Published on 18th February 2025

Do You Need Unoccupied House Insurance During Probate (A Guide To Probate Property Insurance)

When a person dies, their property may be left unoccupied while the probate process is finalised. This raises the question: do you need unoccupied house insurance during probate?

The short answer is yes. Standard home insurance policies often do not provide adequate cover for an unoccupied home, leaving the deceased’s estate exposed to risks such as theft, vandalism and weather-related damage.

Throughout this article, we will break down the importance of probate property insurance and the risks associated with leaving an unoccupied property un-insured.

If you require probate property insurance, speak with our expert team today on 01934 522 252.

Why Probate House Insurance is Necessary

Probate house insurance is designed to provide cover for a property that remains unoccupied following the death of the owner. Without probate insurance, the house could be at risk of damage or liability issues that may not be covered under a standard home insurance policy.

Executors and family members handling the deceased person’s estate must ensure that unoccupied property insurance is in place to protect the asset during this transitional period.

Risks of Leaving a Property Uninsured

Unoccupied house insurance is crucial because properties left vacant are more vulnerable to damage and crime. Break-ins, attempted theft, vandalism, escape of water, and structural damage due to storms or cold weather are common risks.

A standard house insurance policy may not provide cover once the property is left unoccupied for an extended period, making a specialist house insurance policy necessary.

What Does Unoccupied Property Insurance Cover?

Unoccupied property insurance provides a comprehensive protection plan tailored to vacant properties. Policies can include:

● Property insurance for structural damage, including fire, flooding, and storm-related issues.

● Liability cover to protect against accidents or injuries occurring at the property.

● Property owner’s liability, which safeguards executors and beneficiaries from legal claims.

● Contents insurance, ensuring any valuables left in the property remain protected.

● Specialist unoccupied property insurance options for additional cover as needed.

Probate House Insurance Cover vs. Standard Home Insurance

Many insurance providers offer specialist insurance policies for unoccupied homes but standard home insurance policies typically do not provide adequate cover. Standard home insurance often requires the property to be occupied, meaning an unoccupied house insurance policy is necessary once the property remains unoccupied beyond a set timeframe.

Additionally, probate home insurance is designed to be flexible, allowing for an extended period of cover depending on how long the probate period lasts. Standard home insurance usually does not account for the unique circumstances surrounding a deceased person’s estate.

How to Choose the Right Unoccupied House Insurance Policy

Selecting the right probate home insurance policy requires careful consideration of several factors:

● Policy duration: The length of time the property will remain unoccupied during the probate process.

● Level of cover: Ensure the policy provides adequate unoccupied house insurance, including protection against theft, fire, and water damage.

● Flexibility: Some policies, such as those offered by Birnbeck Insurance Brokers, provide cover with nil excess and no inspection requirements.

● Cost: Prices for probate insurance vary depending on the provider, so comparing policies can help you find the best option.

Security Measures to Protect an Unoccupied Property

To reduce the risk of damage or theft, executors should take certain security measures. These may include installing alarms, securing doors and windows and checking the property regularly. Some insurers require these precautions before they provide cover for an unoccupied house.

Specialist Probate Property Insurance from Birnbeck Insurance Brokers

Birnbeck Insurance Brokers offers specialist unoccupied property insurance designed specifically for probate properties. Our policies include:

● Flexible period of cover options with 3, 6, 9 and 12 month policy terms available.

● Nil excess and no inspection requirements.

● Comprehensive cover for up to seven-bedroom properties.

● Protection against risks such as break-ins, escape of water, and fire damage.

● House insurance during probate tailored to executors, solicitors, and family members handling the deceased’s property.

Get a Quote Today

If you are handling a deceased person’s estate and require unoccupied house insurance, Birnbeck Insurance Brokers can help. We provide tailored probate property insurance policies to ensure the property remains protected while the legal process is completed.

Contact us today on 01934 522 252 to discuss your probate house insurance needs and get a personalised quote.

Published on 16th December 2024

Tuesday 24th December: 9am – 1pm

Wednesday 25th December: Closed

Thursday 26th December: Closed

Friday 27th December: 9am – 1pm

Monday 30th December: 9am – 1pm

Tuesday 31st December: 9am – 1pm

Wednesday 1st January: Closed

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM EVERYONE AT BIRNBECK

Published on 27th March 2024

We are this month celebrating a milestone anniversary of 50 years, having been established in 1974.

Located in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset we specialise in Commercial, Motor, Personal and Outdoor Education insurances – tailoring cover for businesses and individuals.

Independent insurance brokers still have a big part to play in the insurance world as they can provide the personal touch – something lost online or with national corporate brokers.

Managing Director Stuart Rose, together with co-Director Ben Fox and the team are proud that many of their clients have been with them for a considerable number of years and look forward to working with old and new customers for many more years to come.

Whether it’s protecting your business or family, Birnbeck are there to provide expert advice so feel free to give us a call, drop us a line or visit us in our office.

We’d love to hear from you.

