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Unoccupied Property Insurance

For over 30 years, Park Insurance has been providing discerning customers with high-quality and affordable specialist insurance, including unoccupied property insurance. We protect your assets - whether you're there or not.

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What is unoccupied property insurance?

Having house and contents insurance is a part of modern life. But suppose you decide to go away for a lengthy period, have a property that's undergoing renovation and is unoccupied, or have properties you let out that are vacant in between tenants. In that case, your standard home insurance may not cover you for those periods. Vacant property insurance fills in that gap in protection.


Why do you need unoccupied property insurance?

While regular house insurance will cover you for a property that's left empty for a few weeks, for example, when you go on holiday, there are time limits with most policies. If you have a property that's unoccupied for more than 30-60 days (depending on your policy), you may need to take out additional vacant property insurance. Typically, it provides cover for three, six, nine or 12 months, although you can extend this if necessary.

If you don’t take out extra cover, your home insurance may be invalidated, which would leave you financially exposed if anything should happen while you’re not there.

When do you need empty property insurance?

There are various scenarios where this type of insurance would be appropriate. These include:

  • You’re travelling abroad for work for an extended period
  • You’re heading off on a long holiday (such as a round-the-world cruise)
  • You’ve bought the property but are not ready to move in
  • You’ve moved in with a partner but haven’t sold or rented your old home
  • You have a second home or holiday home that is only occupied for part of the year, with long gaps in between occupancy
  • You’ve inherited a property, but it’s still going through probate
  • You’re selling a property and have already moved into a new home
  • You need long-term residential health care or convalescence
  • You’re moving out while renovation work is carried out on the property

What does unoccupied property insurance cover?

Unoccupied property insurance provides cover for a vacant property if damage is caused by:

  • Fire
  • Floods
  • Storms
  • Theft or attempted theft
  • Vandalism
  • Water from burst pipes and home heating oil leaks
  • Impact damage from a car collision or a falling object.

It can also offer additional protection in the form of Legal Expenses protection, which can prevent you from being left out of pocket if someone decides to occupy your property without permission and you have to initiate legal action to have them evicted. It can also provide Public Liability Cover to protect you from financial claims for injury or property damage.

The level of cover will vary, so you need to discuss your policy with your advisor so you understand the details and any requirements. This can include things such as a personal check on the property every 14 days or so.

What isn't covered

There are some situations where unoccupied property insurance will not cover you. These include:

  • Burglary through unforced entry – if you leave a door or window unlocked and the property is burgled, it’s unlikely your claim for any damage or theft will be accepted
  • Renovations or building works – if structural work is carried out on the property, damage isn't typically covered. You might want to look at a specialist building works policy as an extra layer of protection in case your builders knock down the wrong wall, for example. If you hire a contractor, they should have their own insurance.
  • Damage caused by poor maintenance – If you knowingly allow the property to fall into a state of disrepair, there is the possibility that your insurance provider will not honour any claims you then make.

How much does unoccupied property insurance cost?

The cost of your insurance policy will depend on the level of cover you invest in, as well as the length of time your property is unoccupied. The greater your coverage, the higher your premiums will be. However, it could cost you a lot more if you don’t have the right insurance in place.

What properties can be insured with unoccupied property insurance?

A wide range of properties can be insured with empty property cover, including:

  • Student lets (vacant during the summer holidays)
  • Private residential properties
  • Commercial properties
  • holiday homes
  • Homes undergoing renovation

Bear in mind that not all policies will cover specific situations, such as prolonged gaps in rental accommodation between tenants. You may need to consider a specific Landlord Insurance policy to cover this situation.

What's the difference between a vacant property and an unoccupied property?

An unoccupied property may be fully furnished and have contents, but no one is living there at the time, and a vacant property may be completely empty with no contents such as furniture or fixtures.


Can I insure an empty property if it's for sale?

Yes. If you put your home on the market and it may be vacant for longer than your standard home insurance allows, taking out vacant property insurance is a good idea to protect your assets.


Why choose Park Insurance?

For over 30 years, Park Insurance has been providing specialist insurance policies for both business and private householders. We understand what you need, and why you need it, and we’ll never try to ‘upsell’ you insurance you don’t need. We use our position as preferred broker with some of the UK’s largest insurance providers to find you a better deal at a better price.

To find out more about unoccupied property insurance, call our team and talk to one of our expert advisors today, or click on the Get A Quote button for a free, no-obligation quote right now.

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