Cover for empty properties is harder to compare than standard cover because it’s considered ‘non‑standard’ due to the higher risk of claims, such as burst pipes, vandalism, or theft.
As a result, fewer insurers offer it, and those that do apply inconsistent cover levels, stricter conditions, and varied exclusions
This lack of consistency makes it difficult to compare these policies like-for-like, especially when many online providers don’t clearly explain what is included or what conditions apply when comparing this type of cover.
This guide from Insuristic outlines what to watch out for when comparing unoccupied home insurance, it’s essential to check the policy terms carefully, including the hidden conditions, cover gaps, and pitfalls most people miss.
You might think it is easy to compare this type of cover, but unfortunately, often it isn’t.
The insurance market considers empty property insurance as ‘non-standard home insurance’ because of the higher risk of claims empty property poses.
Not every insurer wants to cover this; where they do, there isn’t a consistent policy and cover structure.
Empty homes pose a higher risk of claims from burst pipes, vandalism, fire, theft, etc.
So, to manage their profitability, insurers try to limit their losses by applying more restrictive cover and policy conditions than what you would find on your standard home insurance policy.
So, unoccupied property insurance buyers are faced with varying cover levels and policy conditions they aren’t used to like property inspections, switching off utilities or draining water systems.
Many providers don’t flag these differences upfront. You must read and understand the terms in every quote to understand what you must do to comply with the policy conditions.
Plus, the market is smaller than that of standard home insurance, which means there is less choice, and the right cover is often hard to find.
This post will walk you through the challenges of comparing and finding the right policy if you’re insuring a property in probate or temporarily empty. Understanding the differences in exclusions and conditions is crucial.
Alternatively, you could get a quote from Insuristic in a couple of minutes online.
We have explained everything you need to know upfront, with cover that won’t catch you out, prices that won’t break the bank and an in-house claims service to help you should the worst happen.
To make this easier for our clients, we have developed two specialist policies:
Most people are used to visiting a comparison site to check prices on their car, home and travel insurance.
However, because of the reasons I have already explained, it is almost impossible to compare unoccupied home insurance due to variations between providers. Many people don’t realise that comparison sites aren’t insurance brokers.
Comparison Sites are effectively affiliate businesses that capture your information and pass it virtually to their panel of insurance brokers and insurers so you can insure directly.
Whilst their convenience can make getting standard insurance policies easier, they are an extra mouth to feed in the chain.
This is why you will never find Insuristic on a comparison site.
If you look at the leading comparison sites, my view is backed up by their lack of ability to compare unoccupied building insurance cover:
None of this is easy.
Therefore, it may be worth approaching specialists like Insuristic first. We have done the thinking for you with a quality product designed specifically for insuring empty property.
When searching for an unoccupied home insurance comparison online, it’s easy to assume you’re seeing like-for-like quotes, but most aren’t.
That’s because key details like inspection requirements, water system conditions, or excluded risks often aren’t clearly disclosed.
The most common cover provided by standard and non-standard home insurance providers is referred to as FLEEA Insurance, which covers damage caused by Fire, lightning, Earthquake, Explosion and Aircraft.
This is a pretty basic cover and may not be appropriate for many people.
Suppose you are legally responsible for insuring property in your care, such as arranging insurance as an executor or insuring an empty property.
Or, the owner is in care, making you responsible for insuring via a power of attorney or deputy via the Court of Protection. In either scenario, be cautious with this level of coverage.
If there is an uninsured loss, such as theft or a burst pipe, you could be liable for the loss as you could have arranged insurance for it.
Insuristic will provide this cover if it is appropriate for your needs and is our Bronze level of cover.
The challenge you will find online is that many cheaper insurance policies are on this basis. But others might mix it up and include some (or all) cover for:
The differing cover and excesses insurers charge in the event of a loss make it difficult for a non-insurance person to compare the cover on a like-for-like basis.
But it’s not just the cover level that varies; so do the unique requirements of each insurer to manage the risks your empty property faces.
Most people have never insured an empty property before, so they may not be familiar with these requirements, which are often conditions of the policy.
Warning: Non-compliance with policy conditions can mean your claim is declined or reduced.
Here are some examples of common policy conditions to look out for:
In addition, most insurers want you to keep the property presentable with a lived-in appearance to minimise the risk of theft and break-ins so they may contain the following conditions in the policy:
Because the cover varies so much, it’s hard to do.
When searching for an unoccupied home insurance comparison online, it’s easy to assume you’re seeing like-for-like quotes — but most aren’t. Key details like inspection requirements, water system conditions, or excluded risks often aren’t made clear upfront.
For instance, the Financial Ombudsman Service has handled cases where insurers rejected claims due to ambiguous ‘unoccupied’ clauses. Learn more about these cases here.
Before you start your search, it’s essential to understand how to compare this cover based on your actual needs, not just the price.
When you compare unoccupied home insurance, look beyond the premium. Consider both the level of cover and the policy conditions, as these can vary significantly between insurers and affect your ability to claim.
For inspiration, take a look at the cover Insuristic provides. Our Unoccupied Home Insurance and Probate House Insurance pages detail Bronze, Silver and Gold cover levels, so you can clearly see what’s included, like protection for escape of water, theft, or subsidence and any conditions you need to meet.
Use this as a benchmark. Standardise your enquiries by asking other providers to match these specific cover levels. This will help simplify your comparison and ensure you’re reviewing policies on a like-for-like basis.
Once you receive quotes, review them against your requirements and identify any coverage gaps or restrictive conditions that could cause issues later.
Finally, think about flexibility. It’s hard to know exactly how long you’ll need cover, particularly during probate or while selling a house. Be sure to check if the provider charges fees for early cancellation or policy setup, as these costs can add up and reduce the overall value of the policy.
Lastly, you will only know how good a policy is when you need to make a claim.
Before you buy a policy, review the provider’s website to see how easy it is to make a claim. Is the information easy to find? Do they explain the process? Would it be easy to do?
For example, if you look at the Insuristic website, every product page clearly explains how to make a claim. For example, check out our property claims page.
If all of this sounds like too much work, Insuristic can simplify the process. Our policies are designed specifically for empty properties
Here are some reasons to insure with Insuristic:
If you’re struggling to make sense of your unoccupied home insurance comparison, it might be time to ditch the guesswork. At Insuristic, we’ve done the heavy lifting with clearly defined cover levels, transparent conditions, and flexible durations.
Visit our Unoccupied Home Insurance page to learn more and get a quote in minutes.
If you’re looking for tailored guidance beyond comparison tools, these resources can help:
Rob Faulkner is a leading expert in executor insurance risk and probate insurance, with nearly 30 years’ experience in the UK insurance market. He is the founder of Insuristic, a specialist provider of probate-related insurance solutions and educational content for executors.
Rob is an ACII Chartered Insurance Broker, a Chartered Manager, and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. His background spans insurers, brokers, and Insurtechs, always focused on innovation, transparency, simplicity, and fair value.
He’s passionate about helping everyday people, executors, beneficiaries, and law firms choose the right probate property insurance or unoccupied home insurance, without jargon, inflated fees, or hidden commissions.
Rob is especially passionate about product development and improving insurance education through marketing, helping people understand what they are buying. These values sit at the heart of everything we do at Insuristic.
Want to learn more? Visit my author page or follow me on LinkedIn.
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