{"id":426,"date":"2020-01-30T14:50:49","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T19:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/?p=426"},"modified":"2020-01-30T14:50:51","modified_gmt":"2020-01-30T19:50:51","slug":"empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Empty or Vacant House and Home Insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/vacant.jpg\" alt=\"Vacancy Permit - House Insurance\" class=\"wp-image-427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/vacant.jpg 640w, https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/vacant-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/vacant-624x415.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\ncurrently own a property that is vacant, you should be aware that your\ninsurance policy might not cover that vacant property after a certain number of\ndays. Every insurance company has different rules and coverages, but the\nmajority of the insurance companies have rules that will void your coverage if\nthe property is left vacant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to inform your insurance broker that you are planning on leaving the house vacant as soon as possible so that they can ensure you are able to keep coverage on your property. Continue reading to learn more about vacancy permits, insurance tips on vacant properties, and tips to keep your property a little safer if it is going to be left vacant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a047a0570f4d\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a047a0570f4d\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#What_is_Considered_a_Vacant_Property\" >What is Considered a Vacant Property?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#What_is_a_Vacancy_Permit\" >What is a Vacancy Permit?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#Why_is_a_Vacant_Property_a_Higher_Risk\" >Why is a Vacant Property a Higher Risk?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#What_Happens_if_the_Home_is_Vacant_with_no_Vacancy_Permit\" >What Happens if the Home is Vacant with no Vacancy Permit?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#Can_We_Still_Insure_a_Vacant_Property\" >Can We Still Insure a Vacant Property?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#Will_the_Vacancy_Permit_Expire\" >Will the Vacancy Permit Expire?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#Safety_Measures_for_Your_Vacant_Property\" >Safety Measures for Your Vacant Property<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#Real-Life_Examples\" >Real-Life Examples<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/#The_Final_Word\" >The Final Word<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Considered_a_Vacant_Property\"><\/span>What is Considered a Vacant Property?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ndefinition of a vacant home can be slightly different from different insurance\ncompanies, so always check with your broker about your own personal policy. The\ncommon thread seems to be when the home has been vacant for 30 days or when the\ninhabitants leave the property with no intention of returning. This can be on\nnewly built homes, recently bought or sold properties, or even estates from the\nloss of a loved one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do keep in mind there are separate rules for homes that are vacant for a shorter period of time in regard to water coverage and responsible people checking on the home. Again, always check with your broker if you are leaving your home unoccupied for 4 or more days to ensure you are not going to run into a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_Vacancy_Permit\"><\/span>What is a Vacancy Permit?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A vacancy\npermit is an endorsement added to a home policy that will extend your home\ninsurance to maintain coverage on the property while it is vacant. Normally a\nvacant property is explicitly excluded from coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The vacancy\npermit is usually issued for a specific length of time and will reduce the\ncoverages on the policy. A vacancy permit offers basic protection against\ndamage caused by fire, lightning, explosion, windstorm, hail and vehicle impact\nbut won\u2019t provide coverage for vandalism, theft, glass damage, water escape or\nother perils. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The vacancy permit may increase your premiums and deductibles. The insurance company could also require you to check on the property at regular intervals to ensure that the house is still safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_a_Vacant_Property_a_Higher_Risk\"><\/span>Why is a Vacant Property a Higher Risk?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When there\nis damage to a property that has been unnoticed, it can quickly turn into a\nmuch larger issue. For example, if you had a slow leak from your toilet that\nwas leaking onto the bathroom floor, you would notice this quickly if you were\nliving in the house. If no one was living in that house, then that leak would\nmanifest into a significantly larger problem. Depending on how long you were\ngone, that second floor bathroom might even be on the first floor when you get\nback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though\nwater is usually the cause of loss with vacant properties, there are risks such\nas fires from electrical issues, squatters, vandalism, or even gas leaks that must\nbe considered. If you were living in the property, you would notice a gas leak\npretty quickly. When the property has been vacant and the owner comes back or\ncomes to check on it, a gas leak could be lethal or cause a total loss on the\nproperty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of these examples would still be excluded on a vacancy permit, but these examples are here to outline why the risk is greater on a vacant property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_if_the_Home_is_Vacant_with_no_Vacancy_Permit\"><\/span>What Happens if the Home is Vacant with no Vacancy Permit?