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Holiday home insurance

We've partnered with Pikl to help you find holiday home insurance that suits your needs.

Cover for guest-related theft & malicious damage
Shop around for the best deal from a select panel of specialist insurers
Holiday home insurance designed specifically with owners’ needs in mind

What is holiday home insurance?

Just like a home insurance policy, holiday home insurance covers your property and the contents inside of it. Unlike residential homes, holiday homes are subject to different risks due to the properties usually standing empty for longer periods of time.

Holiday homes are also often rented out to paying guests. This is why holiday home insurance is usually needed for any additional properties or second homes that you own - the risks are viewed differently by insurers.

Who is Pikl?

Pikl specialises in second home insurance, holiday home, and Airbnb insurance comparing offers from top UK insurers in the industry. This means you get all the benefits of comparing holiday let and second home insurance, but only need to deal with a single team. Pikl is based in the UK and they're rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot.

What insurance do I need for my holiday let

A holiday let is an additional property rented out specifically to paying guests. Some traditional holiday home insurance policies may cover some issues relating to this type of activity. But a specific holiday let policy such as furnished holiday let insurance usually gives the best cover for the following reasons:

Cover for guest-related damages such as intentional/accidental damage or stolen items from your property
Liability cover for guests - now a legal requirement in parts of the UK such as Scotland
Cover for loss of earnings or other types of hosting-related activities such as being investigated by HMRC

Is holiday home insurance expensive?

Like most policies, insurance costs are generally based on risk factors such as size, location, and use.

Because holiday homes may be left unoccupied for longer periods than a permanent residence, policies can be more expensive if your home is unoccupied for more than 30-day periods. If your holiday home isn’t made of standard materials such as brick walls and a tiled roof, this may also increase your insurance costs.

Ultimately, the cost for each holiday home insurance policy will be unique to each customer, and shopping around for insurance is often the best way of getting good value for your money.

How long can I leave my holiday home empty?

Traditional home insurance usually limits how long you can leave a home vacant to 30 consecutive days. Holiday home insurance covers you for longer periods of vacancy, often as much as up to 60 days. But, most insurers prefer a holiday home that isn’t left vacant for too long as it increases the risk of criminal or accidental damage. There may also be inspection clauses introduced to reduce the risk.

Learn more about unoccupied home insurance.

Do I need public liability insurance for a holiday let?

If your holiday home is in Scotland, you need to apply for a licence if you rent your property out to paying guests. As part of this, getting public liability cover is a legal requirement and the amount you need may vary according to your local authority. This isn't currently a requirement in the rest of the UK, but legislation could follow Scotland’s example. To be on the safe side, any holiday home owners that let guests should consider public liability cover.

Explore public liability insurance

Top tips for getting the right insurance

Here's our top tips on how to get the insurance best suited to your needs:

Make sure you choose the appropriate policy for your property’s intended use. Don’t try to use typical home insurance for a holiday home
Tell your insurer about any extra safety measures for your holiday home. Installing security systems, smoke detectors, and other safety features might lead to lower insurance prices.
Make sure you review your policy before accepting it. If you're unsure about any aspect of insuring your holiday home, don't hesitate to seek advice.

What our home insurance expert says

"Choosing holiday home insurance is all about making sure your property is protected. The big thing to think about is that holiday homes can be empty for a while, which can lead to extra risks like damage or break-ins. So, when you're looking for this type of insurance, the most important thing is to get cover that fits how you use the property – whether you're there a lot or just every now and then. This way, you can relax knowing you're covered no matter what."

Matthew Harwood Home & lifestyle insurance expert

How to protect your holiday home and keep your property safe

Since insurance cover is based on risk, here are some great tips for protecting your property and keeping it safe – some may even bring your holiday let insurance costs down.

Follow these steps to better protect a holiday home against the issues that most commonly affect them.

Do an inventory check both before and after each guest stay.
Keep gardens under control, as unchecked weeds or roots may damage the foundations of a home and lead to water ingress.
Employ a handyperson or groundskeeper to perform routine maintenance on the property. Fix any structural problems immediately to avoid them getting worse.
Whenever you’re leaving your holiday home unattended, check all doors and windows to make sure they're locked, and there’s no easy access point into the property.
Turn off water and gas when leaving the property unattended for long stretches of time.
Keep any potential climbing aids such as wheelie bins or ladders out of sight to avoid opportunistic burglaries.
Install CCTV on your property and back up footage online.
Visit your property regularly, or arrange for someone local to check in on it for you.

Types of home insurance

Second home insurance

Get cover for your second home. Protect your belongings against theft, loss and damage.

Landlord Insurance

Can protect you and your rental property against unexpected costs, like building or content damage, as well as any disputes.

Flood insurance

Can offer some protection for your home and belongings if you live in a flood risk area.

Flat insurance

Can be tailored to cover the building, content or both depending on whether you own or rent your flat.

Home insurance guides to help you

Landlord responsibilities

As you tentatively take your first steps towards renting out a property, you need to know what your landlord responsibilities are.

Commercial property insurance

If you own a business, it's important to ensure you keep your premises safe.

How much home insurance cover do I need?

Do you know how much cover you need? Our guide can help make sure you've considered everything.

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Reviewed by Matthew Harwood Home & lifestyle insurance expert Updated on 25 April 2024

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