If you have a buy to let property, hopefully you will know how important it is to have the right insurance in place. Properties can become unoccupied for a number of reasons and sometimes the vacancy is unexpected. For example, if you have lost a loved one and inherited their property and need house insurance when someone dies or you may be refurbishing your buy to let property and your house is going to be empty whilst you’re fixing it up. But either way, you need a specific policy that covers you from the risks that extended vacancies can lead to.
What happens when your property is unoccupied for a period of time? Did you know that you have to let your insurer know? If you don’t then you might not be covered properly so if your property gets broken into or you’ve been targeted by vandals, you might have to pay the fees out of your own pocket. This could be extremely costly for you and being blindsided by these expenses when you thought you were covered is a shock that nobody wants. That’s why you need to know how to insure an unoccupied house, so this doesn’t happen to you.
If you are wondering how can I insure an empty house? Then we’re here to help. East Yorkshire Insurance Brokers have put together this blog on house insurance during probate and unoccupied house insurance where we break down unoccupied properties and the covers you need so you don’t run into any problems.
What Is Unoccupied Property Insurance?
Since empty properties are more prone to risks, letting your insurer know that it’s going to be vacant is important to make sure you’ll be financially covered if something does go wrong. These risks could be something as simple as a pipe bursting but since there’s nobody in the home to spot it, it can go unnoticed and lead to significant water damage that’s expensive to repair. Or if it’s common knowledge that the property is vacant you may have thieves and vandals target your house and cause some serious damage. If this happens and you haven’t let your insurer know that it’s actually empty, chances are you won’t be covered and have to pay for the repairs yourself. So what is unoccupied property insurance? In a nutshell it’s a policy designed to protect you financially from the risks that are associated with empty properties.
What Is The Definition Of An Unoccupied Property?
But now that you know what this insurance is, exactly what is the definition of an unoccupied property? It’s basically in the name. If your residential property has nobody living there then it’s classed as unoccupied. This could be because you’re in between tenants or you’ve inherited the property and are waiting for probate to go through. Whatever the case may be if there’s nobody in it then the property is more at risk since there’s no one to monitor it or spot something like water leakage.
It’s important to note that some insurers will still cover you in a normal property insurance policy if it’s only unoccupied for a brief amount of time. You’ll have to double check the wording on your specific policy to verify this, but usually the rule is that if it’s vacant for more than 30 days then this is where you run into trouble and need to tell your insurer.
Insuring An Empty House After Death
Your house could be unoccupied for many reasons; being in between tenants is one thing and if you know that your property is going to be empty for a certain period of time then you have plenty of opportunities to let your insurer know. But what about house insurance when someone dies? If you’ve inherited a property you won’t be able to do anything with it until probate goes through. In this case you will need unoccupied house insurance during probate so the premises are still protected.
What’s Covered With Unoccupied House Insurance
- Buildings Insurance
Fires are devastating; if one does start on your empty property it may go unnoticed until it’s too late. Buildings insurance will cover the cost of rebuilding the property if it burns down so you don’t lose your asset.
- Contents Insurance
If thieves are aware that your property has nobody living there, then they could target your house. If they steal your valuable appliances, the contents cover will mean the cost of replacing these will be covered.
- Property Damage
Damage to your property whether that’s from a fire or malicious damage will not only be inconvenient but expensive to repair. Property damage cover means that if your house is targeted by vandals whilst it’s unoccupied or something unexpected like a fire starts, then the cost of repairing the damage is covered under your policy.
How Long Can A House Be Unoccupied, For Insurance?
If you’re in this situation you’re probably wondering how long can you leave a house empty? As we’ve mentioned above, typically (depending on your policy) your property will still be covered up until it reaches about 30 days of being vacant. So if your tenant is going on holiday for a couple of weeks, you shouldn’t have to worry about not being covered. However, once the time limit in your policy has been reached – whether that’s 30 or even 60 days, then it’s time to speak to your insurer and get a specific unoccupied insurance policy arranged.
