Unoccupied Property Insurance
Empty Property Insurance Backed By ‘Exceptional’ Service
Want to save money on your unoccupied property insurance? Let the empty property insurance specialists at Coversure Hull compare our markets to find you the house insurance for unoccupied properties that’s right for you. Whether you have a property undergoing probate, renovation, construction or have an empty rental property in need of insuring, call us today on 0800 977 6037 and let our award-winning team help you get the protection you need.
Unoccupied property insurance backed by ‘Exceptional’ service
Our award-winning team is rated as ‘Exceptional’ by feefo and with over 50 years of empty property insurance experience, you can rest assured you’re in safe hands. Being independent we can put your needs first, and we’ll compare the market to find you great cover for a great value premium. To find out more, call us free on 0800 977 6037 or start your unoccupied property insurance quote today.
What is unoccupied property insurance?
Unoccupied property insurance, empty property insurance or house insurance for unoccupied property as it’s also known, is an important cover that offers homeowners the specialist protection they need when they are vacant.
Why do I need empty property insurance?
If you have a property lying unoccupied for a period – often as little as 90 days – then your standard home insurance cover may be reduced or even invalidated. This is because empty properties are at a greater risk of things like vandalism, squatters, fire and flooding. Also, if there is a problem such as a fire, with no one living in the property the potential for damage is that much greater.
Despite the rising number of empty properties in the UK, government figures from November 2023 state there were 261,189 long-term empty properties in England, many insurance brokers struggle to offer affordable empty property insurance quotes. Thanks to our extensive network of insurer relationships, we can find you a flexible, competitively priced unoccupied property insurance quote that offers protection from:
- Fire
- Lightning
- Explosion
- Earthquake
- Storm
- Flood
- Theft or attempted theft
- Malicious damage
- Vandalism
- Accidental damage
- Escape of water
- Subsidence
- Impact
- Property owner’s liability risks
- Loss or damage to your contents
What types of property can empty property insurance cover?
Empty property insurance through Coversure Hull can cover a wide range of residential properties, including:
- Empty rental properties
- Homes undergoing probate
- Second homes
- Holiday homes
- Properties under construction
- Properties undergoing renovation
- Properties that are on the market and the owners have moved out
These are just some of the types of residential properties we can offer protection for. If you have something specific in mind, please call us on 0800 977 6037. We can also offer empty commercial property insurance, and you can find out more about our unoccupied commercial property insurance here.
What levels of empty property insurance are there?
There are three main types of unoccupied property cover, and we can offer you all three:
- L.E.E.– which covers basic threats such as fire, lightning, explosion, earthquake insurance
- Restricted wider perils - a policy that covers a limited number of perils for an unoccupied property. These policies are often used when a property is empty for a longer period, such as more than three months and cover perils such as fire, lightning, explosion, earthquake, and aircraft or impact
- Wider perils – offers the broadest level of protection and can include things like fire, storms, floods, subsidence, heave, or landslip, water damage from burst pipes of escaping water, theft of contents and forced entry damage, vandalism, property owners' liability insurance, and legal expenses should squatters move in, and you need to go to court to remove them
Which is right for you is a question of the level of risk you’re prepared to take. In most instances, we recommend taking out wider perils unoccupied property insurance as the level of cover is so comprehensive.
How long can an empty property insurance policy last?
That’s up to you. We’ve arranged cover for people for a few weeks right up to a year or more. As we’re independent we can compare the market to find you the cover that’s right for you, for as long as you need it, and when the property becomes occupied again you can cancel the policy, no questions asked.
How much does unoccupied property insurance cost?
At Coversure Hull we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions for our clients. Instead, we’ll get to know your needs and create a package of cover that fits your requirements. What we can say is that your unoccupied property insurance quote will depend on things like:
- The value of the property
- The rebuild costs
- Its postcode
- Its state of repair
- Its level of security
- Whether you want buildings or buildings and contents insurance for it
- Whether it will be left vacant during the autumn and winter months when risks such as burst pipes are higher
- Whether the property will be visited on a regular basis
- If it’s at risk from external flooding
- Your claims history
If you’d like to know how much an unoccupied home insurance policy will cost you, please get in touch. You can call us on 0800 977 6037 or start your empty property insurance quote today.
How to get cheaper empty home insurance
The easiest way to get cheaper empty house insurance is to use a specialist independent insurance broker such as Coversure Hull. With our knowledge of the market and insurer relationships, we can help you get cheaper unoccupied property insurance quotes. Other ways include:
- Pay regular visits or have someone inspect the property
- Leave the utilities connected and put lights on timers
- Invest in security measures such as web-based burglar alarms, security lights, window locks and locks on gates
- Have the post collected regularly
- If the property has a drive, ask the neighbours to park their car on it
- Cut back any trees that are overhanging the property
- Remove all valuables from the property
- Make sure it’s secure with no broken locks, or windows, and that garden gates, shed and garage doors are locked
Unoccupied property insurance FAQ
Unoccupied property insurance is a complex area of cover and it’s important to get it right. To help you get the policy that’s right for you, here are our empty property insurance frequently asked questions. We hope they will prove helpful, but if you’d like to get some independent advice, then please call us free on 0800 977 6037. Our team of insurance specialists will be happy to talk you through the options to ensure you get the protection that’s right for you.
Q. Is empty property insurance a legal requirement?
A. No, but it makes a lot of financial sense
Q. How long can a policy last for?
A. As long as you need it to. Most of our empty property insurance clients only need it for a few weeks or months, but we’ve had others that have had cover for over a year
Q. If I cancel the policy, will I get a refund?
A. Yes, as soon as the building becomes occupied you can cancel your policy, and we’ll arrange a refund on the remains of the policy’s duration
Q. Are there any conditions associated wth empty property insurance policies?
A. Yes, the most common ones being:
- Most insurers will insist on regular visits being made to the building. These don’t have to be made by the owner, it just needs to be frequently inspected
- Insurers will want you to remove any valuables
- It needs to be in good condition. If it is not secure – e.g. with broken windows or missing doors – it’s unlikely that you’ll find cover
- If it’s vacant during the winter, insurers may ask that the heating be left on to reduce the risk of burst pipes or they may also agree to the system being drained
Q. Are there any policy exclusions?
A. Yes, usually the following won't be covered:
- Loss or damage because of unforced entry e.g. when windows or doors are left open/unlocked
- Damage caused by major works, e.g. by the building of extensions/ structural repairs
- Damage caused by contractor
Q. What types of property can be covered?
A. We can offer cover for all sorts of residential property from flats to houses, renovation properties to second homes. We can also offer empty commercial property insurance, and you can find out more about that here
Q. How much does empty property insurance cost?
A. That will depend on things such as:
- The type of property you have
- Where it is
- It’s level of security
- If it’s at risk from flooding
- It’s general state of repair
- Whether anyone will be able to inspect it
- Your claims history
- The rebuild costs
Q. How can I get an empty property insurance quote?
A. Getting a quote is easy. You can start your empty property insurance quote here or call us on 0800 977 6037
Get an unoccupied property insurance quote today
If you'd like some empty property insurance help or an unoccupied property insurance quote call us on 0800 977 6037. We can give you all the advice you need and can compare our markets to find you the cover you require.
