On this page, you will find helpful information to help you arrange unoccupied home insurance.
If you have questions not covered on this page, start a chat or contact us. You can click on any of the items in 'Contents' to jump to the section that interests you.
When insuring an unoccupied home with Insuristic, you can:
Tailor the cover to suit your requirements
Buy cover for most types of property
We have made it easy to get an unoccupied home insurance quotes, but if you need help, our team are only an online chat away.
You can learn more about the cover you can buy, property inspection rules and guidance on our renovation acceptance criteria below.
This page provides all the information you need when insuring an empty house. The insurance policy you need is called Unoccupied Home Insurance.
You will find all the information you need in this video or on the page below. If you have any questions please start an online chat.
Unoccupied home insurance is a specialist insurance policy designed for circumstances when a property is going to be empty for more than 30 days.
The cover exists as standard home insurance providers view unoccupied property as higher risk. It is common for standard home insurers to:
Apply new policy conditions to reduce the risk of a claim whilst a property is empty.
Increase the premium; or
Decline to continue to cover the property.
The cover can also be more expensive than a standard home insurance product because empty homes are more likely to be damaged by damage (such as a burst pipe), fire, theft, or vandalism.
Not all policies are the same and cover can vary depending on the provider you approach. You might find this cover called different things online, such as empty home insurance or vacant home insurance.
Insuristic has developed two policies with different levels of cover so you can tailor the policy to meet your needs. I
People generally need to insurance an unoccupied home if:
The property is empty due to the owner's death. We have developed a specialist insurance policy for this, please visit our specialist probate house insurance page for more information or to get a quote.
You hold Power of Attorney, and the property owner has gone into care. You could insure the empty property on a short-term or long-term basis.
When a home is up for sale, and you have already moved into a new property.
When the property is empty during renovation, and you decide to live elsewhere until the work is complete.
Suppose you like holidays for over 30 days. In that case, you may need to consider home insurance for unoccupied property on a short-term basis if your existing insurer can't help you.
You are an executor on an empty property during the probate process and need to insure it.
You're a landlord with property between tenants, and your existing insurer is reluctant to insure the empty property.
You are often away on business and need insurance for your empty property when you are away for more than 30 days.
You've just purchased an investment property, which will remain empty until it's ready for sale or until tenants move in.
When insuring an unoccupied home, you need to know how it differs from standard home insurance.
It will differ in the following areas:
The unoccupied home will need to be inspected regularly (more on that later)
Insurers will recommend (some may insist) that you isolate and drain down water systems.
Insurers will also recommend (again, some may require) that you turn off the energy supply whilst the property is not in use.
The maximum sums insured for a single item of contents will often be restricted because items like art, jewellery, and electronic goods are attractive targets for theft. You should remove items like this from the property and store them securely.
You might also find that cover for contents in outbuildings, like garages or sheds, is restricted. Again, this is because items like lawnmowers, bikes, and tools are attractive for theft and potentially easy to steal when the main property is empty. Furthermore, you should remove valuable items from the property and store them securely.
You will usually be able to choose from different levels of cover. More on this later.
So far in 2024, the average Insuristic customer spent £265, including insurance premium tax, and purchased our silver cover for six months.
If you want to understand what factors influence the cost when insuring an unoccupied home, watch our video below or read on.
The cost of unoccupied home insurance will vary between providers. The price is determined by how long you need to insure the property and the level of cover you buy.
In addition to this, there are several other factors that will influence the price you pay:
The number of bedrooms in the property: The bigger the property, the higher the cost of repair or reinstatement. So insurers often factor the number of bedrooms in the property in their pricing.
The Property Rebuild Value: Some insurance products are priced at the cost of rebuilding the house, including professional and debris removal fees.
The Location of the Property: will affect the price you pay. For example, if the property is in an area known for flooding or subsidence or has a high crime rate, this will likely increase the cost.
Property Security: If your house is fitted with above-average levels of security, such as an alarm, this may result in some insurers providing a discount to reflect the lower risk of theft.
