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Yes, if the property is empty for more than 30 days, we can arrange landlord cover with unoccupied protection. 

The cost of unoccupied house insurance will vary depending on factors such as location, rebuild value, property security, property maintenance, and the level of cover you choose.

You can get a quote for unoccupied home insurance today. 

There are no regulations around how long a homeowner can leave their property unoccupied. However, when it comes to purchasing vacant property insurance with Homeprotect, your home must have been unoccupied for more than 30 days.  

The term unoccupied does not mean completely empty of all items or furniture – it refers to a property that is not being lived in. Unoccupied often refers to a property that is left in a state in which the homeowner could return to live in at any point. 

This means that your property will remain fully insured when left unoccupied for up to 30 consecutive days. If you will be away from the property for longer than 30 days it’s important that you contact us to make sure your property is still covered by unoccupied property insurance.

Properties can be unoccupied for a number of reasons. If it’s your main home, you might be away for an extended period for work or on holiday. A home may also be left empty if an elderly owner has moved into care or during probate. Properties are also often unoccupied if extensive building work is being carried out.

Many unoccupied properties are second homes, which have either been bought as rental properties or inherited. Buy-to-let properties may be empty because of ‘voids’ between tenants, or while undergoing renovation, and holiday homes may be vacant out of season. Inherited properties are frequently left empty while the new owner or owners decides what to do with them, particularly as this type of home may need renovation before it is suitable for rental.

Just let us know as soon as it’s occupied again. We’ll remove the unoccupied clauses and update your policy and optional covers accordingly. The unoccupied clause on your policy applies until you tell us the home is occupied and we confirm its removal. 

Your property is considered unoccupied if:  

• It is noted as unoccupied in your Policy Document, or  
• It is not Furnished, or  
• It is noted as occupied but has not been lived in for more than 30 consecutive days.  

By ‘lived in’ we mean that you or your guests regularly sleep there overnight and carry out day-to-day activities such as cooking and bathing in the property. .

Homeowners and landlords must be aware of the additional expectations on them when leaving a property unoccupied. Most empty home insurance providers will still require certain conditions to be met with the property, even if it’s not being lived in.  

Insurers will not pay for loss or damage caused by your failure to safeguard your property at all times, so you must take precautions to minimise the risks.  

This could include, but is not limited to, locking all external doors and windows, ensuring that someone checks on the property once a week, and turning off all sources of electricity, fuel and water.  

Unoccupied properties can be more susceptible to risks such as fire, burglary, and other hazards. Find out more about why an empty home is riskier in our guide. 

Most insurance providers consider a property to be unoccupied if it’s empty for more than 30 consecutive days. It’s important that you notify your provider if this is going to be the case. After 30 days, different insurers change their cover levels at different cut off points and for different situations: for example, if the property being insured is your main residence, Homeprotect, requires you to arrange for weekly inspection visits to be carried out. Sometimes this is referred to as the 30 day rule by insurers.

Because the cover, conditions and some exclusions are different when a home is unoccupied. We’ll apply the relevant unoccupied endorsement(s) and explain what you need to do. Not telling us may invalidate your policy and could lead to a claim being declined. 

If it’s empty for 31 to 180 days, your cover is largely standard but with exclusions. Beyond 180 days, long-term unoccupied rules apply. 

Not necessarily! Many of the factors that affect insurance premiums for empty properties are the same as those for occupied homes, such as location and rebuild value. The cost of insurance may be higher for a particular property when it is empty than when it is unoccupied because of higher security risks, or it may be similar but with limitations on what is covered; for example, buildings cover may be limited to fire, lightening, explosion, earthquake and aircraft collision, but not include storm, flood or subsidence.

Please get in touch with our so we can update your property details and confirm your cover and conditions, and remind you of key limitations. 

Tell us if your property will be empty for more than 30 consecutive days. We’ll adjust your policy to reflect the increased risk and keep your cover valid. 

If you’re planning to leave your home empty for an extended period, there are a few safety and security considerations. Firstly, after 30 days unoccupied, most home insurance policies are void – so, the homeowner would need an empty home insurance policy to protect against theft or damage. Many empty home insurance policies will also expect the home to be inspected regularly, water and electricity to be switched off and more.  

Additional considerations include installing a home security system and using smart devices such as leak detection technology.   

Yes, most empty properties will still require the homeowner to pay council tax. However, you may be able to apply for an exemption in a few specific instances. This includes properties that have been unoccupied for two or more years, those undergoing a probate process, instances in which the owner is in the hospital or a care home and if the property cannot be lived in by law.   

See the full list of empty property council tax regulations and exemptions on the government website.   

Empty properties carry greater risks in terms of burglary, vandalism or even squatting, and also the amount of damage caused by unnoticed issues like burst pipes.  

Homeprotect needs to know if your property is unoccupied for more than 30 consecutive days or more so that they can factor these increased risks into your policy terms.  

Yes, Homeprotect is pleased to offer unoccupied home insurance policies for long periods. If your holiday home will be left vacant during the off-season or between guests for more than 30 days, we can still offer cover. Please read more about our unoccupied home insurance to understand what restrictions apply. 

When a home is left empty for years, it means that no one is around to regulate the temperature and act on the early signs of damage. As a result, long-term unoccupied properties are more susceptible to damp, paint peeling, pests and even wear and tear to the building itself. Plus, these visual signs of neglect also make the property an attractive target to potential intruders.

