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Empty house insurance NI

Standard home insurance generally won’t suffice if you’re leaving the property vacant for more than 30 or 60 days. You will need, instead, empty house insurance (also known as unoccupied property insurance). We offer empty house insurance for Northern Ireland residents, at very competitive prices. A few minutes is all it takes to get quotes and see how much you could save. Complete the quick quote form, and we’ll quickly find your quotes. Not all insurance companies offer this type of insurance, but Apricot are ready to help now. Save a lot with Apricot!

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Empty house insurance NI

Although your house might be empty, the building itself still needs protection. If you’re in Northern Ireland, and your empty house requires insurance, use our quick and easy, independent service to search through competitive insurance quotes tailored to meet your individual requirements. 

When would I need empty house insurance in Northern Ireland?

Your standard home insurance only allows you to leave your property empty for a short period and after this time your policy no longer offers you enough protection.

If you’ve moved out of your home and it’s now sitting empty waiting to be sold, if you’re between tenants or if the house is awaiting probate, empty house insurance may be needed. 

Why do I need unoccupied house insurance in Northern Ireland and not just building cover?

An empty house is more of a risk than an occupied one for many reasons. They’re more likely to be burgled, vandalised or squatted in for example. Because you’re not regularly in the house, keeping an eye on things, they’re also at more of a risk from water damage, flooding and general disrepair.

Because of these increased risks, an NI based insurance company will ask you to take out empty house insurance in order to properly address and cover these risks. 

What is covered by empty house insurance in NI?

A basic policy will offer cover for fire and natural disasters, but you can also opt for a more comprehensive policy which might also cover storm and flood damage, subsidence, theft, vandalism, squatter damage and tree falls. 

How long can I take out an empty house insurance policy for?

It’s not always easy to say how long your home is going to be empty for, but most insurers will allow you to select from 6, 9 or 12 months.

What conditions will the insurer have if I want to take out empty house insurance?

You need to help negate the risks associated with an empty house and insurers may request that you:

* Securely lock all doors and windows.

* Install a burglar alarm and it is a good idea to have security cameras / CCTV too.

* Switch off utilities.

* Protect against burst pipes.

* Make regular visits to the house to inspect the property. 

Can I get empty house insurance NI if the house is derelict?

It’s really important that you openly discuss the level of disrepair in a house when you’re trying to secure unoccupied home insurance. An insurer may fail to offer coverage if the house has boarded up entrances, broken windows or an extensively damaged roof. These all make the property far more vulnerable to weather-related damage, theft and squatting. 

One of my insurance conditions is guarding against burst pipes. How do I do that?

If this is one of the conditions of your insurance, to avoid experiencing water damage during the colder months (where your pipes might freeze) you can either go in and turn on the heating as needed, or set a timer.