If you’re looking for specialist cover to protect a property during probate, this page explains everything you need to know.
We provide tailored Probate Property Insurance, designed for situations where a home is unoccupied at any stage of the probate process, whether there is a Will or not. Cover does not end when probate is granted; it continues while the executors or administrators are responsible for insuring the property, until it is sold, inherited, or occupied again.
On this page, you’ll learn who needs cover, what it includes, how much it costs, and how to arrange it quickly and easily.
Insuristic offers probate house insurance that isn’t available through comparison sites, and you’ll struggle to beat our cover and pricing anywhere else.
You can choose short-term or annual policies, pick from three levels of cover, and insure just the buildings or include contents. There are no cancellation fees, and our quotes are supported by a UK-based in-house claims team.
Insuristic makes Insuring a house in probate easy and stress free. This is exactly what most of our customers say. Don't just take our word for it. You can see what they say in our many 5 star reviews on our Trustpilot page.
Get an instant Probate House Insurance Quote or learn more about our cover levels below.
Our policy is exclusively available from Insuristic. It has been designed specifically for empty property in probate and is suitable for any stage of the probate process.
On this page, you will find all the information you need to understand and choose the right probate house insurance policy for your needs.
If you need help, start an online chat or contact us. Please note that during busy periods or outside of office hours, we will reply to your questions via email as soon as possible.
Responsible for insuring an occupied property?
We have a specialist solution for this. Please visit our Occupied House Insurance During Probate page to learn more or request a quote.
If you're researching probate house insurance, you've likely encountered a lot of information and may feel overwhelmed by the options available.
Many insurance providers offer general unoccupied home insurance policies (as do we for properties not in probate), but these policies may not adequately address the unique challenges of insuring an empty property during probate.
At Insuristic, we understand the complexities of this situation.
Our founder, Rob Faulkner, an ACII Chartered Insurance Practitioner, personally experienced the frustrations of navigating probate and developed our specialised Probate House Insurance policy to help others in similar situations.
Our policy is designed to provide comprehensive cover throughout the entire probate process, from:
We offer flexible cover options on a short-term or annual basis to meet your specific needs, making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Our policy is designed to provide comprehensive cover throughout the entire probate process, starting from the moment the property becomes empty, even before a Grant of Probate is applied for, and continuing until the executors or administrators are no longer responsible for insuring it. This could be when the property is inherited, sold, or occupied again, even after probate has been granted.
We offer flexible cover options on a short-term or annual basis to suit your needs, helping make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
We’re committed to making property insurance easier for executors during what is often a difficult time. You may also find these resources helpful:
Get an instant Probate House Insurance Quote today.
As the executor, administrator (if there is no Will), or personal representative, you have a legal responsibility to protect the deceased’s property while it, or the proceeds of its sale, are passed to the rightful beneficiaries or next of kin.
This can be a difficult and emotional time. The last thing you need is added stress, especially from unexpected financial risks that could arise if the property is underinsured or not insured at all.
If you fail to insure the property correctly, you may be personally liable for any uninsured or underinsured losses. For example:
If the policy doesn’t cover common risks such as burst pipes, you could be left footing the repair bill.
If the rebuild value is significantly underestimated—for instance, £300,000 instead of £600,000—you’d only receive a maximum payout of £300,000 (less the excess), leaving a substantial shortfall.
Uninsured losses like these can be significant, which is why it's essential to choose the right cover—and the right insurance partner. At Insuristic, we specialise in unoccupied house insurance during probate and understand the unique responsibilities executors face.
Many providers do not offer probate-specific insurance. Instead, they provide generic empty property policies designed for short-term empty property, such as between tenants or while a property is being sold. These policies are typically created to protect the insurer’s interests, not the executor’s.
As a result, they often include:
These types of policies are designed to minimise the insurer’s financial exposure, not to safeguard you from personal liability for underinsurance or inadequate cover.
As an executor, it’s vital to choose a policy that is tailored to the responsibilities you carry. That’s exactly what Insuristic provides.
On top of this, many insurers charge administrative fees, instalment penalties, and cancellation fees—even though early cancellation is common with probate insurance.
To better understand your legal responsibilities, visit our Home Insurance For Executors page, where we explain the full extent of your liability and how Insuristic can support you through it.
Whether you’re applying for a Grant of Probate or managing the property until it’s sold, insuring a house in probate ensures the estate is protected from costly risks like theft, water damage, or liability claims.
Get a quick quote today and take the stress out of safeguarding the property.