Leaving a home empty for years also has implications for mortgages and home insurance – which may be invalidated or retracted if the property is unoccupied for a certain period.

If the property is normally occupied but left empty for 31-180 days in a row a year, you’re typically covered, except between 1 October and 1 April inclusive, where escape of water incidents are excluded.

If the property is completely unoccupied and unfurnished, or it’s furnished but unoccupied for more than 180 consecutive days a year, you’re not covered for water damage.

Always check your policy schedule for any ‘endorsements’ (special terms) as these could restrict or exclude cover.

Probate house insurance covers properties that are empty after the owner has passed away. Because properties are usually left unoccupied during probate, they need to be covered by unoccupied property insurance, and it is usually the responsibility of the executors to make sure this is done while probate is carried out.  

A ‘FLEEA’ policy is a home insurance policy that simply covers against Fire, Lighting, Explosions, Earthquakes and Aircraft or flying objects, compared with a more comprehensive range of risks. At Homeprotect, properties that are left unoccupied for 180 days automatically become FLEEA policies.  

Yes, you should insure holiday homes. If your holiday homes are left unoccupied for more than 30 days at a time, make sure your property is protected between holidays or lets against risks such theft or damage. If you rent your holiday home, it’s also best to ensure you’re covered while there are paying guests staying at your property.

We exclude cover from unoccupied vehicles.

Yes, Homeprotect provides cover for let-to-tenant properties, second homes, holiday homes, weekend/weekday only homes and unoccupied properties.

Yes, Homeprotect provides cover for an unoccupied property even if it’s up for sale. However, there will be some restrictions on the cover offered.

Yes, Homeprotect provides cover for an unoccupied property, however, there are some restrictions on the cover offered.

Yes, holiday homes require a specialist insurance policy. This is because most standard insurance providers are not prepared to cover holiday homes as they perceive them to be too great a risk.  

This is often because the property can be left unoccupied for more than 30 days at a time between holidays or lets, and because it is not a main residence.  

You only need to visit your property if we’ve asked you to as part of the special terms and conditions of your unoccupied property insurance cover, although it is also a sensible precaution to take.

Empty house insurance covers your premises for losses caused by fire, lightning, explosion, earthquake, smoke, aircraft collision and legal liability. Find out more details on our unoccupied home insurance page.

Many of the factors that affect insurance premiums for empty properties are the same as those for occupied homes, such as location and rebuild value.   

The cost of unoccupied home insurance may be higher for a particular property because of higher security risks, or it may be similar but with limitations on what is covered. For example, buildings cover may be limited to fire, lightning, explosion, earthquake and aircraft collision, but not include storm, flood or subsidence.

We make it easy for you to get an online quote, even if you have complex arrangements such as your property is unoccupied, has had previous subsidence, you are taking in a lodger or someone in the property has a Criminal Conviction.

Yes you can insure  a property that’ s up for sale — if it’s been left empty for more than 30 days, you’ll need unoccupied cover. 

• Properties must be located within the UK mainland.  
• Properties must have a Council Tax band A to H.  
• Properties must be built before 1st January 2009. Note: If a property has been demolished and rebuilt before this date, then the new building is still eligible for Flood Re.  
• Properties must be used for residential purposes.  
• Properties must have an individual premium.  
• Leasehold flats with three or less fewer units are eligible.  
• The policyholder or their immediate family must live in the home for some or all of the time, or the property must be unoccupied.  
• The insurance contract must be in the name of one or more individuals, not companies.  

You can find the full eligibility criteria on the Flood Re website.  

Yes. Each property needs its own policy, and we tailor cover based on how the second home is used.  Depending on your situation, Homeprotect provides second home insurance for rental properties, second home insurance for holiday homes, and second home insurance for homes left unoccupied.   

It can be, depending on how the property is used, how secure it is, and how long it’s left unoccupied. 

The main difference between a holiday home and a second home is the amount of time the homeowner resides in the property. Second homes are typically seen as secondary permanent residences that the homeowner spends a significant amount of time in – such as part of each week. Holiday homes are sometimes unoccupied for extended periods, with some homeowners only using the property for short stays a few times a year. 

After a person passes away and their property is in probate, it needs to be valued. This can often mean that the house is left empty for some time, and in this case it should be protected by unoccupied home insurance for probate. The beneficiary is responsible for ensuring that the right level of cover is in place.  

When a person passes away and their property is left as an inheritance, it is owned by the beneficiary. If there are multiple beneficiaries, then they are co-owners of the property. It is the beneficiary’s responsibility to make sure that the appropriate probate home insurance is in place. For instance, while in probate the building should be protected by unoccupied house insurance.  

Yes! There is, however, often a minimum policy duration for unoccupied insurance, so if the sale completes within this period, you may not be eligible for a full refund on the unused portion of an annual premium paid in advance. If you’ve chosen to pay monthly, you would still have to pay for the minimum period.

There is no need to turn off gas or electricity for insurance reasons and, in fact, it can be a good idea to arrange for lights to come on using a timer switch to deter burglars.

You only need to turn off your mains water if we’ve asked you to as part of the terms and conditions of your unoccupied property insurance cover, although it is also a sensible precaution to take.

If your property is left unoccupied for more than 30 days or let to guests, you’ll likely need holiday home insurance. A second home used regularly as a residence may be eligible for different cover.