Property Maintenance: If the property is in good repair, well protected, regularly inspected, and all water pipes are insulated, the likelihood of a claim is reduced. If the house has been continuously claims-free, most insurers will offer a no-claims discount. The level of discount increases by the number of claims-free years.
The level of cover you buy: Unoccupied house insurance UK policies usually have three levels of cover. The cheapest is FLEEA-only cover. You can find out more about the levels of cover available from Insuristic above.
The only way to find out how much unoccupied home insurance costs is to get a quote online, which takes only a couple of minutes.
Suppose the property will be unoccupied for longer than your existing insurer allows, usually 30 continuous days (check your policy schedule for details). In that case, you must inform your insurer as soon as possible.
Because the risks are much higher for empty properties, many insurers either will not provide coverage or will restrict coverage for long periods of unoccupation.
The Financial Ombudsman Service has listed a number of case studies on its website that involve claims being rejected because the property was continuously unoccupied when the claim was made.
Here are some examples where the insurance provider has rejected claims because the property was unoccupied. The Financial Ombudsman Service ruled in favour of the insurance provider on both occasions:
Claims disputes can take time and are avoidable by purchasing a specialist unoccupied house insurance policy.
Don't leave it to chance if your house will be unoccupiedn for more than 30 continuous days. Notify your insurer to see if they can offer the cover.
If they don’t, you should purchase an unoccupied house insurance policy. You can usually buy this on a short-term basis.
Most people don’t know how long they need to insure an unoccupied property. Selling the property, finding new tenants, or completing renovations can take time.
Buying an annual policy might mean a more significant upfront expense than necessary, plus possible early cancellation fees.
Insuristic recognises this and has designed a process that makes arranging short-term unoccupied home insurance easy.
You can buy a policy for as little as three months, with options to insure for six or nine months.
However, the way our cancellation process works is that if you are willing to pay a minimum of three months' insurance premium, you can insure for less than three months.
This is because Insuristic:
Does not charge any fees to cancel a policy.
If you insure for longer than you need you will also receive a pro-rata refund for any unused cover.
Which means you only pay for the cover you need.
Why not get a quote if you need to arrange short-term unoccupied home insurance. It will only take a couple of minutes of your time.
Unoccupied properties are at a higher risk of fire, theft, water escape, and other types of claims. As a result, your insurer will require the property to be regularly inspected to check for damage or loss.
If you insure with Insuristic, the property will only need to be inspected every 14 days. Unlike many insurance providers, we do not require a written inspection report.
As most people have a mobile device, we have decided to accept images as proof of inspection.
The person inspecting the home must take two images with their mobile phone (one of the front of the property and one inside). You will need to share these pictures with your insurer in the event of a claim.
Escape of water is a significant risk for unoccupied homes. To minimise the potential for damage and claims, it's crucial to address your water systems.
Two options are available:
Drain Down the System:
This involves completely draining the water from your pipes and appliances.
While more time-consuming, draining down can eliminate the risk of water damage entirely.
If you choose this option, you won't need to keep the heating on during the winter.
Keep the Heating On:
If you prefer not to drain down the system, you must maintain a constant temperature of at least 15 degrees Celsius throughout the winter months (October 1st to March 31st).
This will help prevent freezing and potential pipe bursts.
Escape of Water Cover:
Insuristic offers escape of water cover for unoccupied homes on its Gold level of cover up to £3,500.
Taking proactive steps to manage your water systems can significantly reduce the risk of costly damage and claims. Choose the option that best suits your circumstances and ensure you comply with the necessary requirements.
It is a condition of this Policy that all services are to be turned off at the mains, except electricity where needed to maintain any heating, fire or intruder alarm system in operation.
Failure to do so could mean that a claim arising from the services at the Property could be declined.
When insuring an unoccupied home you need to be aware of the risk of underinsurance.
If you are asked to provide a building sums insured, or a declared value, this should not be the market value. It should be the rebuild value of the property.
What is rebuild value?
The rebuild value is not the same as the market value.
