House Insurance Problem

1jacks64

I'm a beneficiary under my grandmother's will and I am buying out my uncle's share of my grandmother's house. The house is unfurnished but I am planning and I am not planning to move into the house immediately and it could end up being unoccupied for a year or more.

Obviously the house needs to be insured as my mortgage lender demands this. At the time when I arranged the insurance through the company which my mortgage lender put me with they asked the question on the phone "Will the house be occupied for 60 days or more?" and I answered yes. However, this won't actually be the case.

What I want to know is will home insurers insure an un-occupied property? Or do they not touch un-occupied properties with a bargepole because they are too much of a risk? And are there specific insurers that people know of who will insure an un-occupied property?

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Deleted User]

I used to own a second home and Nationwide insured it for me even if it was unoccupied and unfurnished. :beer:

regularsaver1

some requirements thought require to switch of water ( i think)

impy78

Call your insurance company and advise them that the property will now be unoccupied for 60 days or more. They may still be able to cover you.

But there are companies who will cover unoccupied properties - try https://www.biba.org.uk/ who may be able to suggest companies who will provide this cover.

1jacks64

Van1971 - I don't know how you got Nationwide to insure your un-occupied second home. I had a look on their website and it says there that the home mustn't be unoccupied.

suki1964

1jacks64 wrote:

Van1971 - I don't know how you got Nationwide to insure your un-occupied second home. I had a look on their website and it says there that the home mustn't be unoccupied.

If you download the pdf of the policy for buildings insurance they do cover unoccupied and unfurnished properties as long as you fullfil certain conditions such as switching off the water and gas supply and doing an inspection every 14 days

[Deleted User]

Thanks Suki.

MortgageMamma

I know of a company that will insure an unoccupied property for up to 90 days - to date this is the longest amount of unoccupied cover ive managed to find. I'm not sure how long you have to reside in the property to "occupy it" but when I have spoken to this company on the phone on behalf of my buy to let clients they have said as long as they are informed when the property has been unoccupied for more than 90 days, and the heating is left on a timer on low in cold whether (prevents pipe bursts) and if the property is inspected once every 14 days these see no reason why the cover should not remain in force. They are pretty cheap for premiums too.

PM for further details.