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.
Unoccupied House Insurance Reviews
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What’s covered by UNOCCUPIED HOME insurance?
Unoccupied home insurance cover varies depending on whether the property is empty on a short term of long term basis.
Short term unoccupancy
If the property is usually occupied but is left unoccupied for between 31 and 180 days, then you typically get all the cover of our standard policy terms, but with exception of certain exclusions, see what is and isn’t covered below:
What’s included?
Quick home emergency response times
Have a home emergency, such as electricity failure, faulty locks or vermin infestation? With the 24/7 Home Emergency cover, which we provide as standard, you can typically get an engineer at your home within four hours. And if you’re worried about an uncontrollable leak in your home, we aim to have an emergency plumber to you within two hours.
Extreme weather conditions may extend response time. Policy terms and claim limits apply.
5 star rated buildings cover
Our building insurance has been given the highest rating by independent financial research companies, Defaqto and Moneyfacts.
Repair guarantee
Any buildings work we undertake is guaranteed for 24 months following a claim and any contents repair work we undertake is guaranteed for 12 months.
New for old
Where we replace an item, we will do our best to meet the original specification on a ‘new for old’ basis. If we can’t find an exact replacement, we’ll offer you a suitable alternative, or a full cash settlement.
Legal advice
We provide Legal Protection cover as standard, giving you access to telephone legal advice on any personal legal issue, under the laws of the UK, any European Union country, the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Switzerland and Norway.
What isn’t included?
Escape of water incidents during the period: 1 October – 1 April (inclusive).
Theft incidents, unless all security features (e.g. locks and alarms) included in your property are maintained in good working order and in full operation.
Claims involving money and high risk items (e.g. jewellery).
Damage cause gradually, or by wear and tear, or by failure to fix a known issue.
Faulty design or poor workmanship.
Damage caused by pets.
The cost of repairing or replacing items following a mechanical or electrical fault.
Lost items.
Long term unoccupancy
If the property is not usually occupied, or is left unoccupied for more than 180 days, there are two levels of cover. Basic cover is available online. Extended cover is available over the phone, via referral to 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 | ✖ | ✔ |
Looking for more cover? Give us a call on 0330 660 1000 to talk to our team about extended cover.
UNOCCUPIED HOME Insurance Cover Levels
The following cover levels apply for both short and long-term unoccupancy:
unoccupied covers levels with homeprotect
Buildings Cover
£1 million*
Covers the main structure of your home, including attached garages and conservatories, if you need to rebuild or repair it following an insured loss. Also covers permanent outdoor structures such as driveways, patios and boundary walls. *More cover available if you need it.
Contents cover
from £25,000
Covering the value of the possessions you could take with you when moving home, such as furniture, clothing, valuables, appliances, fittings, entertainment equipment, gadgets and bikes, following an insured loss. Cover provided on a new for old basis.
Home emergency
up to £500
Covers sudden, unexpected emergencies, such as uncontrollable water leaks, that require immediate corrective action to prevent or limit damage to your home, or make your home secure. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
Liability cover
up to £5 million
Covers damages and claimants’ costs and expenses for your legal liability in the event of accidental death, injury or illness to a third party, or damage to property belonging to a third party.
Outbuildings cover
from £20,000
Covers rebuild or repair of your outbuildings (e.g. detached garages, greenhouses, sheds and summerhouses) that are within the boundary or a communal area you’re legally responsible for, if you need to rebuild or repair them following an insured loss.
Family legal protection
up to £25,000
Covers legal costs following an insured loss. There must be reasonable prospects of winning and the incident must have occurred during the 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 of your flat, you should take out buildings insurance. If you live in a leasehold flat, or are a tenant, your landlord has responsibility for sourcing buildings insurance.
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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