180 or more days absence - Home Insurance:

[Peter Clark]

I’ve been reading all the threads I can find - not seen anyone who says they have obtained more than 90 days coverage for an unoccupied property - and that was a couple of years ago, with an additional premium payment.

(My insurance is with John Lewis - underwriter used to be Royal Sun Alliance - now changed to Munich Re Group (who?) - policy is strictly 60 days In Total per annum, unless another resident member of the family is in the property)

My understanding is that having friends - or non resident family - move in and out periodically does not count for any insurance company.

The only two ways round it that I believe I have found:
1) Set up a house-share rental - then everyone in the house is covered under the same insurance, so if one person is absent, the cover remains valid.
2) Go away for 59 days then come back, cancel insurance, take out new policy with another company and go away again - not something I want to do.

From previous threads I have listed the following recommendations to contact:
Home Protect
Camping & Caravan Club
LV insurance
M&S
Safeguard
Co-Op
Devitt Brokers

I would be glad to hear from those who have first hand experience of insurance companies - or brokers - who can arrange cover for unoccupied periods over 90 days - ideally 180 to 270 days.

 

[Minxy]

I have just this minute contacted LV= re extended cover for our home up to 90 day for next year and they ask that someone checks the property once a week and that if you don’t have heating on then you are not covered for water or loss of oil the extra premium is £4.60 and we will leave heating on low So will be covered

Just check what else is 'missing' or 'reduced', we weren't covered for vandalism unless there was a break in at the same time, lots of other exceptions too, in the end we decided against it and stuck at 60 days with full cover. I did a thread about it.

Broken Link Removed

 

[Barti Ddu]

There is no way that LV can correctly interpret 60 days consecutive unoccupied cover as a total of 60 for the whole year

Someone who simply works away from home 2 days a week would find themselves without cover if this was the case.

An insurance company can't unilaterally reinterpret it's own T&C's in such a way that defies normal English usage.

 

[Pausim]

My insurance is with John Lewis - underwriter used to be Royal Sun Alliance - now changed to Munich Re Group (who?) - policy is strictly 60 days In Total per annum, unless another resident member of the family is in the property

Possibly worth talking to John Lewis Specialist Home Insurance, different policy and more flexible than the standard John Lewis policy. My documents read as follows.

“You must notify us immediately of any changes in circumstances which may increase the possibility or extent of loss, damage or legal liability covered by this policy. For example, we would need you to notify us:
• of any change to the occupancy of your home or if it is to be left unoccupied for a period of more than 60 consecutive days”

It doesn’t appear to exclude longer periods than 60 days, just says they must be notified. Never had the need to do this so no idea if there are charges or limitations. Phon number 0800 916 6880 or 0800 916 6890.

 

[Lavender1]

How would the insurer know how long you have been away? If you have a neighbour/friend/relative keeping an eye on the place and something bad happens, you would be contacted by them straight away. You could then return home and report to the insurer you were away for a couple of weeks, wild-camping. How could they prove otherwise?

They could ask for proof of travel in and return. Insurance companies are not stupid!

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[Blofeld]

I’ve been reading all the threads I can find - not seen anyone who says they have obtained more than 90 days coverage for an unoccupied property - and that was a couple of years ago, with an additional premium payment.

(My insurance is with John Lewis - underwriter used to be Royal Sun Alliance - now changed to Munich Re Group (who?) - policy is strictly 60 days In Total per annum, unless another resident member of the family is in the property)

My understanding is that having friends - or non resident family - move in and out periodically does not count for any insurance company.

The only two ways round it that I believe I have found:
1) Set up a house-share rental - then everyone in the house is covered under the same insurance, so if one person is absent, the cover remains valid.
2) Go away for 59 days then come back, cancel insurance, take out new policy with another company and go away again - not something I want to do.

From previous threads I have listed the following recommendations to contact:
Home Protect
Camping & Caravan Club
LV insurance
M&S
Safeguard
Co-Op
Devitt Brokers

I would be glad to hear from those who have first hand experience of insurance companies - or brokers - who can arrange cover for unoccupied periods over 90 days - ideally 180 to 270 days.

The first thing is that empty properties are more risky to insure: they are a magnet for bad guys for one thing, and storm damage etc doesn’t get fixed. That’s why empty buildings are boarded up.

The second is that insurance contracts are “of the utmost good faith” which means that even if no direct question is asked you are obliged to tell the insurer of any risk of which you’re aware. Gaming the system of itself invalidates the policy.

The only solution is for the property to be substantially occupied by somebody and for the insurance to reflect that occupier.

 

[Anjistar]

You try having a thatched property and going away!
We've had to jump through hoops. Our limit is only 40 days. For the first time we had to put locks on some windows an athletic three-year-old wouldn't be able to get through, despite having acres of glass that any self respecting lowlife would be quicker breaking and entering than finding a willing small child, and the local plod saying we're very unlikely to get burgled up a dead end lane with lots of neighbours and a school on the way up, though I'm sure it does happen. They even took our theft clause out for a week until we had the locks fitted.
We have to arrange for a neighbour to come in every couple of days to move the post and check the electricity/water etc, and one time they wanted us to turn all the water to the house off and drain the system to go away for a week in the winter.
And to add insult to injury, the quote was almost a100% increase on last year, but there aren't many insurers who cover thatch.

