What Does Probate Insurance Cover?

Probate insurance cover is comprised of various policies designed to protect executors and administrators during the probate process. These can include unoccupied home insurance, Occupied Property Insurance, Early Distribution Insurance, Section 27 Insurance, Missing Will Insurance, and Missing Beneficiary Insurance.

What Does Probate Insurance Cover?

Probate insurance refers to a collection of specialist policies designed to protect executors, administrators, and beneficiaries during the estate administration process. These include:

• Unoccupied Probate Property Insurance
• Occupied Probate Property Insurance
• Early Distribution Insurance
• Section 27 Insurance
• Missing Will Insurance
• Missing Beneficiary Insurance

Here’s a breakdown of what each covers: for estates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland:

Unoccupied Probate Property Insurance

• Coverage: Protects empty properties during probate from risks such as fire, theft, vandalism, flood, burst pipes, and subsidence.
• Why It Matters: Executors can be financially liable if a claim is denied or reduced due to insufficient cover. Choosing the broadest cover and complying with policy conditions is essential.
• Tip: Work with a specialist probate insurer like Insuristic to avoid underinsurance and compliance issues.

Occupied Probate Property Insurance

• Eligibility: For properties occupied during probate, such as by beneficiaries, family members, or existing tenants, with the permission of the executors.
• Coverage: Tailored insurance that bridges the gap where standard home insurance or landlord policies fall short (due to lack of insurable interest or tenancy agreements).
• Why Standard Cover Fails: Without a formal tenancy agreement, neither landlord nor standard home insurance is valid. Insuristic’s product is built specifically for these probate scenarios.

Probate Legal Indemnity Insurance Cover Explained

Early Distribution Insurance

• Use Case: Enables executors to distribute an estate before the 6-month statutory waiting period under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
• Eligibility: No known disputes under the Act. Must not exclude individuals such as spouses, civil partners, children, or financial dependents.
• For Known Issues: Cover may still be available with underwriting evidence (e.g., copy of the Will, exclusion rationale, and information on excluded parties).
  • Details of the excluded parties, including their job, home ownership status, last contact with the deceased, attendance at the funeral, and any knowledge of the death.

Section 27 Insurance

• Use Case: Protects executors, trustees, and beneficiaries from claims by unknown creditors after distribution.
• Cost-Saving Tips:
  • Get a Free Deceased Credit Report from Equifax or Experian, insurers may offer a discount.
  • Avoid Traditional Section 27 Notices—these are time-consuming and don’t protect beneficiaries, unlike insurance.

Missing Will Insurance

• Use Case: Protects against claims if a previously unknown Will is discovered after the estate is distributed.
• Requirements:
  • Must complete a Will Search Combined via the National Will Register (over 10 million records searched).
  • Policy can be arranged post-Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
• Coverage Includes:
  • Legal costs
  • Compensation to claimants
  • Escalator clause to cover estate value increases (up to 125%)

Missing Beneficiary Insurance

• Use Case: Protects against claims from beneficiaries who were unknown or uncontactable at the time of estate distribution.
• Coverage:
  • Legal defence costs
  • Compensation to successful claimants
  • Optional escalator clause to guard against underinsurance
• Eligibility: Usually requires a genealogist’s report confirming no known missing beneficiaries. However, Insuristic offers a unique alternative for estates under £350,000—no report needed if verified by a specialist provider covering three generations within the last 12 months.

Summary

Probate insurance is not a single policy, it’s a suite of tailored protections. Whether you’re dealing with an unoccupied property, early estate distribution, or the risks of unknown creditors or beneficiaries, Insuristic provides probate-specific cover with clear conditions, no hidden fees, and policies backed by leading underwriters.

If you have further questions, please visit our Probate Insurance FAQ page.

Further Reading:

The following pages provide further information, and how to get a quote:

• Insuring an Empty House in probate
• Insuring an Empty House after the death of the owner
• Insuring an occupied property during probate
• Missing Will Insurance
• Missing Beneficiary Insurance
• Early Distribution Insurance
• Section 27 Insurance