Home insurance
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We don’t compare unoccupied home insurance - here are some companies[1] offering quotes[2]
Towergate is one of the UK's largest insurance brokers, specialising in cover you really need. Choose a three, six, nine or 12 month policy so you're only paying for the length of cover you really need. Visit the website and buy online today.
Nova Insurance, established in 1995, is a nationwide company providing a range of unoccupied property insurance cover from leading UK insurers. It specialises in helping businesses and individuals find the right level of cover for their unoccupied property.
Adrian Flux are a non-standard specialist broker, established in 1974. Priding itself on finding solutions for difficult to insure properties, Adrian Flux understands the values and all too often stress associated with insuring unoccupied properties. Visit the website to find out how they can help.
Homeprotect (underwritten by AXA) provides home insurance for homes that are left empty for more than 30 days. There's no cover for escape of water (1 October 2023 to 1 April 2023 inclusive), theft, money, cards or valuables if your home is empty for 30 days or more. Its policies cater for a wide range of situations including empty for sale, homes under probate, properties normally let or properties undergoing renovation. Cover typically includes up to £1 million for building repair or rebuild and £25k legal cover for a range of circumstances.
Unoccupied home insurance covers your home if it’s left empty for longer than your standard policy allows. Standard home insurance policies typically cover an empty house for 30 or 60 days, but the time frame can be longer, or shorter – so check your policy wording to be certain.
Unlike standard home policies, specialist unoccupied home insurance will cover a vacant property for between three, six, nine or 12 months, with the option to extend if required.
If you need longer than 12 months, you can find quotes for a new policy towards the end of your original term.
An empty property policy provides cover for the building and/or contents in properties that are left vacant for 30 days or more.
Your property will be empty when you’re:
Tell your home insurer when your house will be empty and how long for.
Your policy may cover your vacant house, but if not, you can make alternative arrangements so you’re not running the risk of invalidating your cover.
“Don’t run the risk of leaving it uninsured,” said GoCompare’s home insurance expert, Ceri McMillan.
“Always double check with your home insurance provider whether you'll be covered past this time period and to what level and, if you're not satisfied, consider unoccupied property insurance.”
If your home insurance will cover you, check that it’s comprehensive insurance and read the exclusions.
Some policies might ask that you have someone come and check on the home at regular intervals, at least every 14 days.
If you make a claim and the insurance policy is unsuitable for your circumstances, you might not be covered at all.
The level of cover that you receive will depend on the policy that you take out, but you should think about protection against:
Every policy has exclusions - so read your terms and conditions - but common examples are:
Preparing your property to be left empty could help to keep it safe and save you money on insurance.
Keep the property in a good state of repair to reduce the likelihood of a claim, but if something does go wrong, the property is in a good state of repair and the insurer will honour your policy
Use a controlled heating system to stop the pipes bursting in cold weather, or make sure utilities are switched off and the water system is drained
Put away valuable items in a secure place, in a safe, or remove them from the empty property. Fit and use approved locks on the windows and doors, and get a burglar alarm
[1]We do not offer a full comparison service on unoccupied home insurance at Gocompare.com but instead have provided links to some companies that offer unoccupied home insurance. These companies are not listed in an order that indicates that one is better than another but are instead ordered in line with our commercial arrangement with each one. Please remember, as different companies offer different policies, it is up to you to choose the one that best suits your needs
[2]Gocompare.com introduces you to Nova Insurance, HomeProtect which is a trading name of Avantia Insurance Limited, Towergate Insurance and Adrian Flux Insurance Services to provide unoccupied home insurance quotes. All providers are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Gocompare.com's relationship with Nova Insurance, Avantia Insurance Limited, Towergate Insurance and Adrian Flux Insurance Services is limited to that of a business partnership, no common ownership or control rights exist between us. Please note, we cannot be held responsible for the content of external websites and by using the links provided to access these separate websites you will be subject to the terms of use applying to those sites
*Out of 303 policies on Defaqto, 98% of standard buildings insurance policies had an unoccupancy period of less than 70 days. Last checked 24 May 2023