There are a variety of situations that could result in your property becoming vacant:
- Your property is waiting to be bought or sold
- It is undergoing repairs or refurbishments
- You have inherited the property
- There are currently no tenants living there
There are also many insurance providers that can accommodate for your personal unoccupied property home insurance needs.
Home insurance for unoccupied properties is recognised as a specialist and particular brand of insurance due to the potential risks that it poses. It is probable that the premiums for this type of cover will be higher than usual.
An unoccupied home is at higher risk from a number of hazards such as:
- Fires
- Theft of contents and property fixtures
- Vandalism
- Squatters
- Deterioration
There are a few things you can do to reduce risk to your property and avoid extremely high insurance premiums:
Removing all of the valuable contents from your house which reduces the risk of theft and damage as well as the risk of fire occurring and spreading.
Fitting the home with an alarm and other security devices could reduce your premiums as you are adding protection.
Make sure windows and doors are securely shut, locked and fitted with security devices.
Public liability cover can ensure that you are protected from visitors and work men suffering injury as a result of ill fitted structures and hazardous items.