Insure your empty house when working overseas
- Underwritten by AXA Insurance.
- Any length of unoccupancy*.
- Average quote time is only 10 minutes.
More information
LOOK AFTER YOUR UNOCCUPIED HOUSE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING OVERSEAS
One of the biggest decisions you need to make when moving abroad for work is whether to rent your house out, or to leave it empty until you return.
While the obvious benefit to renting your property is the added income, this can also be a massive undertaking to manage. Do you really want to become a landlord?
The alternative is to leave the building empty. This can be the best decision if you want to be able to return home from abroad, if you prefer to keep a foot on the UK property ladder, and it means that you also have the option to lease the house as an additional source of income.
Empty houses, while they can be an asset, can also be a risk. You can take steps to protect your house by having someone look after it while you are away, but the first line of defence should be vacant home insurance.
Empty properties are exposed to several risks, including burglary, vandalism and arson. An insurance policy that is specially tailored to unoccupied houses will help you to recoup your losses in the event of a claim.
You may well find that some insurers are reluctant to provide cover for an unoccupied property, however, we are able to provide an easy online quote regardless of the length of time that your property will remain empty.
It is no issue for us to work with expat UK homeowners, and our policy for vacant property insurance is very flexible, allowing you to change your level of cover as and when you need to.
*Subject to terms and conditions.
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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
- Theft or attempted theft, unless all security features listed in your Statement of Fact are in good working order and actively used
- Jewellery and watches, unless stored in a locked safe with the keys removed
- 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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