If your property has no tenants in it and is not earning you any income, the last thing you may perhaps think you need is another form of insurance. Cheap unoccupied property insurance may though, help you to keep your property protected while it is empty, so it may be something that is worth thinking about.

You may typically find:

• unoccupied property insurance is a form of cover that is tailored specifically for those times when your property is standing empty for periods typically in excess of 30 consecutive days or more;
• cheap unoccupied property insurance may be needed to address those risks that are prevalent when a property is empty, which may be very different to those that may typically be covered by a standard buy to let insurance policy;
• thieves and vandals may be attracted by unlit windows and a garden that may be becoming more overgrown and untidy;
• problems that may start out small, if left unnoticed may grow and cause damage which may be more difficult and more costly to put right;
• vacant home insurance may typically contain terms and conditions that may be quite different to those found in a standard landlord insurance policy;
• these might include a requirement to visit your property on a regular basis to ensure that ongoing regular maintenance is carried out and that any problems are fixed as quickly as possible before they have time to develop into something more serious;
• empty property cover insurance policies may also require that you keep of log of such visits and of the work carried out;
• landlords are not being singled out with this insurance requirement – empty property risks also effect owner occupied properties;
• it is the length of time your property may be empty rather than the reason that is important – so if you are on an extended holiday or business trip, are having trouble finding new tenants or your property is empty for legal reasons, your existing policy may not be providing the cover you expect after a set amount of consecutive days;
• unwelcome as they may be (in income generation terms), there may be times when your letting property is empty and  when additional protection may be needed – you may wish to bear in mind though that what is cheap unoccupied property insurance for you may not be cheap for another landlord, so it may always make sense to read the policy carefully prior to purchase.