A rebuild valuation can often be far higher than the market value as it includes:
The costs of demolishing and clearing away what’s left of the original property;
Fees for professionals, such as architects and surveyors; and
The cost of the materials and labour needed to rebuild the property to the same standard as before a loss.
How Insuristic can help you avoid underinsuring the property
When you arrange home insurance for an unoccupied property with Insuristic, you may not need to worry about the rebuild value. If the property has four bedrooms or less and a rebuild value below £750,000, you can request a quote without providing a rebuild value.
The policy you buy then has £750,000 building sums insured as standard, meaning you don’t need to worry about underinsurance, provided you are confident your property rebuild valuation is below this figure. If you are unsure whether it is, we recommend completing a rebuild cost assessment to be on the safe side.
If the property will likely exceed a £750,000 rebuild valuation, you can speak to our underwriting team directly at SJL Insurance. They can advise you on how to get a valuation and then provide insurance based on an actual rebuild cost.
Alternatively, you could arrange a rebuild valuation yourself. BCH specialises in building insurance valuations and has offered a discounted price for Insuristic customers. You can order a building rebuild valuation for £100+ VAT from the BCH website.
When renovating an empty home, many insurers will require you to tell them about any renovations (other than painting and decorating) planned for the home.
Insuristic makes this process easier.
If you are planning renovations that cost less than £50,000 and don't include structural changes to the walls or roof, we can provide a quotation for the property online.
If you are changing kitchens or bathrooms, re-wiring or re-plumbing or replacing the doors and windows (costing less than £50,000 in total) we can cover this without increasing the premium or needing to refer your circumstances to our underwriters.
If you are undertaking a major project, you can complete the quote information, but we will need to refer these changes to our underwriter. If your circumstances don't fit our scheme, the team at SJL Insurance Services can provide advice and access to a range of specialist renovation insurers.
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
Lightening
Explosion
Earthquake; or
Aircraft
This cover is often referred to as FLEEA Insurance cover.
In addition, level 1 also includes:
Architects & surveyors 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.
There will be exclusions which can be found in your Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) or policy wording.
Silver is our mid-range level of cover. It extends to the FLEEA cover provided by Bronze to also include loss or damage to buildings (or contents if you have chosen to insure that) caused by:
Storm
Flood
Weight of snow
Impact of vehicles or animals
Falling trees, lamp-posts or telegraph poles
In addition it also provides cover for:
Accidental breakage of sanitary fittings
Accidental breakage to underground services which extend from your home to the public mains which you are legally liable for
The cost of finding the source of any leaks up to £1000 following an escape of water
Breakage or collapse of fixed radio or television aerials, satellite dishes & their masts
Increased domestic metered water charges up to £750 following an escape of water.
There will be exclusions which can be found in your Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) or policy wording.
Gold is our highest level of cover. It extends the cover provided in levels Bronze and Silver, to also include loss or damage to buildings (or contents if you have chosen to insure that) caused by:
Subsidence, heave or landslip (unless you live in an area prone to this type of damage. If this is the case and the cover is excluded, this will be shown clearly on your policy schedule).
Escape of Water or Oil to a maximum of £3,500 for any individual incident (to main this cover, you will need to keep the heating on at all times set to a constant temperature of 15 degrees)
Malicious Damage
Theft or Attempted Theft.
Exclusions will be found in your Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) or policy wording.
If you want to see at a glance what is or isn't covered, please view the IPID (Insurance Product Information Document). The policy wording contains the full terms and conditions of the insurance policy. There may be other exclusions and these will be listed on your schedule.
The Insuristic home insurance for unoccupied property scheme is underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd’s and administered by SJL Insurance Services.
Lloyds is the world's leading insurance marketplace, with an insurance premium income in excess of £35 billion.
SJL Insurance Services are a leading UK Insurance broker with offices in Worcester and Bristol.
If you need to make a claim on your unoccupied home insurance policy, don’t worry. The team at SJL Insurance Services are only a phone call away.
Between the hours of 9am and 5pm call 01905 27775. Outside of these hours call 0121 411 0535.
Check out our short guide on what is involved in making a claim.
