Holiday home insurance

Holiday home insurance is specialised cover for a property that isn’t your main home, which could be empty for long periods.

As with standard home insurance, it can be divided into buildings insurance and contents insurance.

Policies should offer financial protection against:

• Fire, flooding and storm damage

• Damage caused by burst pipes

• Subsidence

• Theft

• Problems caused by guests, if you let the property out.

You’re not legally required to take out holiday home insurance. But if you don’t have cover in place for your holiday home, you could be left with expensive repair bills.

Your holiday home is more vulnerable because you’re not living in it full time. If there’s a leak, there may not be anyone there to notice it before it causes significant damage. And an empty house could be easier to break into.

Is standard home insurance suitable for holiday homes?

No, standard home insurance doesn’t usually cover holiday homes.

Standard home insurance policies typically have limits on how long a property can be left unoccupied – often 30 consecutive days. Because holiday homes are usually left empty for longer periods, standard home insurance won’t cover this extra risk.

And standard policies won’t cover properties let out to paying guests. That means any damage or accidents involving guests are likely to be excluded.

If you rent out your holiday home, you need specialised holiday let insurance. Our data shows that people typically pay less than £243 a year for holiday home cover².

As well as buildings and contents cover, holiday let insurance covers risks such as guest-related damage and theft (including without forced entry). Here’s what’s typically included:

• Public liability insurance – could cover legal fees and compensation costs if a guest is injured while staying in your property and decides to sue you.

• Loss of rental income – could cover loss of earnings if you have to cancel a booking because of damage caused by a flood, fire or storm.

• Alternative accommodation – could cover costs if your property is damaged and you have to find somewhere else for your guests to stay.

• Employers’ liability insurance – a legal requirement if you employ someone to take care of your holiday home, such as a gardener or cleaner. It could cover the cost of compensation claims if they’re hurt or become ill as a result of working for you.

• Legal expenses cover – if a guest refuses to leave, you may need legal help to resolve the situation.

The cost of holiday home insurance depends on a range of factors, including:

Whether you pay annually or monthly

It’s typically cheaper to pay for holiday home insurance in one lump sum. If you pay in monthly instalments, you’ll usually be charged interest.

Combining buildings and contents cover

Some providers might offer a discount if you buy a combined buildings and contents policy to cover your holiday home.

Security features

An alarm system, strong door and window locks, and security lighting could mean you pay less for your premium. Our data shows that people with window locks pay £193 a year versus £207 a year for those who don't².

Size and location

How big your holiday home is and where it’s located will affect the price of your insurance.

The condition of your holiday home

Keeping your holiday home in good condition will help reduce the risk of having to make a claim, so you’re likely to get a cheaper premium.

How often it’s occupied

If your holiday home is left unoccupied for extended periods, there’s a higher risk of damage or theft. And that’s likely to mean higher premiums.

To give you an idea, our data shows people pay £281 a year for home cover when their house is unoccupied for between three to six months, compared to £276 a year for one to three months².

To get a quote for holiday home insurance, you’ll need to tell us a little about yourself, your home and the level of cover you need.

Second residence

If you use your property purely as a second residence, you can compare home insurance quotes with us.

Holiday let

If you let out your holiday home, you can compare holiday let insurance quotes.

To reduce the likelihood of having to make a holiday home insurance claim, follow these tips to keep your property safe:

• Turn off the water at the mains if you’re going to be leaving the property empty for a long period.

• Keep on top of the garden so weeds and tree roots don’t grow out of hand. You don’t want them damaging the foundations of your home.

• To keep burglars at bay, make sure there are no easy entry points into the property, and don’t leave ladders lying around.

• Keep an inventory of your home’s contents and check it after paying guests have left.

• Visit your property regularly or ask a trustworthy neighbour to check on it.