An empty house is a different risk: nobody notices a leak, a break-in or a fire early. Insurers handle that through vacancy provisions that cut back coverage after a set period, often 60 days, and through the basic assumption that the named insured lives in the home. Whether your house counts as vacant or merely unoccupied matters, and so does whether it is under renovation. If a house will sit empty for more than a short while, tell your insurer and, if needed, move it to a vacant home policy written for that situation.
What a vacancy clause does
Most property policies contain a vacancy provision. Its details vary by carrier and form, but the pattern is consistent: after the home has been vacant for a stated period, often 60 consecutive days, coverage for certain causes of loss is excluded or reduced.
- Vandalism and malicious mischiefThe loss most often excluded after the vacancy period. An empty house attracts it.
- Glass breakageFrequently excluded or limited alongside vandalism.
- Water damageLeaks and freezing are often limited unless heat is maintained or the water is shut off and the system drained.
- TheftTheft from an empty or unoccupied home is commonly restricted, and some forms reduce what remains payable on other losses.
Read your own policy’s wording. The number of days, the perils affected and the definition of vacancy are all set by the form, not by a general rule.
Vacant vs unoccupied
Policies often draw a line between the two, and it matters which side you are on.
- Vacant usually means empty: no one living there and little or no furniture or belongings. A house cleared out for sale or after an estate is vacant.
- Unoccupied usually means furnished but with no one living there for now, such as an owner on a long trip or in a care facility.
Unoccupied homes are often treated more gently than vacant ones, but not always, and a homeowners policy still assumes the home is your residence. If you will be away for an extended stretch, tell your insurer and ask how the policy treats it.
Empty for a renovation
A remodel is a common reason a house is empty, and it raises its own questions. Some homeowners forms treat a dwelling under construction differently from one that is simply vacant, but a gut renovation with the owners living elsewhere, open walls and contractors coming and going is a materially different risk from the one the insurer underwrote.
- Tell your insurer before work starts, with the scope and how long you will be out.
- Consider a renovation or builder’s risk policy for a major project, covering the work in progress and materials on site.
- Check your contractor’s insurance, and ask to be named on their liability policy where appropriate.
- Raise the dwelling limit when the project is done so it reflects what you have built.
An inherited or probate home
When an owner dies, the home often sits empty for months while the estate is settled or the property is sold. Many policies continue coverage for a time for the estate’s legal representative, but the house is usually vacant, the person the policy was written for is gone, and the vacancy clock is running.
The executor or administrator should notify the insurer promptly, keep the premiums paid, and ask how long the policy will continue and on what terms. If it will not, or if the house will be empty for a long stretch, a vacant home policy written in the estate’s name is the usual answer. Keep the utilities and heat on or winterize, and arrange regular inspections.
What a vacant home policy is
A vacant home policy, sometimes called a vacant dwelling policy, is written for a house nobody lives in. It is designed for exactly the situations a homeowners policy is not: between owners, between tenants, during probate, while for sale, or during a long renovation.
- Shorter termsOften available for a few months at a time, so you are not locked into a year for a house that will sell.
- Named perils or open perilsSome cover only listed causes of loss; others are broader. Vandalism and theft are often optional.
- LiabilityPremises liability for the empty property, which matters with contractors, buyers and agents walking through.
- ConditionsCommonly require the property to be secured, inspected and winterized.
Some of these policies are written by surplus lines insurers. Vacant and renovation.
How to protect a vacant house
- Tell your insurer as soon as you know the house will be empty, and ask what the policy says about vacancy.
- Shut off the water at the main where practical, or keep heat on and have the house checked.
- Lock up and secure doors, windows, gates and the garage, and consider lights on timers or monitored alarms.
- Visit regularly or have someone do it, and keep a simple log with dates.
- Keep up the yard, which signals that someone is watching the property and reduces fire risk.
- Photograph the condition of the home when it becomes vacant.
Common questions
Does homeowners insurance cover a vacant house?
Only partly. Many policies limit or exclude vandalism, glass breakage and some water damage once the home has been vacant for about 60 consecutive days, and a homeowners policy assumes you live there.
What is the difference between vacant and unoccupied?
Policies generally treat a vacant home as one with no one living there and little or no furniture, and an unoccupied home as one that is furnished but temporarily not lived in. The policy’s own definitions control.
Is my house vacant during a renovation?
It depends on the form and the project. Some policies treat a home under construction differently from a vacant one, but a major remodel with the owners living elsewhere should be reported to the insurer and may call for a renovation or builder’s risk policy.
What happens to the homeowners policy when the owner dies?
Many policies continue coverage for a period for the estate’s legal representative. The executor should notify the insurer promptly, and if the home will sit empty for long, a vacant home policy in the estate’s name is often the answer.
How long can a house be vacant before insurance stops covering it?
Many policies begin restricting coverage after about 60 consecutive days of vacancy, but the period and the losses affected vary by policy. Read the vacancy provision and tell your insurer before you reach it.
General information about vacancy and homeowners insurance in California as of October 2026, not legal advice. Vacancy provisions differ by carrier and form; the policy actually issued controls. Coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued.