Prepping a Vacant or Empty Home

Vacant Home Insurance Now is often asked what needs to be done to prepare a vacant home, whether the owner is buying vacant home insurance or not. However, we would like to remind people that in almost all cases where a home will not be occupied for over 90 days, vacant homeowners insurance is needed to property protect the house.

1. Turn off the water. Vacant homeowners insurance claims from water damage caused by the house's own pipes and fittings is 100 times more common than claims from rain, streams, and rivers. If you cannot turn off the master water valve, for example, it's a common water supply for the entire condominium, then turn off the valve at each toilet. Post signs for prospective buyers and Realtors that if they turn the water on, PLEASE remember to turn it off again!
2. Anyone buying vacant home insurance cannot neglect the house in any way or the policy will be voided. This means keeping the grass cut at least once every two weeks in the growing season.
3. Turn off the mail
4. Have someone enter the vacant home at least once every 7 to 10 days. This is actually a requirement in most good vacant home insurance policies.
5. Make sure the heat is on during the winter months, or if the house is going to remain cold in areas of the country that freeze, make sure all pipes are drained properly or damage can be significant, and many of these claims will not be paid by a vacant home insurance policy if things are not done properly.
6. Make the house look lived-in. Leave curtains and shades up. Set two lights on timers. Nothing says "vacant house" more than empty windows and pitch black windows.