Empty home insurance when away in the Armed Forces
- Any length of unoccupancy*.
- Underwritten by AXA Insurance.
- Average quote time is only 10 minutes.
More information
UNOCCUPIED HOME INSURANCE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL
If you own your home, take steps to protect it before you leave it empty.
If you are not living in rented MOD accommodation but own your own home, then there may be occasions when your property is left unoccupied.
We understand that this can be for quite some time because of your job, so we’ve developed unoccupied house insurance that can be tailored around you.
When you are on deployment, on manoeuvres or are stationed abroad for several months, or even years, you may need to make arrangements to maintain the security of your owned property. Most standard insurers will not cover you if your home is unoccupied for more than 30 days.
Home insurers must also take the risk associated to your occupation into account when determining the right level of cover for your building and any contents. As you will undoubtedly be aware, risk can often be managed by implementing control measures.
It is for this reason that you must take a responsible approach to the security of your belongings as well as your personal safety when you are away from home. High risk occupation is therefore an important factor which we take into account when providing cover.
Personal possessions and service equipment should be specified under your contents insurance, including the uniform issued to you. You must also declare whether you need cover for these items in or away from the home so that we can provide the right level of insurance.
If you are taking out unoccupied buildings insurance you should also consider maintaining the appearance of your property, such as having a friend collect your post and cut the grass in your absence.
Unoccupied houses are more susceptible to break-ins so we recommend authorising a relative or friend to work with your insurers on your behalf in the event of any burglaries or damage to the property.
At Homeprotect, we recognise that the nature of your job means that you cannot always know how long your home will be left empty, so we’ve created a more flexible unoccupied property insurance policy that can meet your individual needs all year round.
If you have questions about the type of home insurance that you need, then please give us a call.
*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.
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*Survey data of 1,089 buying customers from 30th October – 12th November 2024
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