Most people have never insured an unoccupied home before. It is not the same as standard home insurance.
Here are some common FAQs. If we missed anything, please start an online chat.
Don't worry, we have an inhouse claims team at SJL Insurance who can help you every step of the way.
Please visit our claims page to find contact phone numbers and to understand the process
The insurer will provide a pro-rata refund if you cancel the unoccupied policy.
Unlike many insurance brokers, we don't charge a cancellation fee.
To cancel, you need to provide the info on our contact us form, including a reason for cancellation, and we will do the rest.
If you are owed a a pro-rata refund for any unused cover, this will be send to the card you originally paid with.
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.
Alternatively, if you have various probate insurance policies to arrange and the estate doesn’t have the funds to pay for them, don’t worry.
Insuristic customers can arrange a probate insurance loan with our partner FSL Finance.
The loan is simple to arrange, with 90% of applications being accepted immediately.
There are no arrangement fees or early repayment charges.
Once a loan is approved, the money is paid to Insuristic to finance your insurance policies. You will then need to pay FSL Finance a monthly amount until the loan is repaid.
If you need cover before the loan is repaid, we can help you. Instructions of what to do in this scenario will be provided in your quotation.
You can find out more or to start on application on our Probate Loans page.
Unoccupied in the context of home insurance typically means no one lives in the property regularly. This is different from vacant, which implies that the property is empty and unfit for habitation.
Why Does It Matter?
Home insurance policies generally assume that someone is living in the home. When a home is unoccupied for an extended period, the risk of damage or theft increases significantly, so insurers are more cautious. Many will be reluctant to continue covering the property at the same terms or even at all.
If your home will be unoccupied for more than the standard period allowed by your regular home insurance (usually 30 days), you'll need to consider alternative specific unoccupied home insurance cover, with a specialist like Insuristic.
Key differences between standard and unoccupied home insurance:
Cover limits: Unoccupied policies may have lower limits for certain claims. Some providers might exclude certain types of claims, such as theft, escape of water, or flood.
The cost: Unoccupied insurance is generally more expensive than a standard home insurance provider due to the increased risk to the insurer.
Policy Conditions: To maintain cover, you must take extra precautions, such as regular inspections, draining down water systems, or switching off utilities.
It is important to note that the definition of "unoccupied" can vary between insurers. Check your policy schedule and wording for information on the cover your insurer provides.
Always check the terms and conditions of your policy to understand exactly what is covered.
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.
The Name the Insured for Probate should be either:
If there is a will: The Executors of the estate of 'Name of the Deceased'
If there is no will: The Administrators of the estate of 'Name of the Deceased'
The insured name should not be an individual or beneficiary.
You can include contents insurance cover in your policy. However, as contents in unoccupied property are theft attractive, the maximum we will pay per lost or damaged item is £1,000.
If there are any valuable items such as art or jewellery, you should remove them from the property.
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.
You cannot insure a property you don’t own unless you have an insurable interest in it. This means you would suffer a financial loss if something happened to the property, such when it is damaged or destroyed.
There are circumstances when you aren't the legal owner of the property but are legally responsible for insuring it, which in turn creates an insurance interest. Such as
During Probate: If you are acting as the executor or administrator, you do have an insurable interest, even though you are not the legal owner of the property. This is because you are legally responsible for the property with you being financially liable to rectify any uninsured losses.
You can insure the following circumstances on our unoccupied home insurance policy:
Power of Attorney: If you have been granted a Power of Attorney to manage someone's financial affairs when they are no longer able, you can arrange insurance on their behalf, although you would still use their details as the insured name.
Property owned in Trust: If you are a trustee, you can insure the property in the trust's name on behalf of the trust.
Yes, you can insure an unoccupied house, but you will likely need a specialist policy because:
Standard home insurance providers usually cover you for 30 consecutive days of unoccupancy. If the property will be empty for longer, you must notify them or risk invalidating your cover.
Your existing insurer may increase the price, reduce the cover, add new policy conditions, or even cancel the policy.
The cover the existing insurer is willing to provide may not be adequate, and you may be able to find better cover elsewhere.