 

[Peter Clark]

Home insurance - unoccupied cover:

I started this thread a few months ago - have now insured with LV as they give repeating blocks of 60 days unoccupied cover.
(this is the best deal for me, other deals for longer periods are available from caravan clubs, but a lot more money)

That is to say, can go away for 59 days - and then it resets so can go away for another 59 days - then resets again etc.

(If away for more than 60 days can pay for an extention - but that does not cover vandalism or theft)

My John Lewis insurance terms were changed so that the 60 days unoccupied cover were cumulative - i.e. a total of 60 days in any insured period.
They did not tell me they had changed my terms - I spotted it on page 40 of booklet!
Might be worth everyone checking their terms to see if restrictions are being sneaked in.

 

[gus-lopez]

and that if you don’t have heating on then you are not covered

How do people with no heating except open fires get on then?

They could ask for proof of travel in and return. Insurance companies are not stupid!

why wiould you even mention beiung away?

Might be worth everyone checking their terms to see if restrictions are being sneaked in.

If they are ,then they are not legal.they have to specifically notify you of major changes.

 

[Pausim]

How do people with no heating except open fires get on then?

Complete drain down is usually an acceptable alternative.

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[Speve]

How do people with no heating except open fires get on then?

They insist that water turned off and taps opened

 

[Beechball25]

Hi forum. I've know this is an old thread, but it helped me find the right insurance for my planned longer travel now retirement allows, after numerous days of searching and then realising insurances that I was just about to sign up to, had all the restrictions discussed in this forum. The offagen post on 23 Aug 23 was spot on and still applies. M&S Home insurance for a 4 bed detached on outskirts of Bristol just cost me just under £300 for Standard Buildings and Contents (Accidental Damage not taken because I'm a careful bugger. £484 for premium with unlimited cover and accidental damage). M&S still cover for 90 days unoccupied as standard policy with no dependencies or limitations. Above 90 days then attracts the limitations the other insurers impose after 30 and 60 days. My search ranged from £450 - £900 with other well known insurers and they all had major limitations regarding heating being left on 24hrs at 15 deg with loft hatches left open, to not covering Vandalism and Theft or water leakage damage during unoccupied period. I confirmed with M&S over the phone that they had no dependencies or limitations up to 90 days unoccupied before signing up. They are the only insurer I could find anywhere close to this price of below £400 with no limitations until you exceed the 90 days. I thought it was worth sharing and updating offagen post/advice. That post was spot on. Thank you.

 

[Beechball25]

Just FYI: I requested house and contents insurance quotes from M&S and C&CC. M&S offered 90 days full unoccupied cover. C&CC offered either 60 or 180 days full cover but no 90 day option. M&S came in at £380* with 90 day cover and C&CC at just over £800 for 180 day cover. Apart from the unoccupied period, the cover provided by both insurers was virtually identical. Needless to say, we went with M&S.

We were previously insured by Aviva but (we discovered after six weeks in France) only had 30 days unoccupied cover! Their all-online method of dealing with quotes, with no opportunity to speak to anyone, made getting the required info painful but we eventually found that they would extend to 60 days cover at extra cost but after 30 days the extent of cover was seriously reduced. They lost a customer.

* We went for M&S’s Standard policy with a few options added, which met our needs. Some might prefer or need their Premier policy which offers higher levels of cover but would add about £100 to the Standard premium.

Spot on mate. Still applies to date (2025). Thank you. M&S 90 day unoccupied cover as standard.

 

[Fragle]

Hi forum. I've know this is an old thread, but it helped me find the right insurance for my planned longer travel now retirement allows, after numerous days of searching and then realising insurances that I was just about to sign up to, had all the restrictions discussed in this forum. The offagen post on 23 Aug 23 was spot on and still applies. M&S Home insurance for a 4 bed detached on outskirts of Bristol just cost me just under £300 for Standard Buildings and Contents (Accidental Damage not taken because I'm a careful bugger. £484 for premium with unlimited cover and accidental damage). M&S still cover for 90 days unoccupied as standard policy with no dependencies or limitations. Above 90 days then attracts the limitations the other insurers impose after 30 and 60 days. My search ranged from £450 - £900 with other well known insurers and they all had major limitations regarding heating being left on 24hrs at 15 deg with loft hatches left open, to not covering Vandalism and Theft or water leakage damage during unoccupied period. I confirmed with M&S over the phone that they had no dependencies or limitations up to 90 days unoccupied before signing up. They are the only insurer I could find anywhere close to this price of below £400 with no limitations until you exceed the 90 days. I thought it was worth sharing and updating offagen post/advice. That post was spot on. Thank you.

Just be prepared for a massive increase next year.

We changed to M&S last year similar price to you specifically for the 90 days. Just had our renewal with a £250 increase. No claims or changes.
I have spoken with them and they are not interested. That’s the price take it or leave it.

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