Insure an Empty House with Specialist Cover in Minutes
Standard home insurance often reduces or restricts cover once a property is unoccupied.
Whether your home is empty due to probate, sale, renovation, or care, we make it easy to arrange the right protection online.
No admin fees. No cancellation charges. Just flexible, tailored cover that works.
If the owner has passed away and the property at any stage of the probate process, this page isn't for you.
Specialist cover matters: Most standard home insurance policies reduce or remove cover after 30 days empty. That’s why dedicated empty house insurance is essential.
Empty homes face higher risks: Unoccupied properties are more vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and unnoticed damage like leaks or burst pipes, all of which can lead to expensive claims.
Stricter policy conditions apply: Expect requirements like regular inspections, basic maintenance, and securing utilities, all outlined clearly on this page.
Different situations, same need: Whether you need house insurance for an empty property due to probate, pending sale, renovation, or care, it still needs the right insurance.
Premiums depend on your circumstances: Your quote will vary based on how long the property is empty, its location, value, and the cover you choose.
This page covers everything you need to know — or skip ahead and get an empty house insurance quote in just 2 minutes.
Whether your property is empty due to renovation, a gap between tenants, awaiting sale, or the owner is in care, this page will guide you through everything you need to know about insuring an empty house.
You’ll discover when specialist cover is required, the risks of relying on standard home insurance, how much empty house insurance typically costs, and the key steps to arrange cover quickly and easily.
If you have questions along the way, just start an online chat or contact us. If we’re offline, we’ll follow up by email as soon as possible.
Leaving a residential property empty for more than 30 days? Standard home insurance may no longer apply, or may restrict cover significantly. That’s why it’s essential to have the right protection in place.
This page explains everything you need to know about insuring an empty house: the risks, the policy conditions, and the steps to arrange cover that actually works.
At Insuristic, we make it easy to insure an empty house quickly, securely, and with confidence. Our specialist policies are built for real-world scenarios, and we’re upfront about everything from costs to conditions.
You’ll learn:
Why empty homes carry greater insurance risks
When you need specialist cover
How to avoid common insurance pitfalls
What to look for when comparing providers
If you're ready to get started, you can request a quote in minutes, or explore our Unoccupied Home Insurance or Probate House Insurance pages for more detail on cover levels and options.
Leaving a property unoccupied for more than 30 days without specialist cover can be a costly mistake.
Many standard policies reduce or remove cover, even if you’re still paying the premium.
Without the right insurance, you could be left without protection for:
Escape of water from a burst pipe
Theft or vandalism
Fire, storm, or subsidence damage
Liability claims if someone is injured on the property
And even if a claim is accepted, failure to meet hidden conditions (like inspection requirements or draining the water system) could still invalidate it.
The solution?
Choose a policy built specifically for empty house insurance, with clear terms, flexible cover, and no nasty surprises.
That’s what we offer at Insuristic.
Empty houses need the right insurance, and standard home cover often won’t cut it once a property is left vacant for more than 30 days. Here are common situations where specialist empty house insurance is essential:
When someone dies and there’s no surviving occupant, the home often sits empty during probate, sometimes for over 6 months. Standard policies may not offer the protection executors need.
Why it matters: Executors are legally responsible for the estate’s assets, including property. To protect your liability, you'll need a policy that protects against a broad range of risks.
You can read more about this on our insuring an empty house after death and Home Insurance for Executors page. These also explain how you can buy specialist cover.
If someone enters long-term care, their home may remain empty, placing responsibility on an Attorney or Deputy.
Why it matters: You have a legal duty to protect their assets, including insurance. Failure to insure properly could lead to personal liability.
See our Insuring an Empty Home When the Owner Is in Care page for details.
If you’ve moved into a new home but your previous one is unsold, it may sit empty for weeks or months.
Why it matters: Claims while the house is empty can stall a sale or leave you paying for damage that isn’t covered.
Tip: Choose a provider like Insuristic with no early cancellation fees or other hidden costs.