That’s not all though. Don’t just think you can tell your insurer that your property is unoccupied and then you have nothing to worry about… Certain policies will require you to secure your vacant house and have measures in place in order for the cover to remain valid. So if you’ve arranged unoccupied house insurance during probate you may still need to do the following:
- Inspect the property
Regularly inspecting the property is something you should want to do anyway, but it’s something your insurer may require you to do in order for your unoccupied house insurance to be valid. By visiting you will be able to address a problem faster to avoid further damage, for example if your roof has a leak and water is getting into your property then spotting this early can prevent some serious damage. Or if your house has had a break in you’ll be able to address this and take some further precautions to prevent this happening again.
- Turning the water off
Your policy may need you to turn the water and gas off whilst it’s unoccupied. Again this is to stop a pipe leaking going unnoticed and wreaking havoc on your property. If you haven’t done this even though your policy has stated you need to and your property suffers from water damage, your insurance may not cover the damages leading to costly expenses out of your own pocket.
- Taping the letterbox shut
One thing you may not expect is to have to tape your letterbox shut. If it’s obvious that your property is vacant then you don’t want to run the risk of someone putting something harmful through your letterbox. Also you should make sure you have any mail forwarded to a separate address to avoid mail piling up and making it known to onlookers that there’s nobody in the property.
You need to be aware that the reason you need a separate policy for vacant premises is because of the risks that they attract, and since there’s nobody living there then if something does happen to damage your property it can go unnoticed. By turning your water off you can reduce the risk of a leak that leads to severe damage on your property if it’s left, and by inspecting your premises regularly you can spot and deal with an issue in a timely manner, decreasing the impact. If you’re worried about people knowing that your house has nobody living in it because of burglars, you can also take extra measures to make your property look like it is in fact occupied. You could:
- Set the lights on a timer
It’s wise to set up your lights on a timer at certain times of the day if you know you’re not going to be at the property that day. This makes it look like somebody is home and will deter any thieves that may be looking to target your house. Setting up a timer so your lights come on from 7pm to 11pm for example can create the illusion that there’s someone inside and can help to put burglars off.
- Cut your grass regularly
Making sure that you’re maintaining the outside of your property is a good way to make your house look like it’s occupied. One of the telltale signs that a house has nobody living there is if their grass in their front garden is overgrown. Paying a visit to your property once in while to cut the grass will make it seem that the house is lived in and is being maintained.
- Ask your neighbours to keep a lookout for anything suspicious
If you know your neighbours you can ask them for help in making sure your property is secure. Requesting that they keep a lookout for any suspicious activity and give you a call if they do spot anything out of the ordinary can help you prevent a break in. You might also want to ask them to park their car on your drive so it looks like someone is home to anyone passing by.
Taking these extra steps to keep your property secure is not only something you may need to do for unoccupied house insurance during probate and in between tenants, but it also can give you peace of mind that your house is as secure as it can be whilst nobody is living there. Nobody thinks a break in or something like a pipe bursting will happen to them until it does, but making sure you’re prepared by knowing how to insure an unoccupied house will mean that when the unexpected does happen, you’re financially covered.
For Unoccupied Property Insurance, Call EYIB!
Has your house recently become unoccupied? Whether that’s because a tenant has moved out and you want to redecorate before the next one moves in or your loved one has passed away and you need to sort unoccupied house insurance during probate, we’re the ones to call. Whatever the circumstances are that’s left your house empty; at East Yorkshire Insurance Brokers we can help you protect your finances by arranging the appropriate cover. Our MD John has over 15 years of experience in arranging commercial insurance for businesses and landlords, with his expertise he’ll know exactly what you need. By talking you through the covers you can relax knowing that your property is in safe hands with us.
We know just how confusing it can be to know what cover you need. But there’s a reason why 250+ local businesses put their insurance needs in our hands. We know the ins and outs of the industry and know what risks unoccupied properties are prone to, therefore we can arrange the cover that you need to protect you financially against unforeseen events. Looking for an unoccupied property insurance broker that puts your needs first? Give us a call today and get peace of mind that if disaster strikes, you’ll be protected.
