected in your absence you can help to reduce your insurance premiums.
If you’ve an unoccupied home for any reason and are looking for a better deal on your unoccupied home insurance policy, fill in a few details here at Quotiva and let us compare for you. We use a network of top UK-based brokers to find you a better deal.