Insuristic has made insuring an unoccupied house easy.
We have developed a policy specifically for this purpose, and we have also developed a policy for property unoccupied during probate.
If you are a landlord with empty property between tenants, check out our unoccupied landlord insurance page.
Insuring an unoccupied home is easy to do online with Insuristic. You can get a quote and buy a policy in a couple of minutes. The key things to consider are:
Whether you need a general unoccupied insurance policy or one for probate property insurance.
How long do you need the cover for? With Insuristic, you can arrange cover for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. You can renew the cover when it expires, and there are no early cancellation fees, so if you cancel early, you will get a pro-rata refund.
The level of cover you need. Insuristic offers three levels of cover: Bronze, Silver, or Gold. Many insurance providers only offer coverage similar to our Bronze policy, so ensure you get a quote on a like-for-like basis.
If you haven’t drained the water systems, the heating must be kept at a minimum temperature of 15°C between November 1st and March 31st.
The property must be inspected every 14 days (or 30 days if you buy probate property insurance from Insuristic).
Do not guess the cost of rebuilding the property. Underinsurance can be very costly in the event of a claim. If you don’t know the rebuild cost, Insuristic can provide a policy based on the number of bedrooms, with a blanket sum insured of £750,000 (provided this is enough to rebuild the property).
If the property has a flat roof, your insurance policy will require it to have been inspected by a professional in the last 5 years.
Check your policy wording to ensure you comply with other policy conditions, such as removing mail on every inspection and keeping the garden tidy and the property well maintained.
No, when insuring an unoccupied home you do not need to insure the contents; it is your choice and not compulsory.
If you are insured by Insuristic, the building insurance sum insured includes flooring and blinds.
es, you can insure an unoccupied home for three months, and this is easy to do with Insuristic.
You can get a pro-rata refund if you decide to insure for longer or if the property becomes occupied before the three months is up. We won’t charge you a fee to cancel the policy either.
Yes, this is an area that Insuristic specialises in. We have developed a probate house insurance policy specifically for this purpose.
The policy cover can be purchased as soon as a property becomes empty following the owner's death up until the point when the executors (if there is a Will) or the administrators (if there isn’t a Will) are no longer responsible for the property, i.e., it is either sold or inherited.
The cover is slightly different from unoccupied home insurance, but the similarities are that with Insuristic, you can choose from three levels of cover and insure for three, six, nine, or twelve months.
The property can be insured in the name of the estate.
Insurance providers count any room designed or currently used as a bedroom, regardless of its current function.
Even if you convert a bedroom into a home office, it'll still be considered a bedroom for insurance purposes.
So, a 3-bedroom house with a converted bedroom would remain a 3-bedroom house in their eyes.
The only person who can tell you this is a RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) Surveyor. You may find this information in the report if you have had a recent home buyer report completed for mortgage purposes. Alternatively, you can arrange a rebuild valuation online with BCH.
This will usually be found on the deeds of the document.
You can usually find an estimated build year on the property checker website if you do not have these.
Alternatively, check out our guide, 'How to find out when a house was built,' for more ways to determine the date of construction.
Your insurer will likely require you to keep the property at a set temperature (unless you have drained the water systems), usually to a minimum of 15°C. Be sure to check your policy wording for details.
Most insurers will not provide cover for a house that is left empty for over 30 consecutive days. If you have a landlord or holiday home insurance policy, this duration can sometimes be up to 60 days.
You could invalidate your policy cover if you exceed the number of days of unoccupancy specified in your insurance policy without the insurer's permission.
Hi, I'm Rob, CEO and Founder of Insuristic. My mission is to make insurance easier to understand and buy online.
I hold an Advanced Diploma in Insurance (ACII) which demonstrates I have a solid technical understanding of Insurance and have committed to continuous professional development. I am also a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute and hold the a Chartered Insurance Broker status.
Over the last 27 years, I have worked for insurers, insurance brokers and insurance technology businesses, specialising in product, sales and marketing.
You can find out more about me on my author page.
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/.
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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.
