home contents insurance whilst away

[homer]

Although we live aboard most of the time, I now a little bolt hole back in the UK. I would quite like to insure the contents (not that there is a great deal) but have found that, because I am away for long stretches at a time, most companies don't want to know and those that do, will only provide cover for several times what I need and charge accordingly. Has anyone managed to find a way around this? (Other than not telling the insurers that you are away!)

 

[PlanB]

Not telling the insurers you are away could backfire if you need to claim.
Some insurers will cover you if someone goes in and inspects regularly and/or the system is drained down.
I´ve always found that using a good broker is best for slightly unusual cases such as yours, although I have to admit that when faced with a similar situation with my late mother´s house, I just didn´t insure it!

 

[Marsupial]

Although we live aboard most of the time, I now a little bolt hole back in the UK. I would quite like to insure the contents (not that there is a great deal) but have found that, because I am away for long stretches at a time, most companies don't want to know and those that do, will only provide cover for several times what I need and charge accordingly. Has anyone managed to find a way around this? (Other than not telling the insurers that you are away!)

Insures wont insure it - sorry but that is it.

A solution could be to engage with house sitters such that the period when the house is unoccupied does not exceed 90 days or whatever the insurer wants, but even then you must declare the tactic to the insurers as well.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Try Ocaso Insurance. We have had an empty house with contents insured for 1 years with them. Proper cover too. We could not find a single alternative.
There are others who will cover, but when you read the exclusions you might just as well not have bothered.

http://www.ocaso.co.uk/

We have not made a claim so cant tell you whether they will pay up!

Their Credit rating was better than AVIVA - but being Spanish it probably means they ignore more off balance sheet risks!

 

[GrahamM376]

We have an old policy with Nationwide which allows us to be away all year, provided the house is inspected internally every 2 weeks by someone. May be worth a phone call to see if the old policy is still available, also check on holiday accommodation policies, lots of people have a holiday second home only occasionally occupied.

 

[r_h]

Although it's not something that I've ever had to look into, surely there are at least tens of thousands of holiday homes that face the same issue - owners away for months at a time (even if only over the winter) - and presumably a good number of them are able to get insurance.

 

[charles_reed]

Although it's not something that I've ever had to look into, surely there are at least tens of thousands of holiday homes that face the same issue - owners away for months at a time (even if only over the winter) - and presumably a good number of them are able to get insurance.

The OP is referring specifically to contents insurance - usually only covered, in absentia, providing the house is visited regularly and inspected.
Many insurers allow cover on a 2nd home, as part of a single policy - in fact mine even gives a discount.

I fear that, even if he can find it, contents insurance on an unoccupied house, will be wildly uneconomic and the OP would be far better off just self-insuring. Insurers are not gamblers and only insure risks with a large enough statistical population able to produce variances sufficiently significant to ensure making a profit.

 

[skpt]

i have two homes and i have only been able to insure them together with the declaration that i will visit the second one a certain number of times a year. it was impossible to obtain a separate policy for the second one as the existing insurer refused to renew the cover when the property was transferred to me. both companies involved are household names and assured me this was standard practice.

 

[Cheoy Lee 41]

Try NFU they will cover provided an overnight visit once every 60 days, which seems prudent anyway. Our current policy quite reasonable all things considered.

 

[chinita]

I do wonder how insurance companies arrive at these figures.

What if the house is burgled on the 62nd night - that night after the required overnight stay was made to satisfy their terms?

Just another Cash Cow IMO.

 

[akyaka]

Have no problems or increased premiums as someone goes in regularly ( daughter to check mail etc) and heating set to come on low in winter.

 

[vyv_cox]

The Caravan Club will insure house and contents for 180 days unoccupied, with some additional conditions (unstated) for the second 90 days. Cover is arranged by Devitt Insurance Services Ltd.