Building
The structure while unoccupied, without the vacancy restrictions.
Business Insurance
Vacant property insurance for empty buildings.
Most property policies restrict or void cover once a building has been empty for 30 or 60 days. That clause surprises owners at the worst time.
An empty building is a materially different risk from an occupied one. Nobody notices the burst pipe, the break-in or the small fire, so losses run larger. Standard property policies respond to this with vacancy clauses that cut or remove cover after a set period, commonly 30 or 60 consecutive days.
The vacancy clause, and what replaces it
Once the vacancy period elapses, standard forms typically exclude vandalism, glass breakage, water damage and theft outright, and may reduce all other claims by a percentage. The building is still insured on paper and substantially uninsured in practice.
A vacant property policy is written for the situation instead — during renovation, between tenants, while a property is on the market, or through probate. It restores cover for the perils a vacancy clause removes.
What it covers
The parts of a vacant property insurance policy
Vandalism and theft
The perils standard forms exclude first when a building sits empty.
Liability
Injury to visitors, contractors or trespassers at the property.
Renovation work
Cover during works, coordinated with builders risk where a project is significant.
Working with us
What we do differently
We are an independent agency, so we place your vacant property insurance across several carriers rather than fitting you to one company's product. That means a genuine comparison, and someone to call who is not a call centre.
- Check the vacancy clause in your current policy before the building empties
- Tell your insurer as soon as a property becomes vacant, not afterwards
- Coordinate with builders risk if renovation work is substantial
Common questions
Vacant Property Insurance, answered
How long can a building be empty before cover is affected?
Commonly 30 or 60 consecutive days, depending on the form. After that, standard policies typically exclude vandalism, glass, water damage and theft, and may reduce other claims.
Is a property between tenants considered vacant?
Usually yes if it is unfurnished and unoccupied. Definitions differ between vacant and unoccupied, and the distinction affects cover, so it is worth checking the specific wording.
Do I need this during a renovation?
If the building is empty, yes. For substantial works it is usually paired with builders risk so both the structure and the project are covered.
Related cover
Often arranged alongside this
Commercial Property Insurance
Property cover repairs the building and replaces the contents. Business interruption replaces what you could not earn while that happened — and it is usually the larger number.
Read moreBuilders Risk Insurance
A property policy covers a finished building. Builders risk covers one that does not exist yet — the structure as it goes up, and the materials waiting to become part of it.
Read moreLandlord Insurance
A homeowners policy will not cover a house you rent to someone else. Once tenants move in, the policy has to change with it.
Read moreReady for a vacant property insurance quote?
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