What is Vacant Home Insurance and What Does It Cover

Are you searching for a detailed guide on Vacant Home Insurance? We have got you covered. If your house has been unoccupied for thirty days or longer then you will probably need unoccupied and vacant home coverage, either as an add-on or as a stand-alone policy.

After your house has been unoccupied for a few weeks, damage that arises will not be covered by a standard home insurance policy. Unoccupied and Vacant Home Insurance is a great option if you have a second home, travel regularly, or stay somewhere while selling or renovating your house.

A property that is left unoccupied for an extended length of time is subject to different risks than one that is occupied or even one that is covered by inland marine insurance while being built. The details of what and who is covered by an empty home insurance policy are commonly disregarded, yet they offer much-needed security for these susceptible buildings. Insurgo Inc. is the best provider of Vacant Home Insurance offering affordable pricing plans. In this tutorial, we will go through a comprehensive detail to help you know how to protect your vacant property. 

What is Vacant Home Insurance?

Vacant Home Insurance, a type of property insurance, covers a period, often 30 days or longer (although the duration varies by business). Standard home insurance policies normally do not cover vacant properties because they provide a larger risk of claim than occupied homes. Vandalism, for example, may be more widespread in vacant houses than in occupied ones. Furthermore, the damage caused by a hurricane may be larger than if a homeowner had time to plan ahead of time and move quickly to make temporary repairs.

You can get Vacant Home Insurance alone or as an addition to your current homeowners’ policy. Unoccupied property insurance is typically purchased separately on a DP-1 policy form. This policy is not the same as a rental property policy (DP-3) or a traditional homeowners policy (HO-3).

It’s important to understand the difference between unoccupied and vacant homes. While an empty home is not being used for an extended length of time, homeowners expect to return to their vacant properties such as a seasonal property soon.

Unoccupied vs. Vacant Home Insurance:

Unoccupied home insurance and Vacant Home Insurance are not the same thing. When a residence is vacant, it normally necessitates a separate policy or endorsement to ensure enough coverage in the event of an occurrence.

An unoccupied home indicates that the owner is away but expects to return. The utilities, for example, are still connected, and there is probably furniture inside the house. In such circumstances, a normal homeowners insurance policy will be required to cover the residence. Seasonal or vacation homes are frequently uninhabited for a portion of the year but are not truly vacant because the proprietor continues to use the space. Check with your insurance company to determine how long you may leave your home uninhabited before requiring vacant home insurance.

In contrast, a vacant home is now unoccupied for reasons other than seasonality. When a home is on the market for an extended amount of time after the owners have moved out, when it is having costly and time-consuming repairs, or when a rental home is between renters for an extended period, it may become unoccupied.

What Does Vacant Home Insurance Cover?

Standard home insurance plans do not cover vacant or empty properties. You can guarantee coverage by adding an endorsement to your homeowners’ insurance policy if you plan to temporarily leave your home uninhabited or vacant. If not, your insurance provider can request that you obtain a different coverage to protect your unoccupied house.

The following categories of harm are guarded against by Vacant Home Insurance:

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Fire
• Explosions
• Wind
• Hail
• Lightning

Your home’s framework is the only thing that is insured by unoccupied home insurance. Personal belongings are not covered by Vacant Home Insurance policies unless they are added as an endorsement to your current policy. Liability coverage is included in many empty home insurance policies.

Insurance companies are more at risk from an empty house than from a properly occupied one. Vandalism and other mischief are more likely to happen when there is no one to watch over the property. Moreover, the possibility of water and fire damage increases in the absence of routine maintenance and care.

You can pay more and have a higher risk profile if you need Vacant Home Insurance for an older home or one that was not well-maintained when you bought it.

These additional coverages could be included in a traditional unoccupied home insurance policy:

• Coverage for mischief and vandalism, if not covered by the basic insurance.
• Liability home insurance covers you against claims and lawsuits if you are found legally liable for unintentional harm or damage to third parties (not related to a car accident).
• Coverage for personal property comes into play when something covered, like a fire, happens and your belongings are taken or harmed.

Do You Need Vacant Home Insurance?

You should think about getting unoccupied or Vacant Home Insurance if you plan to leave your house empty or unoccupied for longer than thirty days.

Most insurance companies will reject claims if your home is left unattended for longer than thirty days, though policy restrictions will vary. Your property insurance provider may have limits on the amount of time you may leave your home unattended, so check with them before leaving it unattended for an extended period. You should also ask them about how they define vacancy and unoccupancy.

The following is a list of typical situations when a homeowner may need unoccupied or Vacant Home Insurance:

• You only go to your vacation home a few times a year
• You recently bought a house, but you have a few weeks before you can move in
• You spend weeks at a time traveling
• You will need to stay in the hospital for several weeks to receive medical care
• You are not residing in the house you are renovating during this time
• You are finding tenants for the house you are renting out

How to Purchase Vacant Home Insurance?

