Home Insurance For Your Holiday Home

As a second home owner, it can be daunting to find out the different types of home insurance that you’re required to have in order for your home to be fully insured to a similar level as that of your primary residence.

For many holiday home owners, there is still a lot of confusion as to whether you should take out specialist insurance to protect your home from the unique dangers that come with owning a holiday home.

Overall, although many people think that insurance is an unnecessary expense, it could be the difference between happily owning your holiday home for many years to come, or facing financial difficulties when something goes wrong.

Choosing the Home Insurance Policy For You

One of the most confusing aspects of choosing home insurance for a holiday home can be that there are so many different policies available, it’s difficult to know which one addresses your needs most. When you own a holiday home, there are going to be periods where it is left empty or when other people are using it for their own holidays.

These are very specific clauses in some policies and you should check that you’re covered for these types of situations. Ideally, you want a policy that is going to cover you even when the house is left unoccupied or is being used as a holiday let. An extension of this is to ensure that your policy doesn’t require that the home is always left with water turned off or heating drained every time it is left unoccupied for a certain period.

Many policies will demand this as standard and if you don’t follow these rules, when you go to make a claim you will often be refused.

Essential Cover for Holiday Homes

When you choose your policy, you must always be certain that it includes cover for holiday letting. This means that if other people are in your home and there’s a problem, you don’t have to worry – you’re covered. A good policy will include public liability insurance, temporary accommodation expenses if needed, contents insurance if required and loss of rental income if there are damages caused by guests etc.

Perhaps having a home that you’re not always able to check on means that it’s even more essential to give yourself peace of mind and have a great insurance policy in place covering you for any little accidents that might occur.

Insurance for your Holiday Homes in the UK

Many people find it difficult to get holiday home cover when they own a second home in the UK. If it is unoccupied for a lengthy period during winter, it can be expensive to insure as there’s higher risk of burst pipes or flooding. Many companies will unrealistically ask you to check on the property every week and make sure that it’s not left empty for over 30 days.

These clauses can often be found in the small print, so always check them before signing any contract as it’s important to go with a company who don’t place these unrealistic clauses on you. It can make the difference when you make a claim, so ensure that you know exactly what is on the policy.

Insurance for your Holiday Homes Abroad

When you first get a holiday home in a new country, it can be a confusing time with regards to paperwork and legalities and many people generally end up choosing local insurance that they may not have fully researched. If this is the case, it can lead to all manner of problems at a later date, so don’t just jump in.

It’s essential that you get the right policy for you as a holiday home owner and don’t end up with just a local home owner policy that doesn’t cover your own set of needs.

As with a policy for a home in the UK, make sure that it covers the home for periods of unoccupancy and of course for any weather related or guest related damage. Seek out a specialist in the area, or if you’re not fluent in the local language, speak to an insurance broker in the UK who has offices or ties overseas.