Unoccupied House Insurance
Do you have a private dwelling that is unoccupied? OBF provide an unoccupied-house insurance policy that will provide you with peace of mind that your vacant property is adequately covered. Whether you've inherited a vacant home, are awaiting the sale of a property or renovating your home, you'll need to know about insuring an unoccupied house.
50 years delivering Unoccupied House Insurance
An "unoccupied house" is a property that is unoccupied for more than 40 consecutive days and where there are no overnight stays, e.g. homes undergoing renovation, where the insured has gone into a nursing home or where the property is for sale/rent.
OBF are one of Ireland's leading unoccupied-house insurance companies for over 50 years. Contact one of our unoccupied-house insurance experts today and let us show you how we can help. Our team members are industry experts and can help to dispel any confusion, answer any questions and ultimately ensure you get the right unoccupied-house insurance cover for your property.
Features
Benefits
Your Responsibilities
You must take all reasonable steps to prevent loss, damage or an accident and keep the vacant building(s) in a good state of repair.
You must tell us or your broker before you start any conversions, extensions or other structural work to the buildings that;
a. Change the use of the buildings in any way;
b. Involves the external surfaces of the buildings being affected/changed.You must ensure that a responsible person is appointed to supervise and check a vacant property internally and externally at least once a week and any mail, newspapers or flyers are removed from the home.
You must ensure the house and gardens of a vacant home are maintained in good condition.
Ensure all and any electrical appliances are unplugged/disconnected from the supply other than those needed to maintain central heating or alarm systems.
Ensure that all security protections for your unoccupied house e.g. alarm systems are maintained in good working order and are in full operation at all times.
This is only a brief selection of your responsibilities – please refer to your unoccupied house insurance policy wording for the full listing.
Tip #1
Check with your unoccupied house insurance company to clarify any special conditions that may apply to your policy if your property becomes occupied. Failure to comply with conditions attaching to your policy may result in an unoccupied house insurance claim being declined.
Tip #2
Ensure all areas of an unoccupied house are maintained. A poorly maintained garden or exterior can indicate to thieves and vandals that the house may be unoccupied.
Tip #3
Unoccupied homes with security systems in place such as alarm systems, CCTV cameras, dead bolts or motion detector systems are three times less likely to be burgled.
Tip #4
Be mindful not to underinsure. Your property, including domestic outbuildings, should be insured for the full rebuilding cost. Find out more here.
FAQs
A: Most unoccupied house insurance policies offer some level of cover for fire damage enabling you to aptly finance the repair of cosmetic or structural damage. However, you should ask your chosen provider whether fire damage as a result of arson is covered.
If the fire was proven to be deliberately set, cover may not be valid. At OBF, we also cover fire brigade charges up to the value of €2,000.
A: Unless an unoccupied house is regularly inspected, internal or external damage could go unnoticed for quite some time, allowing damage to worsen and the financial implications to rise.
If a person is inspecting an unoccupied house on a weekly basis, removing any mail, newspapers or flyers that have built up, checking alarm systems, opening and closing curtains etc. this will also help to deter thieves and vandals.
A: The majority of standard home insurance will only allow a property to be unoccupied for between 30-40 consecutive days every year. After this period, the cover would usually be reduced to Fire and Property Owners Liability only, unless you take out unoccupied house insurance cover instead. If unsure about where your property is covered, contact your insurance provider immediately.
A: Yes, we specialise in insuring properties that are unoccupied for a consecutive number of years. Contact our team for further advice.
A: Yes, this is another one of our specialities. You must however ensure that you are dealing with a reputable builder who also has their own liability insurance and, if an extension is being built, a contractors all risks insurance policy. Contact our team with any queries you have.
A: Yes, to assist in this you will need to know the size of your home. Once you have this information you can visit https://scsi.ie/consumer/build/calculator/ for guidance.
A: If you underinsure your home, you may not receive the full amount necessary to rebuild, repair or replace it in the event of partial or complete damage. Claim settlements may be reduced if your buildings or contents sums insured, at the time of any loss or damage, are less than the full rebuild cost or replacement cost.
Claims & Emergencies
Here to Help
Unsure of how to make a claim or your next steps in the case of an emergency?
We’re here to help and guide.
More Home Insurance Advice
Renovation Risks: Insuring Your Unoccupied Property During Building Works
Is Your Vacant Property at Risk?
5 Key Considerations When Buying Unoccupied Home Insurance
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Here to help
Tell us all about the protection you need, and we’ll guide you on your ideal insurance options.
Email: info@obf.ie
Call: +353 1 660 1033