Unoccupied property insurance is important because your rental property may stand empty from time to time.

What difference does empty property make?

As a landlord, the last thing you presumably wish to see is your property standing empty. While it’s empty, you’re not earning income from it.

However, although it may not be any consolation, insurance companies are typically almost as unhappy as landlords when a property stands empty!

The trouble is, empty properties are typically at higher risk of certain types of problem than those that are occupied. Those problems may include forced entry, burglary and so on.

There are also typically higher risks that a small problem may arise, which is unnoticed and which subsequently causes a major catastrophe. That may include leaks and heating or electrical problems etc.

As a general principle, when risks increase then insurance providers typically charge a little more for protection and need to cover it explicitly in their policies.

That’s why unoccupied property insurance may be important to you if you are a landlord.

And even if you are not a landlord, if your property is standing empty (say due to you working or travelling away from home for a period of time, or maybe where the property is awaiting probate), then vacant property insurance may be worth considering.

When is a property empty?

That’s not always very easy to define. Typically buildings and contents insurance and buy to let house insurance, will use a definition along the lines that if a property stands empty for 30 days or more then it is classed as being unoccupied.

As a landlord, this may easily happen if you’re holding on for a new tenant or have the property empty for repair and redecoration etc. If you have a buy to let property that you’re upgrading, the same thing may apply.

As an aside, this isn’t just an issue for landlords – similar conditions may exist in owner-occupier insurance policies.

If your property has a problem while empty and your policy does not provide protection for unoccupied properties, then your claim may be rejected.

What can be done about it?

It isn’t always easy to grasp the insurance complications around empty properties.

Through our service we can help you understand your requirements in this area and help you find a solution that may be suitable for your needs. Unoccupied property insurance is available online via our easy to use quotation system. Or why not give our professional and friendly staff a call? They will aim to help you find suitable vacant property insurance, quickly and effectively..