Unoccupied Residential Property Insurance
Most home insurance quietly stops protecting a property once it has been empty for around 30 days. That's often exactly when the risk is highest: a burst pipe running unnoticed for weeks, a break-in nobody reports, or damage discovered only when someone next opens the door. We arrange cover designed for empty properties, for as long as you need it.
When Is a Property Considered Unoccupied?
Most insurers treat a property as unoccupied once it has been empty for more than 30 consecutive days, though some allow 45 or 60. The definition usually turns on whether anyone is living there, sleeping there regularly and using it as a home, rather than whether the furniture is still in place or someone visits weekly to check on it.
The clock also matters more than the total. A house empty for 30 days, occupied for a weekend, then empty again is likely to be treated as continuously unoccupied by many insurers. If you’re unsure whether your situation crosses the line, ask before it does, retrospective cover isn’t something anyone can arrange.
Read your policy wording or, more simply, call us. The unoccupancy clause is often several pages in and easy to miss, and its consequences only become apparent at the point of claim.
Why Standard Home Insurance Won't Cover an Empty Property
An unoccupied home is a materially different risk. Escape of water is the clearest example: a failed joint in an occupied house is noticed within minutes, while the same failure in an empty one can run for weeks before anyone finds it, causing damage that runs well into five figures. Empty properties are also more attractive to thieves, more vulnerable to vandalism and squatting, and slower to have faults such as electrical or heating problems picked up.
Rather than pricing that risk, most household insurers simply withdraw cover. After the unoccupancy period expires you’re typically left with a very limited policy, often fire, lightning, explosion, aircraft and sometimes subsidence, with theft, escape of water, malicious damage and accidental damage all removed. The policy still exists, the premium is still being collected, and most of what you’d actually claim for has gone.
There’s also a duty to disclose. If a property becomes unoccupied and you don’t tell your insurer, you may be in breach of the policy terms, which can affect claims that have nothing to do with the property being empty.
When You Might Need Unoccupied Property Insurance
- Probate and bereavement
- Renovation and refurbishment
- Awaiting sale
- Moving into care or hospital
- Working or living abroad
- Inherited or newly purchased property
- Between tenancies
- Repossessed and problem properties
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We can help you
What Unoccupied Property Insurance Covers
Cover is built to suit the property and how long it will be empty. A typical policy includes the following.
Buildings cover
The structure, permanent fixtures, outbuildings, walls and gates, insured for full rebuild cost including demolition, site clearance and professional fees.
Fire, lightning, explosion and storm
The core perils, retained in full rather than reduced as they are on a lapsed household policy.
Escape of Water
Available on unoccupied policies, though usually subject to conditions,
commonly that the water supply is turned off and the system drained, or
that the heating is left on at a minimum temperature through winter.
Theft, attempted theft and vandalism
Including malicious damage. Note that theft cover normally requires evidence of forced entry, so keeping the property properly secured matters.
Subsidence, heave and landslip
Available where the property qualifies, including on homes with a previous claims history through specialist markets.
Property owners’ liability
Protection if a visitor, contractor, neighbour or passer-by is injured or their property damaged.
- 02380 736266
- Email:info@sis-ltd.co.uk
- Based in Eastleigh SO50 9PD
Arranging Cover for Your Empty Property
1. Tell us the situation
The address and construction, why the property is empty, how long you expect that to last, and whether any building work is planned.
2. We approach the right insurers
Unoccupied risks are written by a relatively small group of specialist insurers, most of whom don’t appear on comparison sites. As an independent broker we go directly to those markets.
3. We explain the conditions clearly
Not just what’s covered, but exactly what the insurer expects of you, inspection frequency, water and heating arrangements, security, so there are no surprises if you need to claim.
4. We handle the changes
Extending the term, switching to a household or landlord policy when someone moves in, or cancelling with a refund when the property sells.
Why Choose Specialist Insurance Solutions
We’ve arranged insurance since 1999 and are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 305502, verifiable on the FCA Register. Our advisers came into broking from more than 25 years of underwriting inside specialist insurers, which is why we can be precise about how an unoccupied policy will behave rather than simply selling you one.