Many standard insurers don’t offer adequate solutions for insuring a house in probate, often limiting cover or excluding key risks. Insuristic’s policy is built specifically for this purpose.
It is common for probate property insurance policies to end once the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration has been issued, particularly when there is no Will.
However, Insuristic recognises that the property often remains the responsibility of executors or administrators beyond this point. It may still require protection until it is sold, inherited, or becomes occupied.
That is why our cover continues through every stage of the probate process, providing uninterrupted protection exactly when you need it.
Our probate house insurance can begin as soon as the property becomes empty following the owner's death, and it continues until the property has been sold or distributed by the executors or personal representatives, or if it becomes occupied.
From that point, the house will need to be insured on another policy, which could be:
If you are unsure when your probate house insurance should end or which policy is appropriate next, please contact us. We’re here to help.
The cost will vary depending on providers, the level of cover you buy, and how long you need to insure the property.
Currently, the average Insuristic customer spends the following, with at least our Silver level of cover (pricing correct between May 2024-25):
| Cover Duration | Probate Property |
|---|---|
| 3 Months | £95 |
| 6 Months | £189 |
| 9 Months | £337 |
| 12 Months | £431 |
Our insurance policy offers three levels of cover, Bronze, Silver or Gold.
Executors should consider the level of risk they are prepared to take and choose the most suitable insurance policy.
Most executors choose to buy at least our Silver cover.
Here is an overview of each cover level:
Bronze is our basic level of cover. It only covers loss or damage to the buildings (or contents if you have chosen to insure that) caused by:
Fire
Lightning
Explosion
Earthquake; or
Aircraft
This cover is often referred to as FLEEA Insurance cover.
In addition, level 1 also includes:
Architects & Surveyor's fees and debris removal
Property owners liability insurance, covering your legal liabilities up to £2,000,000 should a member of the public be injured or have their property damaged at your premises.
Exclusions will be found in your Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) or policy wording.
Extends the cover provided by Bronze to also include:
Subsidence, flood, vandalism, escape of water and theft
£3,500 cover for claims caused by malicious damage, escape of water or theft.
Full escape of water cover if the system is drained down.
Please note:
The maximum amount payable for claims is the sums insured listed on your policy schedule.
If water systems cannot be drained, the maximum amount payable for an escape of water claim is £3,500 and this is providing that you keep the heating to a minimum temperature of 15° Celsius between 1st of October and 31st March and, where fitted, must keep the loft hatch open.
Gold is our highest level of cover.
It extends the cover included in Silver, removing the £3,500 claims cap on malicious damage, escape of water or theft claims.
Please note:
The maximum amount payable for claims is the sums insured listed on your policy schedule.
If water systems cannot be drained, the maximum amount payable for an escape of water claim is £5,000 and this is providing that you keep the heating to a minimum temperature of 15° Celsius between 1st of October and 31st March and, where fitted, must keep the loft hatch open.
Executors should take care when comparing probate and unoccupied home insurance policies, as cover levels and conditions vary widely—this guide explains why it's difficult to compare policies and what to watch out for.
If you want to see at a glance what is or isn't covered, please view the IPID (Insurance Product Information Document) for your preferred cover level.
The insurance policy is underwritten by SJL (Worcester) Ltd, trading as SJL Insurance Services, on behalf of Lloyd’s Syndicate 4444, which is managed by Canopius Managing Agents Limited.
Canopius Managing Agents Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number 20484).
Both Lloyd's of London and Canopius have a longstanding reputation for financial stability and claims excellence. This means that, in the rare event of a claim, you can trust that our underwriting partners will ensure a fair, efficient, and seamless claims process.
SJL Insurance has extensive experience in underwriting property insurance on behalf of these insurers. You will also benefit from their in-house claims expertise, which includes providing advice, arranging loss adjuster surveys, and supporting you through the process to ensure a fair settlement.
When you get a quote from Insuristic, you can:
Getting a quote from Insuristic is a straightforward process.
However, if you ever need assistance, our dedicated team can be contacted via our online chat.
If, for some reason, your property doesn’t fit our online requirements, such as it has a high value, is in poor condition, is in a flood area or has had recent claims, we can find a solution for you offline once you have completed our online quote form. The same applies if you require advice.
Unlike many competitors, Insuristic Probate Property Insurance policyholders are not required to create a written inspection report, and our inspection frequency is typically more flexible.
With our policy, properties only need to be inspected once every 30 days. The inspection can be carried out by anyone with access to the property and a mobile phone; it doesn’t have to be the executor.
