Vacant Home Insurance for Resort Communities

Your author just returned from a resort community in Flordia, where there were over 200 homes on a remote island accessible only by boat. There was a tremendous amount of confusion regarding vacant home insurance and landlord tenant insurance on the island, and most homes were not permanently occupied. Here are the most common problems we discovered for these "second homes."

1. Not knowing vacant home insurance was needed for many of the homes that were empty more than 3 months a year.


2. At times, the homes were covered as second homes or vacation homes by the insurance company of the primary dwelling, but at times the homes were rented out thus violating the policy.


3. Some of the homes that did carry vacant lot insurance, were also rented out from time to time and most vacant home insurance policies do not also act as landlord policies.


4. Vacant home insurance was needed because the owner lived in a State (or country) where the insurance company carrying the primary homeowners insurance was not licensed in Florida and thus could not pick up the second home as an extension.


5. Having vacant homeowners insurance in place that did not provide the proper wind protection needed in Florida. Flood protection does not need to be provided in a vacant home insurance policy and can purchased through the federal government program.

Anyone that maintains a second home in Florida, or any other resort community outside of their home state should make sure they do their research to see what type of policy will be needed, and if the home will be rented for income, making sure the vacant home insurance policy will allow for renters when not empty.