Unoccupied Property Insurance and Empty Building Insurance

Specialist insurance for unoccupied property. If you need empty house insurance, things can prove difficult. Well look no further! We can offer insurance for your unoccupied property to include theft, malicious damage, storm and escape of water - perils which are excluded from most policies.

If you own a property which has become unoccupied, you are probably aware of the difficulty you can then face trying to get a realistic quotation to insure it. Many insurers will not even provide insurance cover for an unoccupied building, and therefore specialist products are required to ensure you get the maximum amount of cover at a realistic price.

Graham Edwards have access to specialist products for empty house insurance, empty shop insurance and other unoccupied commercial premises such as empty factory buildings and vacant office insurance, and can find you the cover you need at a competitive rate.

The Fire Protection Association (FPA) estimates that fires, theft and malicious damage in empty premises causes losses in excess of £100m each year. It is therefore essential you protect your unoccupied property properly, and the most important part of this is obtaining a product designed specifically for insuring empty buildings.

Advice for owners of unoccupied property

As an owner of an unoccupied property you should be aware that most insurance policies will severely restrict cover, excluding perils such as escape of water, theft and malicious damage. We offer specialist empty house insurance policies, providing you with the cover that other insurers will not give.

1. Advise your insurer!
It is vital that your insurer is kept informed of the occupancy status of your property. The fact that a property has become unoccupied is a material fact, and must be disclosed to the insurer, or you may find that you do not have any cover at all. Any fact which may affect an insurer?s view of a risk which is not disclosed to them may invalidate your policy completely. Once they have been advised, they may then decide to further restrict cover, or not to invite renewal of the policy at all. This is where your independent specialist will advise on a more suitable product to give you as much cover as possible.
2. Remove all valuable items from the property.
As most policies will exclude theft of contents once a home is unoccupied for an extended time, it is vital that all valuables are removed from the home immediately. However, a property that has been devoid of all furnishings during the longer term (over 3 years) can be very difficult to insure, so some insurers recommend leaving basic furniture in the property to make it appear occupied.
3. Ensure the property is secure.
Make sure that all available window and door locks are in use and any potential entry points are protected. If the house has an alarm, ensure that it is set. If the property is going to be empty for an extended period, you may also consider sealing the letter box to reduce the risk of unauthorised entry, which can lead to vandalism, arson and squatters.
4. Heating.
Either drain down the water system in the home completely, so that the risk of damage caused by escaping water is removed, or, particularly between the months of October ? March, ensure that the heating is maintained on a frost alert setting, or to a temperature of 15 degrees C. This will reduce the risk of water freezing and causing burst pipes in the event of a sudden cold snap. If there is a water storage tank in the loft, it is advisable to open the loft hatch just a crack, so that the loft area is less likely to freeze.
5. Make the property look occupied
If a home is obviously empty, the risk of it falling victim to vandalism, burglary, or squatters increases enormously. Ask a neighbour to park a car in the driveway, regularly move curtains, anything you can do to make it appear that the house is lived in, will reduce your risk.
6. Inspect the property regularly
Some insurers will agree to cover an empty property provided you can guarantee to have the property inspected by an authorised adult on a regular basis. Written records of each inspection, which should be internal and external, must be kept, so that in the event of a claim, these can be produced to verify the times of the inspections.
7. Switch off unused services
Mains services which are left switched on but are unused will increase the risk to your unoccupied house or building. Therefore any services not being used to heat or secure the property should be switched off.
8. Call Graham Edwards, Independent Insurance Consultants
For specialist advice on the insurance of unoccupied or empty houses or commercial premises. We can help you get the most suitable insurance cover for an empty building, and advise you on the best way to handle your individual circumstances.