During each visit, the property must be inspected both internally and externally. To document the inspection, the person conducting it should take one photo of the front of the property and one inside to confirm entry.
In the event of a claim, the underwriter's claims team will require these photos as evidence.
We understand that making a claim can be stressful. Our team at SJL Insurance Services is here to support you every step of the way:
Check out our short guide on what is involved in making a claim.
Insuring an empty house in probate isn't the same as insuring a home insurance policy.
There are policy conditions that you've probably never encountered before, such as frequently inspecting the property, evidencing inspections, draining down water systems and more.
Insuristic is all about transparency and making insurance easy to understand. So to help you, we have developed the following additional pages:
Many of our customers tell us how quick and straightforward it is to arrange probate property insurance with Insuristic. They appreciate how easy the cover is to understand and comply with, as well as how simple it is to get a quote or cancel a policy early.
They also value the broad protection, competitive pricing, and the fact we don’t charge cancellation fees, all of which help save time, reduce stress, and avoid unnecessary costs.
But don’t just take our word for it, read our reviews on Trustpilot to see what others have said.
If you are acting as an executor (if there is a Will) or administrator (if there is no Will), you are likely to have many questions. Especially as you may not have insured empty property before.
Arranging homeowners insurance during probate is not the same process as arranging standard home insurance and the coverage can differ significantly between insurance providers.
Below are some common FAQs. If we have missed anything please start an online chat.
Unlike many insurance brokers, we don't charge a cancellation fee.
So if you need to cancel the policy earlier than planned, provided there have been no claims, you will receive a pro-rata refund back to the card you originally paid with.
Your request to cancel will be dealt with promptly and payment will usually appear on your bank within 5 working days, although this could be hours - it depends on who you bank with.
To cancel, you need to provide the info on our contact us form, including a reason for cancellation, and we will do the rest.
Executors often struggle to compare quotes because most insurers vary their cover types and requirements. Some include protection for theft or flooding, others exclude it. Policy conditions can also differ significantly, especially for probate properties.
See why unoccupied probate insurance is hard to compare and what to look for.
There isn’t the option to pay monthly, but you can opt to buy a 3-month policy and renew it every three months. You will receive a renewal reminder at least 20 days before the cover expires. Renewing your policy via your online secure portal is easy, or you can contact us for assistance.
It is difficult to predict how long to buy a probate house insurance policy for. It really depends on what stage the probate process is in.
Typically probate property insurance is arranged for at least 6 months. But if you are early in the probate process, you may wish to insure for longer.
If you get a quote from Insuristic, you can choose insure for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.
The good news is, if you buy a policy from us for say 12 months and only end up needing the insurance for 6 months, you would receive a refund for the time on cover you haven't used. You also wouldn't get charged a cancellation fee.
Our insurer deems carpets, other flooring, and blinds as fixtures of the building. Therefore, they should be included in the building sums insured. You do not need to include them as contents.
Most unoccupied home insurance providers include an inspection condition in their policy wording.
Failure to comply with this condition could result in declined insurance claims, leaving you to finance putting things right.
You can learn more in our blog and video 'Inspections and the risks'
Yes. Insuristic provides specialist unoccupied house insurance designed specifically for properties going through probate. Cover can begin from the moment the property becomes empty, even before a Grant of Probate is obtained, and continues until the home is sold, inherited, or reoccupied. Our policies are tailored to meet the needs of executors or administrators and include flexible short-term or annual options with no cancellation fees.
If you have further questions, please visit our Probate Insurance FAQ page.
Ready to get started with insuring a house in probate? You can arrange cover online in a couple of minutes.
Choose from 3 levels of cover.
Easy to understand policy conditions.
No early cancellation Fees. You will also receive a pro-rata refund for any unused cover.
Support in the event of a claim if you need it.
As an executor or administrator, you can be personally liable for defending claims and covering losses if you don’t have Probate Insurance, even when the claim is made against the estate, not directly against you.
Contentious probate isn’t limited to courtroom battles; it often begins with disagreements over who inherits, how the estate is handled, or whether the Will is valid.
These situations may involve someone being left out of the Will, a dispute over how much someone should receive, concerns about how the Will was created, or confusion when no Will exists. Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 are particularly common.
Such disputes can delay the probate process, increase costs, and expose executors to personal liability. It’s far better to identify and address potential risks early, before they escalate.
They’ll assess your situation, confirm whether a claim is unlikely (which may help you qualify for Early Distribution Insurance), or provide expert guidance on how to protect both yourself and the estate from risk.
Probate Insurance can help protect against:
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.
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.