House Insurance

[Hazy28]

Hi All

Dad is now residing in a care home and I have Power of Attorney for his financial affairs.

He still has his own house which is unoccupied as he resides in the home.. His current insurance company have told me that they will no longer insure the premises once the insurance runs out in a few months time. So I have to find another insider to insure the building.

I have been on websites like Go Compare and seem unable to complete the process as there is no box to tick to say it will be unoccupied longer the 90 days.

Had anyone any advice on where i can go to insure his house long term?

Many thanks.
Hazy

 

[nitram]

Try an insurance broker
eg https://www.endsleigh.co.uk/personal/home-insurance/specialist-home-insurance/ disclaimer, no association

Expect requirements like:
Visit every n days,
Frost proof heating in winter.
All utilities switched off.
Letter box blocked.

I had a case where they wanted both utilities off and heating on - I ignored them!

 

[Hazy28]

Try an insurance broker
eg https://www.endsleigh.co.uk/personal/home-insurance/specialist-home-insurance/ disclaimer, no association

Expect requirements like:
Visit every n days,
Frost proof heating in winter.
All utilities switched off.
Letter box blocked.

I had a case where they wanted both utilities off and heating on - I ignored them!

Thank you… I’ll look into this. I’ve disconnected gas/electric but not water.

Never heard of frost proofing !

 

[nitram]

Never heard of frost proofing !

House not hot enough to prevent pipes freezing and potentially busting when outside stays below freezing for some time.
To be effective water needs draining including central heating if antifreeze not added.
Several thermostats have a frost setting eg

 

[Hazy28]

House not hot enough to prevent pipes freezing and potentially busting when outside stays below freezing for some time.
To be effective water needs draining including central heating if antifreeze not added.
Several thermostats have a frost setting eg

The house doesn’t have functional central heating - just hot water.

I think I’ll get some specialist advice on this.

 

[GillP]

Try BIBA they can help find a broker near you and offer advice.

Www.biba.org.uk

 

[nitram]

His current insurance company have told me that they will no longer insure the premises once the insurance runs out in a few months time. So I have to find another insider to insure the building.

Is it still insured for a few months?
If so no hurry except that policy probably says not to leave empty for more than 30? days , just visiting will mean it's not left empty.
Frost proofing should not ne needed in a few weeks time - unless we get another spring like 1963.

 

[Hours Away]

You should be able to get a quote for an empty property via this site as well

Homeprotect | Specialist Home & Property Insurance

Find the ideal home insurance for you. Homeprotect offers specialist home insurance for unoccupied, non-standard construction & many more.

www.homeprotect.co.uk

 

[Hazy28]

Is it still insured for a few months?
If so no hurry except that policy probably says not to leave empty for more than 30? days , just visiting will mean it's not left empty.
Frost proofing should not ne needed in a few weeks time - unless we get another spring like 1963.

Thanks… I’m actually going to put the immersion heater back on until the end of the winter.

 

[jugglingmum]

The house doesn’t have functional central heating - just hot water.

I think I’ll get some specialist advice on this.

My mum's house only had hot water. We turned the water off, flushed the toilet, drained the hot water tank/immersion and feeder tank. This was the best we could do.

We weren't particularly concerned about a burst, the house hadn't been maintained properly since our childhood in the 80s and was sold to a builder, so it was only the public liability element of the house insurance we needed to some extent.

 

[sdmhred]

I’ve had to do this a bit. The conditions are a bit annoying especially if ur not close. I used a broker in the end - googled empty house insurance and found something quite reasonable. It’s one of those hidden annoyances about being a dementia carer….I would take doing the personal care anyway!

We need to make sure we get the heating on for the end of Jan for the cold snap!

 

[Chizz]

Hi All

Dad is now residing in a care home and I have Power of Attorney for his financial affairs.

He still has his own house which is unoccupied as he resides in the home.. His current insurance company have told me that they will no longer insure the premises once the insurance runs out in a few months time. So I have to find another insider to insure the building.

I have been on websites like Go Compare and seem unable to complete the process as there is no box to tick to say it will be unoccupied longer the 90 days.

