Insure Your Empty Home While in Hospital or a Care Home
- Any length of unoccupancy*.
- Underwritten by AXA Insurance.
- Average quote time is only 10 minutes.
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UNOCCUPIED HOUSE INSURANCE WHILST IN HOSPITAL OR CARE HOME
If you are going into hospital, a care unit or care home for more than 30 days it’s important that you notify your insurance company that your home or flat will be unoccupied to ensure that your cover remains in place.
Not all insurers will provide insurance cover for an unoccupied house, but Homeprotect is different. We can offer you an online quote for unoccupied house insurance, no matter how long the property might be left empty. Or if you already have a policy with us, a quick call will extend your insurance cover in just a few minutes.
This is all easy to do if you know in advance your home will be empty due to a hospital stay or care home. But if you’re hospitalised suddenly or the visit to the care unit is unexpected then don’t worry we will still cover you as long as you (or a friend) notifies us before the home has been empty for 30 days.
PEACE OF MIND VACANT HOME COVER WHEN IN HOSPITAL
It is also an important clause in most policies that someone checks on the property weekly. This also make good sense to protect your vacant home. They should make sure everything is working, there are no leaks and remove the mail from the door mat.
If you can set up some lighting timers for the evening even better. This all helps the house look occupied and hence acts as a deterrent to those who see an empty house a fair game. If there has been some damage to the home, your friend can notify us and start a claim if necessary.
It’s important to be aware of the time of year. In Summer your grass will need to be cut regularly. In Winter there is more of a risk from burst pipes, so it’s a good idea to let your heating come on for a short period every day.
Whatever your circumstances, Homeprotect can help you.
*Subject to terms and conditions.
Unoccupied House Insurance Reviews
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What’s covered by UNOCCUPIED HOME insurance?
Your level of cover depends on whether the property is unoccupied for a short or long period.
Short term unoccupancy (31 – 180 days)
If your home is usually occupied but will be empty for more than 30 days — and less than 181 — it is classed as unoccupied, and some restrictions apply.
We continue to offer our standard cover, but we won’t cover the following unless the property is inspected at least once every 30 days:
❌ WE WON’T COVER:
- Escape of water claims occurring on or between 1 October and 1 April
- Jewellery and watches, unless stored in a locked safe with the keys removed
- Theft or attempted theft, unless all security features listed in your Statement of Fact are in good working order and actively used
- Money, under any circumstance
🔍 INSPECTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL
To keep your cover valid, your property must be entered and internally inspected at least once every 30 days. You’ll need to provide evidence at the point of claim — such as dated photos, utility records or smart lock logs.
Long-term or permanently Unoccupied (181+ days)
If your property is unoccupied for more than 180 consecutive days — or is permanently unoccupied — your policy is limited to FLEEA-only cover, unless extended by our underwriting team.
The following table compares what sort of insured events are covered:
| Insured loss | Basic cover (available online) | Extended cover (call for quote) |
| Fire, Lightning, Earthquake, Explosion, Aircraft or other flying devices (FLEEA) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Liability to the public | ✔ | ✔ |
| Escape of Water or oil | ✖ | ✖ |
| Accidental damage | ✖ | ✖ |
| Storm or flood | ✖ | ✔ |
| Subsidence or tree roots | ✖ | ✔ |
| Theft (including attempted theft) | ✖ | ✔ |
| Malicious damage | ✖ | ✔ |
| Collisions with wild animals or vehicles | ✖ | ✔ |
| Aerials & falling objects | ✖ | ✔ |
| Damage by emergency services | ✖ | ✔ |
Want extended protection?
Call our team on 0330 660 1000 to speak to our sales team about extended unoccupied cover.
If approved, we can include cover for additional risks — like storm, flood, malicious damage and theft — but the following restrictions will still apply while the property remains unoccupied:
❌ WE WON’T COVER
- Escape of water or oil
- Accidental damage
❌ WE ALSO WON’T COVER THE FOLLOWING CONTENTS:
- Electronic gadgets
- High risk items (e.g. jewellery, watches, artworks)
- Money
✔ TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR EXTENDED COVER:
- The property must have been lived in within the past two years
- No doors or windows should be boarded up
UNOCCUPIED HOME Insurance Cover Levels
The following cover levels apply for both short and long-term unoccupancy:
unoccupied covers levels with homeprotect
Buildings Cover
Up to £1 million (more cover available if needed)
Protects the main structure of your home, including attached garages and conservatories, and permanent outdoor features such as patios, driveways and boundary walls.
Contents cover
from £25,000
Protects your household contents — including furniture, clothing, appliances, gadgets and valuables — against insured events. Cover is provided on a new for old basis.
Home emergency
up to £500
Covers sudden, unexpected emergencies — like an uncontrollable leak — that require immediate action to prevent damage or make your home secure. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
Liability cover
up to £5 million
Covers your legal liability for accidental death, injury or illness to someone else, or damage to their property.
Outbuildings cover
from £20,000
Covers detached garages, greenhouses, sheds, summerhouses and other outbuildings within your boundary or any communal area you’re legally responsible for.
Family legal protection
up to £25,000
Covers legal costs for certain insured events. There must be a reasonable chance of success, and the incident must happen during your policy term. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
New Customer?
If you’re deciding on whether to buy home insurance with us, you can use our latest policy booklets as a guide.
Existing Customer?
Find answers to some of your questions here. Your latest policy documents are also available to view and download.
Your Questions Answered
You will need to prove you have an ‘insurable interest’ in the property for Homeprotect to provide cover. Once confirmed, the probate home insurance policy will usually be issued in the name of the executor with any beneficiaries named as additional policyholders.
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.
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.
If you own the freehold, yes. If you live in a leasehold flat, the freeholder usually arranges buildings cover, but check your lease to be certain.
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.
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.
Recommended by our customers
72% Saved money when they switched to Homeprotect*
*Survey data of 1,089 buying customers from 30th October – 12th November 2024
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