If the owner has passed away and the property at any stage of the probate process, this page isn't for you.
Need cover for a temporarily empty home?
Whether you're selling, renovating, between tenants, travelling, or helping someone who's moved into care, a short-term unoccupied home policy gives you peace of mind when standard insurance falls short.
On this page, we’ll show you who needs cover, how it works, and how to arrange it all online in just a few minutes.
You won’t find our specialist short-term unoccupied home insurance on comparison sites. It’s designed for real-life situations and built around what matters:
Flexible cover – choose from 3, 6, 9 or 12 months to suit your plans.
Tailored protection – pick from three levels of cover, and choose whether to include contents.
No admin hassle – cancel anytime with no fees, and get a pro-rata refund if you haven’t made a claim.
Trusted support – our UK-based in-house claims team is here if something goes wrong.
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Get an instant quote in minutes, or explore our flexible short-term cover options below.
This guide will help you arrange short term unoccupied home insurance in the UK quickly, clearly, and with confidence.
Need help or can’t find what you’re looking for? Start a live chat or contact us.
Click any section in the contents below to jump straight to what matters most.
Short term unoccupied home insurance is specialist cover for residential properties that are temporarily empty, typically for 3 to 12 months, due to sale, probate, renovation, or a gap between tenants.
Standard home insurance often restricts or voids cover once a property is unoccupied for more than 30 days. That’s where short term unoccupied home insurance comes in, providing essential protection during these vacancy periods.
With Insuristic, it’s quick to arrange, easy to extend, and comes with no cancellation fees. If you cancel early, you’ll receive a pro-rata refund for any unused cover (subject to no claims).
So if you’re looking for flexible, short term protection for an unoccupied home, Insuristic lets you buy online in minutes—with clear cover and no hidden catches, making the process stress-free.
Not every property needs 12 months of insurance. That’s why we offer flexible terms of 3, 6, 9, or 12 months with no cancellation fees and pro-rata refunds if you cancel early (subject to no claims).
Short-term cover is ideal if:
You're selling a home and only need a few months of protection
The property is in probate following a bereavement
You're between tenants or moving out temporarily
Renovation work means the home is empty
You’re away on a long trip and want peace of mind
You get the freedom to cancel or extend without penalty, and get some money back for unused cover if plans change and you haven't claimed.
Our short-term unoccupied home insurance gives you practical, flexible protection when your regular cover no longer applies:
Flexible terms – choose from 3, 6, 9, or 12 months to match your plans
Protection choices – Bronze, Silver, or Gold cover options to suit your risk level and budget
No admin fees – cancel at any time, and get a pro-rata refund for any unused cover (if no claims are made)
UK claims support – access to our in-house, UK-based claims team if anything goes wrong
Want the full details on what’s included, excluded, and required under each policy? See our full Unoccupied Home Insurance cover breakdown.
Our Short Term Unoccupied Home Insurance policy is different because:
Get covered in minutes—no lengthy calls or paperwork. Our simple online journey gives you a quote fast, and in many cases, cover can start immediately.
Choose from three levels of protection to suit your budget and risk tolerance. Whether you want basic FLEEA cover or full theft and escape of water protection, we’ve got you covered.
We believe in transparency. There are no fees to cancel, extend, or amend your policy—just flexible cover on your terms.
Just take two mobile photos every 14 days—, one of the front of the property and one of any room inside. No formal reports or extra forms, just clear photo evidence that the property is being regularly inspected.
If you cancel early and haven’t made a claim, we’ll refund the unused portion of your premium. Fair, flexible, and customer-first.
The cost of short term unoccupied home insurance depends on the level of cover you choose and the details of the property, but here’s what you can expect to pay on average for 3 months (90 days) of cover:
Bronze Cover – £117
Silver Cover – £138
Gold Cover – £153
These prices are based on typical risks and offer a strong balance between cost and protection. Bronze provides basic FLEEA cover, while Silver and Gold include wider protection like escape of water, theft, and malicious damage.
Want to learn more about the differences? Visit our Unoccupied Home Insurance page to compare cover levels.
If you only need cover for a few months, such as during a house sale, between tenants, or during probate, a 3-month policy gives you flexibility and control without overcommitting.
With Insuristic, arranging short-term cover is easy:
Low upfront cost: Choose 3-month cover with Bronze, Silver, or Gold protection.
