If you plan to be away from home for an extended period, you may need to consider getting additional insurance for your house. Your regular homeowner’s insurance will only provide coverage for around 60 days of being away. Should anything untoward happen anytime after that, your standard homeowner’s insurance might not be able to cover it.
If you are stranded somewhere away from your home because of the coronavirus lockdown, don’t worry. Here is everything you need to know about unoccupied home insurance.
What Does Unoccupied Home Insurance Cover?
If you have to be away from your property for more than 60 days, unoccupied home insurance will cover your property. Should a natural disaster occur while you are away, this type of insurance will provide coverage. Should the home be damaged by water or oil because of a leakage somewhere in the house, unoccupied home insurance will also offer protection. Lastly, If there is theft or vandalism done to your property while you are not home, this type of insurance will also cover you.
If you need to pay for legal fees related to an event that happens on your property while you are away, unoccupied home insurance will be of help when you file documentation for your claim. You may also incur legal fees if you need to get rid of people squatting on your property.
However, some instances may not be covered by unoccupied home insurance. For example, if theft occurs on the property, but the evidence shows that it happened with unforced entry, your unoccupied home insurance may not cover it. Doors that are unlocked means that the home was not secured properly, which shows negligence on the homeowner’s part. Another example may be if you hire contractors to do work on your home while you are away. Your unoccupied home insurance may not cover any damages that the contractors cause because they should have their own insurance.
Instances When You May Need To Get Unoccupied Home Insurance
Aside from getting unoccupied home insurance because you will be away from home for over 60 days, here are other reasons you may need to get this type of policy.
1 – The Property Is For Sale
If you have put your property up for sale, and you are no longer living there, you may want to get unoccupied home insurance for it. This will help you avoid having to shell out cash for repairs or damages to the home that may happen while you aren’t there.
2 – You Do Not Plan On Moving In Yet
Another scenario is when you had acquired the property recently but do not plan to move in any time soon. There may be many different factors involved in this scenario. You may still need to get your things to move in, or the pandemic may prevent you from doing so. All you know is that you cannot move in yet within the next 60 days. Getting unoccupied home insurance will protect your home from anything that may happen while you aren’t living there yet.
3 – You’ve Been Taken In For Long-Term Medical Care
If you need to be away from home because of health reasons, unoccupied home insurance will be a good investment.
Conclusion
No matter the reason, you should consider getting unoccupied home insurance if you plan to be away from your property for an extended period. This type of insurance will not only help you avoid spending your hard-earned money on repairs, but it will also give you the peace of mind you need while you are away from home.
If you need an unoccupied property insurance online quote, get in touch with us today! Our insurance agency has served Hopatcong and the surrounding New Jersey communities by protecting the people we work with just like we protect our own family members.
