A house or an apartment can be vacant for various reasons, whether it is during the holidays or at the end of a tenant's lease. When a home is not occupied, it does not mean that it is not exposed to risks.
It is always strongly recommended to insure the vacant accommodation in order to protect against the consequences of any claims. Which home insurance to choose in this case? Explanations.
There are two very specific cases where home insurance is compulsory. It is imposed in particular on the tenant who must take out cover in order to protect himself against rental risks. On the other hand, the owners of condominium properties must also take out a guarantee to protect themselves against claims likely to affect third parties. This is provided for by the Alur law, which came into force in January 2015. However, as an owner, you are not required to take out home insurance, whether the accommodation is empty or occupied.
Insuring your unoccupied property is therefore not an obligation, however, you will still be held liable for damages caused to third parties in the event of a claim. Indeed, a vacant property is not immune to risks such as fire or water damage. Thus, in addition to the destruction of your property, you will have to compensate the neighbors who were also affected by the disaster. A vacant house is particularly vulnerable to acts of theft and vandalism, which justifies optimal protection. Because of these risks, the owner has every interest in insuring his vacant home.
The choice of your home insurance for vacant accommodation depends on each situation. If you have decided to take a few weeks of vacation, your usual insurance is able to take care of the protections. However, it must be ensured that it includes the necessary guarantees. If you usually only benefit from civil liability cover, it is advisable to add theft, fire and water damage cover. A natural disaster guarantee can even be included in the multi-risk home contract.
On the other hand, if you think that the absence will last more than 60 days or 90 days a year, the insurer may remove the theft guarantee from the contract under the non-habitation clause. In this case, if you want to benefit from maximum protection, you will have to apply for an extended warranty. Note that an extension of warranty will increase the cost of the insurance premium. This price increase, however, does not represent much compared to the increased protection you will receive.
Due to the risks that weigh on vacant accommodation, the owner must absolutely insure his property if he does not want to take responsibility for the compensation of third parties, which can reach a substantial sum depending on the damage. A multi-risk home is therefore necessary in order to cover the maximum number of circumstances. Such a formula is likely to weigh heavily on your budget, which is why you will be tempted to find the cheapest offer. But as the most important thing is above all the protection provided by the insurance, it is advisable to choose the coverage according to your real needs.
To do this, you can use an online home insurance comparator. This tool is able to find you the best insurance proposals that meet your expectations. It is usually sufficient to fill out a form with information relating to the insurance you wish to benefit from. Once the offers are in hand, all that remains is to compare them. In this way, you will be able to select the contract with the best value for money.
