Probate Building Insurance for Personal Representatives

Probate building insurance isn't a separate, named policy — insuring just the buildings is an option under Insuristic's Probate Property Insurance policy.

Insuring just the buildings is something we see a lot from our clients.  It is typically used where precious items are in safe storage, with sentimental items and furniture left behind, but with no real insurable value. 

This approach is also used when the property has been emptied by the personal representatives.

In these situations, arranging just building insurance during probate is a perfectly sensible approach.  We don’t insist on a buildings and contents policy.  The only compulsory element is the building cover.

Buildings-only policies vary in what they include. The cover described below is specific to Insuristic's policy — when comparing quotes from other providers, it's worth checking the policy wording carefully to understand exactly what's included and excluded.

Many buildings-only policies you will find online will just cover the structure and the roof, plus fixtures and fittings.

Insuristic's probate building insurance provides broader cover than this, as it also includes items that are typically covered under a contents policy:

• Fitted carpets, other flooring, and blinds (usually covered in the contents section of a policy)
• Fixed kitchen appliances such as built-in ovens, hobs, integrated fridges, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines (covered up to £5,000 for any one loss). These are again often covered under contents in other policies.

This matters when you're deciding what to insure. If the property has fitted carpets you'd want to replace, integrated kitchen appliances, or outbuildings, those are already part of the buildings cover – you just need to ensure this is reflected in the building sum insured.

Many people buying cover don’t expect this to be a feature of our cover, and it often results in our clients saving money by not unnecessarily buying contents cover when they perhaps didn’t need it.

If you are unsure about whether you need contents cover, this might help.

Consider:

• The single article limit is £1,000; no individual item is covered for more than this under contents cover, so high-value items should be put into safe storage (or you can leave them in the property, accepting they aren’t insured).
• Jewellery, watches, furs, precious metals, precious stones, works of art, antiques, sculptures and rare books are excluded from the contents cover regardless of the level you choose. These items need to be put into safe storage due to their high theft risk.
• There would be a £250 excess for theft.

We know that some items might mean a lot to the family but have little replacement value, so you might choose not to insure the contents at all, and that is fine.

Whether you choose to insure the contents or not, leaving some behind is also good risk management.  So completely emptying it is not the best option either.

Empty properties are more likely to be targeted for theft and squatting, and visible vacancy is one of the factors insurance claims teams consider a precursor to a loss.

A worn sofa, an old wardrobe, the curtains, the kitchen table — items that may have no real replacement value are still making the property look lived in and less of a target.

Escapes of water (burst pipes) are the most common cause of significant damage in unoccupied probate property, particularly during the winter months.  It is a risk that increases because a small leak can build up between inspection visits, particularly when you are only required to inspect once every 30 days under our policy.

Drain the system. Turn off the water at the mains and have the entire water and heating system professionally drained. This is the simpler route and gives you full Escape of Water cover up to your sum insured.

Keep the heating on. Between 1st October and 31st March, keep the heating running continuously at a minimum of 15°C (not on a timer), and leave the loft hatch open. If you take this route, the maximum we'll pay for an Escape of Water claim is capped at £3,500 on Silver cover and £5,000 on Gold cover.

Draining the water system is often seen as the stronger option, as it reduces the risk of a water damage claim altogether.

Of course, we know that selling the property in the winter months can feel more homely and inviting to the viewers if the property is warm, or you may be trying to prevent damp, which is why we give you the option to keep the heating on.

Also, if you did drain the system, and damage was caused by poor maintenance, the insurer is also likely to decline the claim, as the intention of insurance is to cover sudden and unforeseen events (like a burst pipe); it is not a replacement for property maintenance.

We handle a wide range of non-standard properties — including listed buildings, non-standard construction, flood-area properties, and high-value properties above £750,000 rebuild value.

Full details of what we can and can't insure are on our Probate Property Insurance page.