Had anyone any advice on where i can go to insure his house long term?

Many thanks.
Hazy

Hi @Hazy28
Yes there are insurance co's that will cover for properties likely to be unoccupied for quite a while, provided, as stated above, you agree to comply with their requirements. Those requirements are designed to try to lessen the risk of damage or squatters, etc.

However, you have to have a plan. How long are you going to keep the house if it remains unoccupied? For what end purpose? Are you thinking of a sale? If so when?

 

[nitram]

Thanks… I’m actually going to put the immersion heater back on until the end of the winter.

That will not protect the pipe only the hot water cylinder
You could do as @jugglingmum did
https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/house-insurance.144464/post-2020911 .
leaving all the taps open.

 

[Melles Belles]

I recommend using an insurance broker. They found me a much cheaper quote than the online company I used first.

 

[ForMaureen]

Hi All

Dad is now residing in a care home and I have Power of Attorney for his financial affairs.

He still has his own house which is unoccupied as he resides in the home.. His current insurance company have told me that they will no longer insure the premises once the insurance runs out in a few months time. So I have to find another insider to insure the building.

I have been on websites like Go Compare and seem unable to complete the process as there is no box to tick to say it will be unoccupied longer the 90 days.

Had anyone any advice on where i can go to insure his house long term?

Many thanks.
Hazy

Hi, I am having the same problem. Mum's house insurance is due for renewal which reminded us about telling them it is now unoccupied and why. Luckily her house is just around the corner from where I live so pop round every few days plus have left the heating and hot water on (timed). The insurance expires end of this month. We have tried online but been unsuccessful, but had a face to face appointment with insurance company today and the price was soooooo high! £1150 for 6 mths or £2000 for 12 mths. If we sell the house we can get a refund for the remaining months less admin fee. I will check out the suggestions below. Have you been successful? Many thanks, Nicky

 

[ForMaureen]

I recommend using an insurance broker. They found me a much cheaper quote than the online company I used first.

do you have the name of the insurance broker? many thanks

 

[GlennBurch]

It's great that you're taking care of your dad's affairs, though. Have you tried reaching out directly to some insurance companies? Sometimes the online platforms can be a bit tricky, but talking to a real person might help clear things up. Also, don't forget to mention your specific situation with the house being unoccupied for longer than 90 days. In terms of recommendations, I've heard good things about renters insurance companies stepping in to cover unoccupied homes. It might be worth checking out some of the best renters insurance companies and seeing if they offer coverage for your dad's house. Plus, they often have flexible options that could suit your needs.

 

[Clarrisa]

Hi All

Dad is now residing in a care home and I have Power of Attorney for his financial affairs.

He still has his own house which is unoccupied as he resides in the home.. His current insurance company have told me that they will no longer insure the premises once the insurance runs out in a few months time. So I have to find another insider to insure the building.

I have been on websites like Go Compare and seem unable to complete the process as there is no box to tick to say it will be unoccupied longer the 90 days.

Had anyone any advice on where i can go to insure his house long term?

Many thanks.
Hazy

You can get insurance for an unoccupied house. You just have to say, you or someone else, will be checking it weekly.

From October? until April you need to keep the heating on at the lowest temperature.

Try Saga Insurance.

Just in case you are not aware, your dad is exempt from paying council tax on his property.

Good luck.

 

[StressedDaughter]

Hi, I am having the same problem. Mum's house insurance is due for renewal which reminded us about telling them it is now unoccupied and why. Luckily her house is just around the corner from where I live so pop round every few days plus have left the heating and hot water on (timed). The insurance expires end of this month. We have tried online but been unsuccessful, but had a face to face appointment with insurance company today and the price was soooooo high! £1150 for 6 mths or £2000 for 12 mths. If we sell the house we can get a refund for the remaining months less admin fee. I will check out the suggestions below. Have you been successful? Many thanks, Nicky

I used a local broker and have a policy for a quarter of that sum. It is quite onerous - we have to leave the heat on at 15 degrees day and night. And keep a diary of visits - someone needs to visit every 30 days. The last bit isn’t an issue as I’m there a couple of times a week! We also get a refund pro rated when sold.