Call us on 01934 522 252 or email office@birnbeck.com

Published on 13th November 2023

We are looking to recruit a commercial account executive/ commercial insurance consultant due to growth achieved over the last few years.

We are looking for a candidate with at least 2 years commercial insurance experience. Commercial account handlers looking to change roles will also be considered.

This role may appeal to persons looking to perform the role without sales targets (we don’t have them). Also to those who want to have the professional freedom to place business with the right insurer, rather than the insurer head office tells you to use.

There may be a need to assist with an outdoor education insurance scheme we handle at the busiest time of year.

Candidates should contact Stuart Rose on 01934 522252 or stuart@birnbeck.com.

Published on 24th May 2021

We have set up an insurance facility designed to meet the needs of the developing community of Microgreen Growers.

Our policies can include the following types of cover:

Public and Products liability – £2 million, £5 million or £10 million cover limits are available.
Employers’ Liability
Contents Insurance but excluding growing stock
Personal Accident Insurance
Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Our policies allow you to sell your produce from various locations in the U.K such as High Street or Farmers’ Markets.

To discuss your insurance requirements please feel free to contact us on 01934 522252 or office@birnbeck.com. Alternatively you can submit an enquiry via our Microgreen Growers website page.

Published on 10th January 2020

Plots of land come in all shapes and sizes and with a variety of intended uses. Care needs to be taken that the legal liability of the landowner is protected correctly in case they are drawn into any claims involving a land user or visitors.

Some points to consider:

Size
The size of the piece of land you want to insure and if it has any significant features will also influence the premium

Access rights
The more people who can access your land, the higher your premium is likely to be. You’ll need to tell your insurer if there are any public rights of access on the land as that can increase the risk. And if you employ people to work on the land you’ll need to have employer’s liability insurance by law.

Buildings
The presence of structures, including derelict buildings, or waterways, which can increase the level of any potential claim. For example, a member of the public can cause themselves a greater injury if a roofing slate falls on their head compared to if your land is just open pasture.

Special materials or listed status of structures
If you are insuring listed buildings, such as a barn, as part of your land insurance this can increase your premium. That’s because the cost of repairing or rebuilding it is likely to be higher than a standard construction barn.

It is best to speak to an insurance professional who is employed to work on your behalf rather than leave it to chance whether or not you have the correct level of cover you need for your requirements.

Please contact us on 01934 522252 if you would like to discuss further.

Published on

We have access to an exclusive facility for the metalwork sector which offers market leading cover at competitive premiums. We have considerable experience in arranging insurance for clients working in this sector built up over a number of years.

Included amongst the activities that we can insure are steel fabricators, sheet metal work, CNC milling, CNC lathes and precision engineering. Site work including hot works can be accommodated. Work with structural steelwork or jobs at hazardous locations can also be included subject to full details.

Please contact Stuart or Ben on 01934 522252 should you require further information.

Published on 26th July 2019

We have access to a Home Automation and Smart Home Installers Insurance scheme, which is specifically tailored to the needs of Home Automation contractors. It is a bespoke policy suited to the risks of working in the sector and includes a number of benefits.
Our Public and Products Liability cover can include the following covers at competitive premiums:

• Contractual Liability
• Inefficacy
• Defective Workmanship
• Optional extension available for damage to the part being worked upon

In addition we can include cover for a number of other requirements such as employers’ liability, professional indemnity and property insurance.

If you need any help with this area of insurance then please contact Stuart to discuss on 01934 522252.

Published on

When notifying your current household insurer of a significant home renovation, particularly where insurance cover is required by contract, homeowners can frequently find themselves faced with numerous difficulties.

Standard household insurers are often unable to continue covering the property effectively, or at all. They do not have the appetite to continue insuring what is effectively a building site, and all the inherent risk that brings.

A standard household insurer may provide cover for the existing house but this is usually on a highly restricted basis. This puts the homeowner at risk of not having adequate cover in place for their property and may even invalidate the policy if a JCT contract requires cover in joint names with the contractor.

Birnbeck can offer Home Works and Home Renovation policies, which provide a single, seamless solution that can cover the existing structure, contract works, contents and property owner’s liability all under one policy.

If you need any help with this area of insurance then please contact us to discuss on 01934 522252.

Published on 19th March 2019

What do you need to do now?
If you are not planning on driving in the EU in the near future, there is nothing to do. However, if they are outside of the UK on (or around) the 29th March, you will need to contact us or your insurer giving sufficient notice before your departure to ensure a Green Card can be issued in time.
If Britain leaves the EU, without a deal in place, it will be a legal requirement to carry a Green Card if driving in any EU country or Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Serbia and Andorra.
What is a Green Card?
The Green Card has information about your vehicle such as its licence plate number and demonstrates that you have the necessary minimum motor insurance cover in place to be on the road. Drivers have to physically carry the Green Card (printed on green paper) with them.
A separate Green Card will be required for all trailers, but please be aware that all commercial trailers of 750kg or over and any trailer of 3500kg or over, must be individually registered if being used outside of the UK. Please let us know the details of all trailers being used outside the UK

Please contact us to discuss further on 01934 522252.