You’ll deal with a named person rather than a call centre, which matters particularly for executors and families managing a property alongside everything else. Our advice costs you nothing, as we’re remunerated by the insurer. Clients rate us 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
Policy Conditions You'll Need to Meet
Unoccupied policies carry conditions the property must satisfy for cover to respond. They aren’t onerous, but they are strict, and most declined claims on empty properties come down to a condition not being met rather than the peril not being covered.
Regular inspections
Insurers typically require the property to be visited and inspected at set intervals, often weekly or fortnightly, by you or someone you nominate. Keep a simple written record of each visit with dates. It costs nothing and it is exactly what an insurer will ask for at claim stage.
Water and heating arrangements
Either the water supply turned off at the mains and the system fully drained, or the heating maintained at a minimum temperature during the winter months. Which applies varies by insurer and by season, so confirm it rather than assume.
Security
All doors and windows locked and secured, any alarm set and maintained, and keys not left on the premises. Insurers may also ask about additional measures on properties in higher-risk areas or those empty for extended periods.
Maintenance and appearance
Post cleared so it doesn’t accumulate visibly, gardens kept tidy, and any obvious signs the property is empty minimised. Rubbish and combustible materials shouldn’t be left inside or against the building.
Notifying changes
Tell your insurer if building work begins, if the property becomes occupied again, or if the empty period is going to run longer than planned.
How Long Can Cover Be Arranged For?
Unoccupied policies are usually written for three, six or twelve months, and can be extended if the property stays empty longer. Shorter terms suit a sale or a defined refurbishment; twelve months is often more practical for probate, since estates rarely settle to schedule.
Where a policy is cancelled early, the property sells, or a tenant moves in, a pro-rata refund is often available, so taking the longer term isn’t necessarily the more expensive choice. If the property becomes occupied, tell us: cover can usually be switched to a standard household or landlord policy rather than started from scratch.
Protecting an Empty Property
Beyond meeting the policy conditions, a few practical steps reduce both the likelihood of a claim and, in some cases, the premium. Fit good quality locks and check them; drain the system or set the heating on a frost thermostat; redirect post; ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on the property; and consider a monitored alarm or smart leak detector on a property that will be empty for a long stretch.
It’s also worth removing anything valuable. Contents cover on unoccupied policies is limited by design, and an empty house is not the place to leave jewellery, art or documents. And keep the property looking lived in where you can, overgrown gardens and piled-up post are what mark a house out as empty in the first place.
Empty Property Insurance in Hampshire and Across the UK
Our office is at Fleming Court Business Centre in Eastleigh, Hampshire (SO50 9PD), between Southampton and Winchester, and we work regularly with local solicitors, executors and estate agents across the Solent region.
We also arrange unoccupied property cover throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including for executors and owners based overseas. Everything can be handled by phone and email, so you don’t need to be nearby, or even in the country, to get cover in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is a property considered unoccupied?
Most insurers treat a property as unoccupied once it has been empty for more than 30 days at a time. At that point your standard home insurance is very likely to be inadequate, and your insurer should be notified or a specific unoccupied policy arranged.
Why won’t my standard home insurance cover an empty property?
An empty property carries a higher risk of undetected damage – such as escape of water, theft or vandalism – so most home policies restrict or exclude cover after around 30 days of non-occupancy. An unoccupied property policy is designed specifically for this situation.
What situations do you arrange unoccupied cover for?
Common reasons include a property awaiting sale, a home being refurbished, or a property left empty following a bereavement or during probate. We provide policies suitable in each of these instances.
What does unoccupied property insurance cover?
Cover can include fire, flood, electrical damage, theft or attempted theft, vandalism and subsidence, along with property owners’ liability. Policies can be arranged for flexible periods to match how long the property will be empty.
Can I take out short-term or flexible cover?
Yes. Unoccupied policies can be arranged for flexible periods, so you only pay for the length of cover you actually need while the property stands empty.
How do I arrange unoccupied property insurance?
If your property is going to be empty for more than 30 days, call 023 8073 6266 or get in touch and we’ll arrange the right cover with a rated insurer before any gap arises.