insuring empty property

soolin

I am currently attempting (how difficult is it to get a builder. :eek: ...) to renovate my dad's house for him and have suddenly realised that his current insurance with age concern will not cover the building as it has been empty for longer than a month. Is there any specialist insurers that I can contact to quote for buildings insurance on an empty property?

noh

Have you contacted the existing insurers and asked them? Often thy will continue to cover the building but with specific exclusions and conditions.

Nigel

vansboy

Not sure where you are but try www.a-plan.co.uk always had excellent service, for our business insurance & they've sorted us, for our upsidedown house (see my other threads, all over the place!!)
We dealt with Charlotte in Luton, if you're close by!

& if you want a recommended contractor, for the house, pm me! The people we'll use, sorted out lots problems, left by our original builder, on our last place, did most the things in this one & we'll use them on the new one too!

Assuming you're not millions miles away!!

VB

soolin

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll start by calling the existing insurers in the morning.

mattymoo

Most insurers do not like to taken on vacant / empty properties because of the loss history of this class of business. Problems range from kids, squatters, theft of antique fire places, water damaged going unoticed for weeks and getting worse etc.

You have already identified that insurers get itchy around the 30-35 day mark. Providing you notify them of the situation they will continue to provide cover but will usually exclude "Wet" perils.

Cover will be fire, aircraft, explosion, impact, earthquake, lightning and sometime malicious damage.
Storm, flood and burst pipes will be excluded.
They will ask for services to be disconnected (water, gas, electric) unless needed for workmen / alarm systems. They will also ask for inspections at least weekly.