A Message from our Founder, Rob Faulkner (ACII Chartered Insurance Broker):
I founded Insuristic following the loss of my mom. When I looked at the probate market, I realised how difficult it was for executors and administrators (also known as personal representatives) to find cover that fully protects their liability.
You are likely finding that most online cover is limited to risks such as Fire, Earthquake, Lightning, and Explosion, and that policy conditions, like 7-day inspections, are challenging to comply with. Buying such a basic cover can create a liability for the personal representatives if claims are declined or reduced, as they would be left to foot the bill for the repair or reinstatement of property.
That's why I developed a specialist Probate Property Insurance policy, designed to give you the option to buy more cover to protect your liability.
You will find this page very useful when understanding your liability and the key policy conditions to be aware of. When you are ready, you can get a quote and buy a policy online in a few minutes.
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.
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.
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, 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.
So our cover ends when the property is inherited, sold, or occupied again, not when the Grant has been received.
As an executor, administrator, or personal representative, you have a legal responsibility to protect the deceased’s property until it is passed to the beneficiaries.
This is an emotional time, and the last thing you need is added financial stress. However, if you fail to insure the property correctly, you may be held personally liable for any uninsured or underinsured losses.
If a loss occurs and the insurance is inadequate, the financial shortfall often falls on the executor’s or administrator's shoulders. For example:
Cover Gaps: If your policy excludes common risks like burst pipes, you could be left footing the entire repair bill.
Underinsurance: If the property is insured for £300,000 but the actual rebuild cost is £600,000, you will only receive a maximum payout of £300,000, which leaves a massive shortfall for the estate and a hefty bill split between those legally responsible for arranging the insurance.
Many providers offer generic unoccupied policies designed for short-term gaps between tenants. These are built to protect the insurer, not the executor.
Standard policies often include cover restrictions that increase your risk:
FLEEA-Only Cover: Many policies only cover Fire, Lightning, Earthquake, Explosion, and Aircraft. This leaves you completely exposed to theft, vandalism, and water damage.
Onerous Inspections: Requirements to visit the property every seven days are difficult to maintain and easy to miss. If you don't comply with the condition, or you can't evidence it happened, then claims can be excluded, leaving you to foot the bill.
Written Inspection Reports: Mandatory written inspection reports can be time-consuming and difficult to evidence which could leave you with a problem when it comes to a claim if you can't prove someone physically visited the property.
Lack of Expertise: Call-centre staff often lack probate knowledge, leading to frustration and poor guidance during a claim.
When you get a quote from Insuristic, you can:
Don't worry - our online quote system explains this at the time you need to provide the insured name.
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.
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 |
We know that probate timelines are unpredictable. You might need cover for a year, or the property might sell much sooner than expected.
Unlike most insurers who charge cancellation fees and limited refunds, we take a much fairer approach:
No Cancellation Fees: We never charge you a fee to cancel your policy early.
Pro-Rata Refunds: You only pay for the time the property was actually covered. If you cancel early, we refund the unused premium in full (provided no claims have been made).
No Hidden "Admin" Costs: Whether you are updating the policy or cancelling it, we don’t charge you for our time.
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.
To reduce the risk of fire or explosion, most insurers require utilities (gas and electricity) to be switched off at the mains while the property is unoccupied (you can switch them on during your visits - just ensure you switch them off again when you leave).
However, there are two important exceptions to this rule:
Security & Safety: Electricity may remain on to power an active intruder alarm, fire alarm, or internal security lighting.
Heating: If you are not draining the water system, gas and electricity must remain on to power the central heating during the winter months (see below).
Failure to switch off unused utilities as required by your policy may result in a claim being declined if an avoidable incident occurs.
Burst pipes are the most common cause of significant damage in probate property. To maintain your cover for Escape of Water, (available on our Silver and Gold cover), you must choose one of the following two options:
Option A: Drain the System. This is the safest way to eliminate risk. You must turn off the water at the mains (stopcock) and professionally drain the entire water and heating system. If the system is fully drained, full cover for Escape of Water is typically maintained.
Option B: Keep the Heating On (Winter Condition). If you prefer not to drain the system, you must ensure the property is heated to a constant temperature (usually 15°C) at all times between October 1st and March 31st. Additionally, you should leave the loft hatch open to allow warm air to circulate into the roof space, where pipes are most vulnerable to freezing.
See the cover levels below for details on the amount of cover we provide.
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.
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.
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.
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'
If someone is still living in the home — for example, a family member, beneficiary, or tenant — you’ll need a different type of insurance. Standard home or landlord policies usually won’t cover the property correctly because the legal ownership passes to the estate, not the occupant.
In this situation, it’s important to arrange a specialist policy. This ensures both the estate and the person living there are protected, while keeping the executor compliant with their legal duties.
Read our blog 'Can You Insure a Property That’s Still Lived In During Probate?' to understand your options and get the right cover.
If you have further questions, please visit our Probate Insurance FAQ page.
Rob Faulkner is a leading expert in Probate Insurance, Probate Risk Management, Property Insurance (especially Unoccupied Home 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.
Rob is 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.
His mission is to make Insurance smarter, easier to understand, and faster to buy. Particularly for the Probate market, where Rob has identified friction points and solved them for lay clients and solicitors alike.
Want to learn more? Visit my author page or follow me on LinkedIn.
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