Do You Need Buildings Insurance for an Empty House?

Yes, you do. Buildings insurance for an empty house is essential to protect the structure of the property while it is unoccupied. Most standard home insurance policies reduce or remove cover once a property is empty for more than 30 days. Without specialist protection, your property could be exposed to costly risks such as fire, flood, escape of water, theft or malicious damage.

Why Standard Cover May Not Be Enough

Once a house is unoccupied, insurers often see it as higher risk. Many will only offer basic FLEEA cover such as fire, lightning, earthquake, explosion and aircraft. This limited protection excludes many common claims such as water damage or theft.
If you rely on standard insurance, your claim could be rejected or your policy invalidated.

When Is Buildings Insurance for an Empty House Required?

You will need specialist cover if the property is empty due to:

• Probate
• Sale delays
• Renovation
• The owner moving into care
• A gap between tenants

Even if cover is not legally required, it is essential if you want to protect the building from major risks and meet any mortgage requirements.

What Does Specialist Buildings Insurance Cover?

With Insuristic, you can choose the right level of protection depending on your needs:

• Basic FLEEA cover, including fire and explosion
• Wider cover, including theft, malicious damage, escape of water, flood and subsidence
• Property Owners Liability as standard
• Optional contents insurance if the property is furnished

Why Choose Insuristic?

• Cover available for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months
• Designed specifically for empty homes
• No hidden charges or cancellation fees
• Pro-rata refunds if cancelled without a claim
• Policies tailored for homeowners, executors, attorneys or landlords

Summary: Do You Need Buildings Insurance for an Empty House?

Yes, buildings insurance for an empty house is vital once the property is left unoccupied for more than 30 days. Standard policies usually limit cover or apply strict conditions. A specialist policy from Insuristic ensures the building remains protected while vacant, giving you peace of mind and helping you meet legal or lender obligations.

Need More Help or Ready to Insure an Empty House?

• A Guide to Insuring an Empty House
• How to Insure an Empty House after the Death of the Owner
• Our Unoccupied Home Insurance Page, which explains the level of cover available
• If the property is empty at any stage of Probate, our Probate House Insurance page explains our unique approach to this and the level of cover available.

Click to go back to our empty house insurance FAQ page.