Property insurance during probate for unoccupied flat.

Vitor

I'm executor for a relative who has died, leaving an empty flat. I now need to insure this empty property until the property is sold.

The funeral director mentioned probate house insurance or unoccupied property insurance. Any suggestions on how to arrange this - a specialist broker or one of the usual insurers?

Marksfish

My wife notified her mother's insurer (British Gas, underwritten by Axa) as executor of the death. The insurer has allowed the policy to continue until renewal, but has removed water damage cover, so we have had a plumber drain the system.

XRS200

Normal thing is for the existing insurers to continue cover for the executors.

Or Google unoccupied house insurance. There are a couple of companies that will do this.

Flugelhorn

I got insurance via mother's insurer - they continued the cover and requested that it was checked once a week (a neighbour kindly did this)

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6654446/property-insurance-during-probate-for-unoccupied-flat

Unoccupied cover is almost exclusively via brokers, though some household names may well be the underwriter.

Normally you can continue the existing policy until its lapse, most won't allow you to renew it. The cover will change to being to the Estate of the prior policyholder.

Unoccupied cover varies significantly on what's covered/isnt covered. What's required in terms of draining water, keeping heating on, boarding windows, blocking mailboxes etc. Similarly what "unoccupied" means also varies, some will accept a weekly check around as meaning its not unoccupied. Some require two consecutive nights having someone stay in the property.

p00hsticks

I found that the existing insurer was prepared to continue the existing policy for the duration of the term, although with some strict exclusions such as removing any 'valuables' such as TVs from the property.

After that expired I used this company, which specialise in unoccupied, probate and holiday properties. I never had to claim so don't know what they'd be like in the event of having to make a claim.

Homeprotect | Specialist Home & Property Insurance

kingstreet

Is the property in England?

Is it leasehold?

Isn't the property covered by block buildings insurance?

Are you looking to insure only contents?

XRS200

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81876749#Comment_81876749

The first post said it is empty, so I was assuming buildings cover only