Whether you’re upgrading kitchens, replacing windows, or doing a full refurb, renovations affect your insurance and must be disclosed to your insurer.
Why it matters: Many insurers restrict or remove cover unless renovations are declared.
At Insuristic, we cover the property undergoing non-structural works (up to £50,000) without charge. Structural changes (such as knocking down walls or extensions) require tailored offline cover. All of this must be declared during your quote.
If you’ll be away from your home for more than 30 days, you’re entering unoccupied territory, and your insurer must be informed.
Why it matters: Non-disclosure can invalidate your policy.
Insuristic lets you take out 3+ month cover with no cancellation fees and pro-rata refunds if your plans change and you haven't claimed.
If you know your home will be empty for longer than 60 days, for example, whilst awaiting sale, during extended travel, or its between tenants, standard home insurance likely won’t provide the cover you need. Many policies restrict or remove protection entirely after 30 days. So you need to tell your insure immediately.
That’s where Insuristic comes in. We make it easy to insure empty homes for 3, 6, 9, or 12 months — with flexibility if plans change.
Why choose Insuristic?
Tailored short-term options: Choose 3 or 6 months to match your situation — extend later if needed.
Low upfront cost: Avoid paying for longer cover than you need.
No cancellation fees: Cancel early and get a pro-rata refund (as long as no claim is made).
Automatic renewal reminders: We’ll contact you at least 20 days before the policy ends.
Quick, secure online journey: Get a quote and buy in minutes — no phone calls needed.
If your property will be unoccupied for more than 60 days, don’t risk being uninsured. Start with short-term insurance cover and adjust as your situation evolves.
Insuring an empty house is different from standard home insurance, and typically costs more. That’s because unoccupied homes carry a higher risk of damage, theft, and unnoticed issues.
At Insuristic, we make those risks easier (and more affordable) to manage with clear pricing and cover, no hidden fees, and flexible cover levels to suit your needs.
Length of unoccupancy: Longer vacancies = higher risk, but we offer short-term options to keep costs down.
Rebuild cost and size: Larger or higher-value homes cost more to insure.
Location: Properties in high-crime or flood-prone areas may attract higher premiums.
Level of cover: Bronze (FLEEA) is the most affordable; Gold includes the widest protection.
Claims history:
For non-probate policies, we ask about your personal claims history, as this affects your risk profile.
For probate policies, we only ask about known claims at the property — your personal history won’t affect the quote.
| Cover Duration | Property in Probate | Non Probate Property |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Months | £95 | £77 |
| 6 Months | £189 | £188 |
| 9 Months | £337 | £323 |
| 12 Months | £431 | £584 |
See Your Price – Get a Quick empty house insurance quote online.
Not all empty house insurance is created equal. While some providers strip out essential cover or bury key conditions in the small print, Insuristic builds protection around real-world risks — and explains them up front.
Here’s why customers choose us:
Realistic inspection terms: Just two photos every 14 days (one of the front of the property and one of any room inside ) and no written reports.
No admin or cancellation fees: Get a pro-rata refund if plans change (as long as no claim has been made).
Tailored cover levels: Bronze, Silver, or Gold, you choose the protection you need.
Optional contents cover: Add up to £30,000 if required.
In-house claims team: Our underwriters have a UK-based, expert-led, 24/7, no outsourced call centres.
If you’re comparing empty house insurance quotes, don’t just chase the lowest price, look for broad, reliable cover that protects what matters.
Want to dig deeper? Read our article: Why It’s Difficult to Compare Unoccupied Home Insurance
Here's how to get covered quickly and avoid common pitfalls:
If the property is already insured, make sure the policy allows for unoccupancy. Most don’t after 30 days, and continuing without specialist cover could invalidate your claim.
Before you get a quote, gather key info like:
Why the property is empty (e.g. probate, care, sale, renovation)
How long it’s been vacant
Whether it’s been continuously insured
Any visible damage or maintenance issues
The property's security features (locks, windows, alarms)
The rebuild cost (not market value)
At Insuristic, we offer three levels of cover: Bronze, Silver, and Gold, with flexible durations and optional contents insurance. You can tailor your policy to suit the risks you're most concerned about.
