VACANT HOME INSURANCE

A vacant home was leveled by a natural gas explosion. The windows of two homes nearby were shattered and the blast was heard for several blocks. Part of the roof was blown off and pieces of the home were in the street, hanging from power lines and on top of neighboring homes. All that remained standing was the interior walls.

With Vacant Property Insurance, the homeowners were able to recover quickly following such devastating loss.

There are a number of different reasons why someone would own an unoccupied residential property in New Jersey. Perhaps the home is the property of a deceased relative that you have recently inherited, you have been transferred out-of-state by your company and have put your home up for sale, or you purchased a home that you are not ready to move in to yet. All these different properties would need to be insured under Vacant Residential Property Insurance.

This type of coverage will provide security against anyone who may access your vacant property and become injured. It may also protect you against the damages that may be caused by frozen or broken pipes.

Don’t assume that since no one lives in the house, it does not have to be insured. Don’t also make the mistake of insuring the property with a standard Homeowners policy if the home is actually vacant. A misrepresentation of the home’s status could cause you serious legal issues and denial of a claim.

The amount of Vacant Home Insurance coverage that is required to adequately protect your home is simple. You will need to obtain coverage for the replacement cost value of the home – how much it would take to rebuild or replace the dwelling.

The longer amount of time that the home is left vacant, the higher the risk of vandalism. The risk is also increased for damages that may occur when there is no one there to monitor the home’s plumbing, electrical and heating.

If you are aware that your property is going to be vacant for an extended amount of time, you need to check with your current home insurance provider. If your insurance company is not willing to work with you to extend your current policy, then you need to purchase coverage through a Vacant Residential Property Insurance policy.

If you are actively attempting to rent out or sell your home, you may need to invest in Vacant Property Insurance if you do not expect the home to be occupied within a brief time span. When your home is on the market, it’s difficult to predict when it may sell. This type of coverage will provide protection until the home becomes occupied by a buyer or renter. At that time a new policy can be written.