No cancellation fees: Cancel early (if no claim is made) and we’ll refund the unused portion of your premium.
Extend as needed: We’ll remind you 20+ days before expiry so you can extend online with no admin fees.
Flexible payments: Renewing every 90 days helps spread the cost without paying for 6 or 12 months upfront.
Buy online in minutes: Our fast online quote tool makes getting covered simple.
It’s ideal when the property's timeline is uncertain. Start with 3 months and extend only if needed — no guessing, no hassle.
If your property is going to be unoccupied for over 60 days , for example, while waiting for a sale to complete, between tenants, or during extended travel, it’s important to know that most standard home insurance policies won’t provide full protection.
Many insurers begin reducing cover after just 30 days, and some remove it entirely. Failing to notify your insurer can invalidate your policy.
That’s why Insuristic offers flexible short-term insurance, starting from just 3 months:
Cover that adapts: Choose 3, 6, 9, or 12-month terms (easy to extend if needed).
No long-term commitment: Start with a short term and avoid paying for cover you don’t need.
Cancellation-friendly: Cancel early if your plans change. No admin fees and pro-rata refunds (if you haven’t claimed).
Reminders to renew: We’ll contact you at least 20 days before your policy expires.
Instant online purchase: Get a quote and buy cover in just a few minutes.
If you’re unsure how long the home will remain empty, this approach gives you flexibility without the risk of being uninsured.
Comparing unoccupied home insurance is tricky—many providers hide policy terms or require draining water systems, frequent inspections, or lock requirements.
We’ve broken this down in our blog: Why It’s Difficult to Compare Unoccupied Home Insurance.
At Insuristic, we’re clear upfront. Our terms are easy to understand and designed not to catch you out.
Not all policies are equal. Many providers only offer basic FLEEA insurance, which leaves out critical risks like theft, flood, subsidence, malicious damage, and escape of water. If you’re unsure about the level of cover you need, visit our Unoccupied Home Insurance page for full details of what’s included and the common conditions to be aware of.
If the property is unoccupied due to bereavement, visit our Probate House Insurance page. We’ve designed a specialist product that takes the pressure off executors, with simplified rebuild values, relaxed inspection conditions, and zero admin fees. You can also insure in the short-term too.
Most people arranging short term unoccupied home insurance are doing so for the first time. It’s not the same as standard home insurance, and it’s natural to have questions. Below are some common FAQs specific to short term cover. For broader information, visit our Unoccupied Home Insurance FAQ page. Still unsure? Just start a live chat.
We’ve made it simple. Our in-house claims team at SJL Insurance is ready to support you. Visit our property claims page to find contact details and understand the process.
Yes. We don’t charge cancellation fees. If you cancel before your short term unoccupied home insurance cover ends and haven’t made a claim, you’ll receive a pro-rata refund for the unused portion of your premium. Just complete our contact form with the reason for cancellation and we’ll handle the rest.
Yes. We don’t charge cancellation fees. If you cancel before the end of your cover and haven’t made a claim, you’ll receive a pro-rata refund for the unused portion of your premium. Just complete our contact form with the reason for cancellation and we’ll handle the rest.
These are classed as part of the building. Include them in your building sum insured, not as contents.
Generally, if it has been vacant for more than 30 consecutive days. Beyond this point, standard home insurance may reduce or remove cover.
Yes. You must inspect the home once every 30 days. Just take one photo with a mobile of the front and one inside any room. There’s no need to send them unless you make a claim, just keep them as a record.
Yes, provided the work is non-structural and costs less than £50,000. Our short term cover includes unoccupied homes undergoing light to moderate renovations.
Yes. Many people only need unoccupied buildings insurance when the home is empty. Select the buildings-only option during the quote process.
For homes empty due to bereavement, we recommend our dedicated Probate House Insurance product. It’s tailored for probate situations and may include additional features not found in standard short term cover.
The minimum period on our short term unoccupied home insurance start from just 3 months (90 days), with the option to extend if needed. Our cancellation policy has no fees and pro-rata refunds if you haven't claimed, so technically you can insure for less without penalty.
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.
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.
You’ll also find Rob writing regularly about probate insurance and risk management, another key area of his expertise.
He’s especially passionate about product development and improving insurance education through marketing to help people understand what they are buying, values that 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/.
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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.