Holiday home insurance

Whether it is an apartment, thatched cottage or chalet, insuring your holiday home is different to insuring your residential property – or ‘primary residence’ – where you live most of the time.

There are several reasons for this. 

Firstly, the property will either be left standing empty for months at a time, or will be occupied by several different short-term tenants throughout the year. It may also be based abroad and perhaps not even constructed of bricks and mortar – it could be a house boat or static caravan for example.

The risk of something happening to your holiday home is deemed by home insurers to be far greater than with your main home. Because of this, the premiums are higher than normal and you will need to seek an insurer that specialises in holiday home insurance.

Nevertheless, the same types of cover are available for your holiday home as on your primary residence. You need the basic buildings and contents insurance to include cover for fire, flooding, weather damage and burglary. Make sure it incorporates accidental damage cover, new for old on damaged or stolen goods, as well as cover for outbuildings, the garage, and features such as swimming pools and hot-tubs. If the garden has valuable plants check whether these are included in the policy too.

With holiday homes overseas you can find insurance that will pay for you to fly out in an emergency to sort out problems.