If you are considering moving out of a house you own and leaving it empty, you may want to check your home insurance policy before you go. Under some policies, leaving your home unoccupied or vacant for 30 days or more may mean your coverage won’t protect the property against damage occurring during that period. The following reasons are why homeowners should exercise caution with their vacant properties.

3 Situations in Which Home Insurance Policies Might Not Cover Vacant Houses

1. Vandalized Houses

If a home is vandalized while unoccupied for an extended period, the homeowner may have to bear the cost of repairing or replacing items. Such expenses may include repainting a house after a vandal’s graffiti spree or replacing broken windows after a rock-throwing contest.

2. Frozen Pipes

“Snowbirds” are people who leave their northern homes and head south for the winter. If no one is living in their houses and they are left unheated, the water pipes may freeze and burst. When the ice melts and water leaks in the walls and into the property, the result can be uninsured interior damage that’s expensive to repair.  

3. Burglarized Houses

A vacant house for sale that sits empty for weeks can be a magnet for trouble. Burglars may want the copper pipes or light fixtures, or squatters might be looking for a place to camp out. Either can cause major problems, such as significant ceiling and wall damage and fires that can gut the property. Home insurance and fire protection policies may not cover such events.

It’s important to understand your home insurance policy coverage before taking an extended leave or vacating your house. The independent agents at Kramer-Myers & Werring-Dickerson Insurance work with Batavia, OH, homeowners to explain policy provisions, discuss practical solutions, and obtain the best home insurance protection available. Since 1960, these dedicated agents have used their extensive knowledge and access to a broad selection of policies to put customers first, keeping Clermont County families and assets safe. For a free insurance quote, visit their website or call (513) 732-1461 and speak to an agent today.