Holiday Home Insurance

Holiday Home Insurance FAQ

Please note that these frequently asked questions are not a substitute for the policy wording. For full terms and conditions please see the policy documentation.

• How much does holiday home insurance cost?

  The cost of holiday home insurance varies depending on several factors, including:

  • The location of your property – for example, if it’s in a place where flooding is likely, you would expect to pay higher premiums
  • The size of your property – typically, you’d expect to pay higher premiums for a large mansion or villa and lower premiums for a small apartment
  • The value of your contents – more valuable items can attract a higher premium

• How much cover do I need for my holiday home?

  When reviewing home buildings insurance packages, you should ensure that the total cost of repairing partial damage or rebuilding your holiday home is covered. This should include the structure of the building and any permanent fixtures and fittings, including bathrooms. Also, be sure to check that external buildings are covered, such as swimming pools, summer houses, and sheds.

  Holiday home contents insurance typically covers the cost of your household furniture and other belongings if they’re stored in your holiday home or any outbuildings. Please be advised that contents left in vehicles tend to be excluded. A good rule of thumb: “contents” are any personal property removed from a second home when sold.

• Holiday home insurance vs home insurance - what's the difference?

  While it might be tempting to use standard home insurance to try and protect your second property, it may not be designed to cover the risks associated with owning a second home. These are generally two completely different policies, and as such, you may want to consider cover that’s bespoke to holiday home insurance. That way, if something unexpected does happen, you can have assurance that the things that matter most to you can be covered following an insured claim.

• Do I need public liability insurance for a holiday let?

  While public liability insurance for a holiday let isn’t a legal requirement, it’s typically added to cover as it could protect you from legal costs arising from guests who experience injury, disease, illness, or death during their stay in the event of an insured claim.

  The word “liability” is important here; if you are considered negligent, you could be liable to pay your guests’ costs. For example, your guest might experience an electric shock as a result of poor wiring. Or perhaps even fall due to a poorly maintained floor. In any case, public liability protection from Intasure acts as a safeguard, helping to cover costs arising from injuries.

• Do I legally need holiday home insurance?

  While holiday home insurance isn’t a legal requirement in the UK, some mortgage lenders may require you to take out a policy that includes buildings insurance.

  In addition, while contents cover isn’t mandatory, you may want to carefully consider including it in your policy. Having suitable cover in place can help protect your possessions in the event of damage or theft. The inconvenience alone of not having an adequate level of cover can make it worth adding that extra level of protection, so that you can enjoy your downtime in peace.

• Can I leave my holiday home unoccupied?

  Our standard cover is available for holiday homes left unoccupied for up to 60 days. After 60 days, cover will be restricted. It’s important to let us know if your property is unoccupied, to help ensure you have suitable cover in place.

• Is holiday home insurance more expensive than home insurance?

  In most cases, yes. Holiday home insurance tends to be more expensive than standard home cover, because the risks are higher. Holiday homes are often left unoccupied for long periods of time, which increases the risk of theft and damage. Further to that, holiday homes are usually used as rental properties with various different tenants staying at any one time. This adds risks such as public liability claims, accidental damage, and added contents cover, which could increase the cost of insurance premiums.

• What's the difference between a holiday home and a second home?

  The biggest difference between a holiday let and a second home is the amount of time spent there. Second homes are technically another residence which you plan to occupy for certain times during the year. You may still let it out occasionally, but you spend much of the year there too. A holiday home is typically used for shorter breaks, and generally occupied by tenants rather than yourself.

• Do I need special insurance for a holiday let?

  Holiday home insurance isn’t mandatory. That said, most mortgage providers ask you to get buildings insurance at a minimum. However, this is usually basic cover, and only provides protection against damage to the structure of your buy-to-let. This could leave you vulnerable to financial costs if something else goes wrong, whether that’s theft, damage to your furniture, or even public liability claims. So, purchasing a specialist holiday home insurance policy could prove worthwhile to protect your investment and your financial security.