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a vacancy permit, your house may be uninsured due to the exclusions on your insurance policy and any claims you try to make may be denied. Which means if your house were to burn down due to a fire while it was vacant, there would be no money from the insurance company. Keep a good line of communication open with your broker as they are there to help you with your insurance and to help make sure these types of scenarios never happen to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_We_Still_Insure_a_Vacant_Property\"><\/span>Can We Still Insure a Vacant Property?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, you can\nstill insure a vacant property and usually with your current insurance\nprovider. First, you need to contact your broker and let them know in advance\nthat the property is going to be vacant. Your broker will then approach your\ninsurance company and find out exactly what that company will offer for\ncoverages on a vacant property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most insurance companies will be willing to put on a short-term vacancy permit to allow you to keep some coverage on the property while it is vacant. It should be noted that in most cases there will be less coverage, cost more money, and most likely will have a higher deductible than if you insured the house with people living in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_the_Vacancy_Permit_Expire\"><\/span>Will the Vacancy Permit Expire?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, the vacancy permit is applied for a specified amount of time. If that time is running out, make sure you let your broker know that you may need more time for the vacancy permit. Sometimes your broker can negotiate more time on a vacancy permit if the insurance company is willing. There are limits though, so if possible, you should avoid having to extend your vacancy permit longer. If the insurance company is unwilling to extend the permit, you may be left with an uninsured property and a gap in insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Safety_Measures_for_Your_Vacant_Property\"><\/span> Safety Measures for Your Vacant Property <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Turn off the water and drain all pipes (open faucets). You should also flush the toilets and hold down the lever to get all the water out that you can. This will reduce the risk of pipes bursting or leaking.<\/li><li>Install water sensors that will detect water and send an alert of some kind.<\/li><li>Inspect the property regularly.<\/li><li>During the heating season you could investigate putting some non-toxic antifreeze in plumbing traps. This will reduce the risk of bursting pipes if the heat fails.<\/li><li>Temperature sensors can be installed to alert the owner if the heating units fail.<\/li><li>Change the locks if this is a rental property that is currently vacant.<\/li><li>Make sure the property has the appearance that someone is living in it. Keep up on maintenance such as grass cutting, snow shoveling, or have lights inside the home on a timer.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Real-Life_Examples\"><\/span>Real-Life Examples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some real-life examples of when a home could be vacant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li> Purchasing a new home, but you do not plan to move into it for a month or more <\/li><li> Selling a home, but you have already moved into your new house. <\/li><li> Estates. If someone has passed away and left a property to you, there is a good chance that home will be vacant for some time while everything is arranged. Make sure your broker is aware. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Final_Word\"><\/span>The Final Word<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a\nvast amount of information for you to digest above. The main theme that should\nhave been clear throughout this article is that you should maintain\ncommunication with your broker so that they can ensure that you maintain your\ninsurance coverage on your property. Insurance is complicated, it&#8217;s even more\ncomplicated when different insurance companies have vastly different rules.\nIt&#8217;s critical for the broker and the insured to be aware that every company\ncould handle things slightly different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing you should do when you are expecting\nyour property to be vacant is to contact your broker and find out the rules for\nyour insurance company. From there you can decide if a vacancy permit will be\nrequired and the requirements of that vacancy permit. A vacancy permit could\ncost a little more money and offer less coverage, but having your claim denied\nbecause you didn&#8217;t make that phone call will cost significantly more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you currently own a property that is vacant, you should be aware that your insurance policy might not cover that vacant property after a certain number of days. Every insurance company has different rules and coverages, but the majority of the insurance companies have rules that will void your coverage if the property is left vacant. It is important&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/30\/empty-or-vacant-house-and-home-insurance\/\">Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":427,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[301,302],"class_list":["post-426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","placeholder-for-hentry","category-home-insurance","tag-vacancy-permit","tag-vacant"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}