Before purchasing Vacant Home Insurance, examine if you need a new policy or if an endorsement of an existing homeowners insurance policy will suffice. To cover the house for temporary vacancy, an endorsement can be added to a current policy to increase coverage.

Let’s suppose you are the owner of a rental home and you have received notice from your renter. You figure it will take a month or two to find a replacement tenant and get them settled in. Until the house is inhabited once more, you might be able to use an endorsement to modify the coverage of your existing policy.

The next step is to compare Vacant Home Insurance policy costs and coverage options. The cost of vacant home insurance varies depending on the insurance company and the details of your policy. A four-unit rental property will almost certainly cost more to insure than a single-family vacation home. Obtaining quotes from multiple insurance companies may help you choose a policy at a reasonable price.

There are several things you can do to help reduce the home’s risk profile and cut the cost of Vacant Home Insurance. You might be able to receive insurance discounts if you install security systems, carbon monoxide detectors, and/or smoke alarms. It may also help to reduce the risk to the insurance and your expenses if you hire someone to maintain the exterior landscaping, take care of the property, and make frequent house checks.

How Much Does Vacant Home Insurance Cost?

Standard home insurance covers damage from things like fire, theft, injury to people on your property, and other policies. Many of the same advantages are covered by Vacant Home Insurance, but because of the nature of the policy, it usually costs significantly more.

Because there are additional risks involved with an empty house, Vacant Home Insurance is more expensive than regular home insurance even if it offers less coverage. Though the price varies based on several factors (such as duration of vacancy, cause of vacancy, and intervals between property check-ins), you should budget about 50% more than you would for a typical homeowner’s policy.

Why Vacant Home Insurance is More Expensive?

Insurance companies are aware that if they can determine that no one has been home for an extended time, robbers and vandals are more likely to attack the dwelling; movement or lights turning on and off are clear indicators of this.

Unlike Vacant Home Insurance, standard homeowners insurance policies assume that the property is regularly occupied, which reduces the likelihood of it being targeted. Additionally, occupied properties are less vulnerable to severe weather-related disasters like storms and fires. For instance, if your home has water damage from burst pipes, it is much more likely to be stopped and inflict substantially less damage if someone is home than if it is empty.

Insurance companies charge much higher premiums for unoccupied or vacant homes because they view them as greater hazards than occupied ones. Even if it costs more, obtaining Vacant Home Insurance for any unoccupied homes you own is still a wise move because it can protect you from having to foot the bill for any injuries or property damage claims that arise, even if you are not at fault.

How to Save on Vacant Home Insurance?

Naturally, if a person is paying more for a Vacant Home Insurance policy than they are for coverage on a regular property, they will want to know how to cut costs. Here are a few examples:

• Prepare a rationale for the vacancy. For example, if a homeowner is renovating and has a specific “sell date” in mind, they will most likely receive a lower premium rate than someone unsure how long the home will be vacant.
  
• Get the property in order. The smaller the premium charge, the better the condition of the house.
  
• Include safety features. Just as adding safety measures to homeowners insurance can cut rates, installing a security system and deadbolt locks on external doors can lower vacant home insurance prices.
  
• Check with your existing insurance provider. Bundling insurance products can regularly save homeowners money.
  
• Inform insurers if the property is being monitored. Insurers appreciate the idea of knowing that someone is keeping an eye out for problems, whether it’s a contractor, real estate agent, or neighbor who has promised to check in regularly.

Conclusion

In summary, Vacant Home Insurance is a sort of insurance that protects vacant homes. This policy is designed to solve issues associated with a protracted vacancy, such as fire, water well, hail, liability, and so on. Before obtaining insurance, homeowners should study the terms and conditions. Purchasing vacant home coverage gives homeowners peace of mind and satisfaction. Making sound decisions and efficiently protecting unoccupied buildings necessitate substantial research and participation. Insurigo Inc. is the premier insurance business that provides exceptional Vacant Home Insurance. Please contact us for more details.

FAQs

What is a vacancy permit?

Because of the added dangers, not all insurance companies offer Vacant Home Insurance. Depending on the reason your place will be empty (for sale, unrented, or death), certain insurers may give a vacancy permit or a particular insurance policy to cover the property. 

How long may a house be left empty?

The amount of days varies, but often a residence is considered empty when the residents have been gone for 30 to 60 days.

What is the difference between Vacant Home Insurance and vacant land insurance?

Vacant Home Insurance protects the home and its contents, while vacant land insurance is a type of liability coverage that exists to safeguard the landowner’s financial interests if someone is injured on their property.

What if your customer has homeowners insurance?

Clients with a homeowners policy may be insured for a specified amount of time under that policy.