Many insurers charge admin and cancellation fees. We don’t. If you cancel early, you’ll get a pro-rata refund for unused cover (as long as no claims have been made).
Before you buy, check the claims process. Ours is 24/7, UK-based, and built around expert advice, not faceless call centres. Visit our property claims page for information.
All unoccupied home insurance policies come with conditions. These might include periodic inspections or maintaining certain security levels. Choose a provider (like us) that lays these out clearly up front, and keeps it practical.
Getting the right insurance for an empty house isn’t difficult if you do it properly.
You can cancel your Unoccupied Home Insurance policy at any time. Here's how cancellation and refunds work:
You’re entitled to a full refund if you cancel within 14 days of either:
The policy start date, or
The day you receive your documents (whichever is later),
as long as no claims have been made.
You can still cancel at any time. As long as no claims have been made (or are pending), you’ll receive a pro-rata refund for the remaining policy period.
There are no admin or cancellation fees, and cancellation is quick and hassle-free, just contact us via email or live chat.
If the property has been sold, occupied or entered probate, we can also help you arrange the correct insurance going forward.
With Insuristic, cancelling is simple. We don’t charge admin or cancellation fees. If your circumstances change and you need to cancel your policy, you’ll receive a pro-rata refund for any unused cover, as long as you haven’t made a claim.
The best insurance for an empty house is a specialist unoccupied home insurance policy tailored to the property’s risk level and your responsibilities. Look for cover that:
Remains valid for the entire unoccupancy period (not just 30–60 days)
Includes essential risks like fire, escape of water, theft, and vandalism
Has practical inspection terms (e.g. fortnightly visits with photo evidence)
Offers flexible durations and refund options if plans change
At Insuristic, our Bronze, Silver, and Gold cover levels let you choose protection based on your situation. You can also add contents cover up to £30,000 if needed.
Yes. If a property is empty for more than 30 days, most standard home insurance policies reduce or remove cover, even if you’re still paying for the policy. Many providers exclude the following cover
Escape of water from burst pipes
Vandalism and theft
Flood or Subsidence
They may also impose new policy conditions that invalidate claims if not followed
Specialist unoccupied property insurance is designed to fill this gap with the right protections and terms.
Not all empty home insurance is the same. Some policies reduce cover or hide key terms in the small print. Focus on:
What’s actually covered (e.g. theft, burst pipes, vandalism)
What you’re required to do (e.g. inspections, security)
Whether there are admin or cancellation fees
How easy it is to make a claim
Insuristic is different: we make insurance easy to understand and buy.
At Insuristic, carpets, blinds, and curtains are classed as part of the buildings not contents. That’s because they’re typically fixed in place and form part of the fabric of the home. Unlike many insurers, we cover them under buildings insurance as standard, so you don’t need to add contents cover just to protect them.
If you have further questions, you will find these answered on our empty house insurance FAQ page.
Rob Faulkner is an ACII Chartered Insurance Broker with nearly 30 years' experience in the UK insurance market. He is also a Chartered Manager and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
As the founder of Insuristic, Rob has developed clear, flexible insurance solutions for property owners and people managing empty homes.
He writes regularly on property and business insurance, with a particular focus on probate insurance, unoccupied home insurance and risk management, areas where he brings deep expertise.
Rob is especially passionate about product development and insurance education, helping people understand what they are buying. These values shape everything we do at Insuristic.
Want to learn more? Visit my author page or follow me on LinkedIn.
Insuristic Limited is an Appointed Representative of SJL (Worcester) Ltd, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with the reference number 763599. This can be checked by visiting https://register.fca.org.uk/s/.
Registered Office: Unit 2, 262 Walsall Road, Cannock, England, WS11 0JL. Registered in England and Wales No: 13926650.
Insuristic is a registered trademark. ©Copyright 2023 Insuristic Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.