Can you insure an empty house?

Yes, you can insure an empty house, but most standard home insurance policies only offer limited cover after 30 days of vacancy. To stay fully protected against common risks like theft, flood or water damage, you will need a specialist unoccupied home insurance policy designed for empty properties.

Why Do You Need Special Insurance for an Empty House?

Empty properties are more vulnerable to damage, especially from undetected issues like burst pipes, vandalism or fire. With no one present to report or respond to incidents quickly, insurers consider these properties higher risk.

As a result, they often require stricter policy conditions, such as:

• Regular property inspections with written evidence
• Draining water systems
• Switching off utilities to lower the risk of fire or explosion
• If you are insuring an empty house for the first time, be sure to read and understand these conditions carefully.

Types of Coverage Available for Empty Homes:

• Buildings Insurance covers the structure of the house against risks such as fire, flood, escape of water, theft, vandalism and subsidence.
• Contents Insurance is available if the property is furnished. However, because contents in empty homes present a higher theft risk, cover limits usually apply. There is often a single article limit of £1,000, so valuables should be stored securely elsewhere.
• Property Owners Liability Insurance protects you in case someone is injured on or around the property.

Insuristic customers can choose from Bronze (FLEEA), Silver, or Gold levels:

• Silver & Gold – Broader cover including escape of water, theft, flood, vandalism, and more.
• Bronze – Covers Fire, Lightning, Earthquake, Explosion, and Aircraft impact.

How Long Can You Leave a House Empty?

Most standard insurance policies allow a home to remain unoccupied for up to 30 days. After that, full protection typically ends, and a specialist unoccupied home insurance policy is needed to stay covered.

Can You Insure an Empty House for the long term?

Yes. Some insurers—like Insuristic—offer policies for several years. However, once a property has been unoccupied for more than two years, fewer insurers are willing to quote, which may affect pricing and availability.

Why Choose Insuristic to Insure Your Empty House?

• Specialist Cover – Our policies are built specifically for unoccupied and probate properties and aren’t available through other providers.
• Easy to Arrange – Get quotes and buy cover online in minutes.
• Flexible Terms – Choose from 3, 6, 9, or 12 months, with multi-year options available.
• Comprehensive Protection – Options tailored to the reason the property is empty, with flexible cover levels.
• No Compulsory Drain Down – On Silver and Gold policies, escape of water claims are capped if water systems aren’t drained, but draining is not mandatory.
• Simple Inspections – Every 30 days for Probate policies and 14 days for Unoccupied Home policies. Just take a photo inside and outside with your phone—no written reports required.
• No Hidden Fees – No admin or cancellation charges. If you cancel early, you’ll receive a pro-rata refund

In Summary:

Yes, you can insure an empty house with a specialist unoccupied home insurance policy. Standard home insurance typically stops offering full cover after 30 days and may include restrictive conditions. Specialist cover ensures you’re protected against the increased risks associated with leaving a house empty.

For peace of mind and tailored protection, choose Insuristic.

Need More Help or Ready to Insure an Empty House?

Click on any of the links below:

• 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 the link to visit our empty house insurance FAQ page.