An empty house is a substantially different risk from an occupied one. Nobody notices the leak, nobody hears the break-in, nobody smells the smoke. Insurers know this, and standard policies contain provisions that respond to it.
The provisions are easy to miss until they matter, and by then the window to act has usually closed.
Vacant and unoccupied are different words
They get used interchangeably in conversation and they are distinct in a policy.
Unoccupied generally means the home is furnished but nobody is living there. A second home between visits, a house whose owners are travelling for months, a property listed for sale with the furniture still in place.
Vacant generally means no occupants and no furnishings. An empty house between owners, a property cleared out during probate, a home stripped for renovation.
Vacant is usually the more restricted condition, because an empty house signals a longer absence and offers no sign of occupancy.
The definitions that matter are your insurer's, and they vary. Ask how your policy defines both terms rather than relying on the ordinary meaning.
The vacancy clause
Most homeowners policies contain a vacancy provision that limits or excludes coverage once the property has been empty for a set consecutive period, commonly in the range of 30 to 60 days.
The exact trigger period varies by insurer and by state. Some policies use 30 days, some 60, and some distinguish between vacant and unoccupied with different periods for each.
What typically gets restricted first:
- Vandalism and malicious mischief
- Theft
- Glass breakage
- Water damage, including from burst pipes
- Sometimes freezing, unless heat was maintained or systems drained
These are precisely the losses an empty house is most exposed to, which is the point of the provision.
Core perils such as fire, lightning and windstorm often continue, though this varies and should not be assumed.
Liability continues even where property coverage does not
A point people miss entirely.
An empty property still generates liability exposure. Someone can be injured on it: a delivery driver, a contractor, a neighbor's child, a trespasser in some circumstances. An unmaintained walkway or a collapsing step does not become safe because nobody lives there.
If the property is classified as vacant under the policy, liability coverage could be affected as well as property coverage. That is worth confirming directly with your insurer, because the exposure does not go away when the coverage does.
See home liability for how the liability section works.
Situations that trigger it
Most people who hit a vacancy clause did not think of themselves as having a vacant property.
- A house on the market after you have already moved out
- A home you inherited, sitting empty through probate
- A relocation where the old house has not sold
- A major renovation requiring you to move out
- A second home or seasonal property unoccupied for months
- A rental property between tenants, which can run longer than expected
- An extended absence: a long work assignment, military deployment, a lengthy hospital stay, or wintering elsewhere
- A newly purchased home you have not moved into yet
That last one catches buyers who close weeks before moving. Coverage begins at closing, and the vacancy clock may begin at the same time.
How to keep coverage
The options exist, and the important thing is acting before the clause triggers rather than after.
A vacancy permit. Many insurers will issue one, generally on request before the vacancy period expires. It continues coverage for some standard perils such as fire and wind, but typically does not restore protection against theft, glass breakage or water damage. Coverage under a permit varies by company, so ask what specifically remains.
A vacancy endorsement. Some insurers offer an endorsement that allows coverage to continue on a property that will be vacant for an extended period, generally on broader terms than a permit.
A standalone vacant property policy. Written specifically for empty buildings, usually with terms reflecting the elevated risk. This is the usual route for a long-term vacancy such as a renovation or an estate property.
A landlord or dwelling fire policy, if the property is between tenants rather than genuinely empty long-term. See landlord insurance and the dwelling fire forms.
Occupancy itself. Arranging for someone to live there, or in some cases a documented pattern of regular checks, can change the classification. Insurers sometimes view regular attendance more favorably.
Practical protection while it sits empty
Whatever the coverage arrangement, reducing the risk is worthwhile and may affect terms.
- Have someone check it regularly, and keep a record of visits
- Maintain heat through winter, or shut off and drain the water system. Freezing provisions in most policies depend on one of these. See water damage and what home insurance covers
- Shut off the water supply where practical, since an unnoticed leak in an empty house is the classic large loss
- Keep the exterior maintained so the property does not look empty: mail collected, lawn cut, snow cleared, leaves removed
- Use timers on lighting
- Keep the alarm monitored, and consider leak detection sensors
- Secure the perimeter, including outbuildings
- Address hazards that create liability: steps, railings, walkways, pool fencing
The sequence to follow
- Call your insurer before the property is empty, or as soon as you know it will be. Do not wait to see whether it matters.
- Ask how they define vacant and unoccupied, and what the trigger period is.
- Ask what specifically is suspended, on both property and liability.
- Ask which solution they offer: permit, endorsement, or a different policy.
- Get the arrangement in writing and check it appears on your declarations page.
- Tell them when it is occupied again, so you are not paying for the wrong arrangement.
The reason for calling early is simple: permits generally must be requested before the clause triggers, and once a policy has restricted coverage, restoring it retroactively is not usually available.
Not calling has its own risk. An undisclosed vacancy discovered at claim time is a coverage dispute, and possibly a misrepresentation issue affecting the policy more broadly. See cancellation, non-renewal and lapses.
Related reading: what homeowners insurance covers, life events that change your insurance, and filing a home insurance claim.
Vacancy definitions, trigger periods, what is suspended, and the availability of permits, endorsements and vacant property policies vary by insurer and by state, and your policy documents control. For your own property, speak with a licensed agent or your state's Department of Insurance before the property is empty. You can also request home insurance quotes and get connected with licensed providers who cover your area.