Holiday Home Insurance

If you own a holiday home, it’s important to have insurance in place to ensure that your investment and rental income is protected.

In insurance terms, a holiday home is classed as a property that is not frequently visited, and is just used for holidays or holiday lets. Whether you own a villa, chalet, cottage, lodge, static caravan or apartment, read on to find out how HISL Brokers Limited can help to give you the peace of mind that you require.

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What is holiday home insurance?

For owners of a second home that is used for holidays, you are exposed to more financial risk than if you own just one home. When it comes to visiting your property with family and friends, or renting it out, you need to ensure that you have the correct protection in place if things go wrong and a claim is made against you.

A holiday house insurance policy could help to provide protection for both the buildings as well as any contents and furnishings, in a very similar way to home insurance. The main difference, however, is that overseas holiday home insurance is a specialist type of policy that also provides protection for a number of additional financial risks. For example, this can include cover if a tenant suffers an injury whilst staying in your property, and you are subsequently found to be at fault, as well as protecting any rental income if it is not possible for you to rent out the property due to damage.

What does holiday home insurance cover?

If you would like some financial protection and peace of mind for any potential holiday home liabilities, holiday home insurance can provide cover for the following:

Location: Properties in the UK or abroad.
Emergency travel expenses: In the event that you need to travel to your holiday home in an emergency, this will pay for travel expenses for you and a family member.
Buildings insurance: If you own the freehold of the property, this will cover damage to the building’s structure and built-in features such as fitted kitchens as a result of fire, storm subsidence or a flood. It will also cover the cost to rebuild the property, including any outbuildings and swimming pools.
Contents insurance: This covers internal items including furniture, carpets and curtains, and if it’s a flat you may also be able to cover communal areas such as halls, receptions, stairs and landings.
Rental protection insurance: This will cover the rental income that you lose if you can’t rent out your property due to serious damage that has occurred.
Property owners’ liability insurance: Provides protection if one of your tenants suffers an injury on your property or if their possessions are lost or damaged, and will give you some protection in the event of a claim and you are taken to court.
Unoccupied property cover: Provides protection in-between tenants if no one has lived in your property for over 30 days. For example, this may be if you need to make repairs or renovations to the house or flat before you rent it out again.
Block insurance: If you manage a block of flats that is purpose built or has been converted, this will cover any risk management claims (in terms of asbestos surveys and fire risk assessments).

These are just examples of some of the types of holiday home insurance policies that we look after at HISL Brokers Limited. As we know that no two individuals are the same, speak to us today to find out which policies will best meet your needs.

Do I need holiday home insurance?

As well as providing a place to make wonderful memories with family and friends, your holiday home can also provide a vital source of rental income. Having insurance for your holiday home will give you added peace of mind in the event that things go wrong (such as a pipe bursting or a theft occurring) – would you be able to foot the bill for any unexpected costs that arise without it?

How much does holiday home insurance cost?

The cost of holiday let insurance depends on the level of cover that you need and any optional extras that you choose to add to your policy.

Factors which could affect the premium you pay include:

The condition of your property.
The security measures that you have in place.
Your claims history.
The location of your property.
The number of properties that you manage.

Optional extras that you may choose to add to your holiday home insurance cover could include:

Legal expenses.
Rent guarantee.
Loss of rent.
Accidental damage by tenant.
Malicious damage by tenant.
Cost to repair damage in an emergency such as pest infestation, a burst pipe or gas leak.
Theft by tenant.

At HISL Brokers Limited we understand that cost is important to you, but it is crucial to ensure that you are properly protected in line with the risks your holiday home faces. With that in mind, we will take the time to understand your specific needs and recommend the amount of cover that is best suited to you.

What else do I need to know about holiday home insurance?

If you own and rent out multiple holiday home properties, your options for holiday let home insurance are as follows:

Insure each property individually with a tailored policy.
Put multiple properties on one policy.

When it comes to reducing the risk of a claim against your holiday home, there are certain steps that you can take. For example, make sure that you don’t leave valuable items in the home if it is being let out or is unoccupied, and you can also help to improve the security of your property by ensuring it is fitted with security devices such as alarms and window locks.

How can I get holiday home insurance?

HISL Brokers Limited have a team of specialist advisers ready to help you get the right protection in place for your property.

We will take the time to understand your specific needs and are committed to delivering a completely personalised service, ensuring that you have the best possible cover at the best possible price.

To find out how much peace of mind costs, contact Paul Kerner by calling: (0)20 7220 9020.