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Long Term VS Short Term Unoccupied Home Insurance

Model of a house showing Unoccupied Home Insurance
16 February 2022

By UKinsuranceNET In News

If you are a homeowner who is planning to leave their property vacant for a period of time, you’ll find that the best way to protect the building and its contents is to invest in either long or short-term unoccupied home insurance.

Your choice of product should depend on your specific circumstances and the length of time for which your property is likely to stand empty.

In this article, we explore the differences between long-term and short-term unoccupied home insurance, including their individual benefits and the reasons why they may be needed.

What Is Short Term Empty House Insurance?

This product’s name clearly summarises its purpose – simply put, it is short-term insurance for an empty property.

This kind of insurance comes into play if your home is likely to be unoccupied for 30 days or more. This may be because you are going on a long trip, you’re briefly moving out to facilitate renovations – or any other reason besides.

Policies of this kind usually cover the building and its contents in case of break-ins, vandalism, squatting, damage caused by problems like burst pipes and natural disasters such as fire and flood.

Do I Need Short Term Empty House Insurance?

Standard home insurance is usually rendered invalid once a property’s owners have left the building vacant for more than 30 days (though this may be 45 days in the case of some providers).

This means that your home will no longer be covered by its existing policy, leaving it – and its contents – unprotected. It is important to check your policy details to see if you need a different type of policy.

When To Get Short Term Empty House Insurance

Some of the most common reasons why people purchase short term home insurance for unoccupied property include:

  • Home renovations
  • An extended period of travel
  • A lengthy hospital stay
  • A long period between tenancies (for rental property)
  • Waiting for the property to sell after moving out

What Is Long Term Insurance?

The most common types of empty property insurance cover short-term vacancies – which tend to be between 30 and 60 days in length.

However, some specialist companies also offer long-term policies. These usually provide similar cover to their short-term counterparts but can be arranged to last for as long as nine months, or even a year or more.

Policies of this kind tend to be more expensive, as the longer you leave a property vacant, the greater the risks of break-ins, vandalism, and wear and tear are likely to be.

How Do I Know If I Need Short Or Long Term Empty House Insurance?

Before you purchase a product, you’ll need to have a clear idea of your required type of empty house insurance – short term or long term.

The first step should always be to try and calculate as clear an estimate as possible regarding the length of time your property will be standing empty.

Your ability to do this will, of course, be affected by the reason for leaving your home vacant, as the length of some activities can be easier to control and specify than others.

Accuracy can make all the difference, however, as you may well find yourself paying for cover you don’t require if your time away works out shorter than you had predicted.

Where To Get An Empty Property House Insurance Quote

Whether you need insurance for unoccupied homes in the short term or long term, one of the best things you can do is to approach an experienced insurance broker for assistance.

The team at UK Insurance Net can help you to find the product for your requirements by taking into account your specific circumstances and providing tailored advice.

UK Insurance Net specialises in the provision of empty property insurance – so you’re bound to find the ideal cover when you come to us.

Contact us today to get started and to receive a free online quote.

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