Second home insurance

When owning a second property you need to ensure that you have the correct second home insurance in place.

Second home insurance or holiday home insurance is different in several respects to a standard home insurance policy.

Whether your second home is used only for yourself or as a holiday let, with paying guests, having the correct insurance cover is vital. Second home insurance policies recognise that the property will be empty for periods of time and that additional liability cover is required for the second home landlord.

It is quite common for second home owners to put a standard home insurance policy in place as the need for a second home insurance policy is not always known. If you are unsure of the type of cover you need or what you have currently then it's best to speak with a holiday home insurance specialist who can explain your options.

Please visit our second home insurance pages for more information. 

Holiday home insurance

If you own a second property then you need to carefully consider what type of property insurance you obtain.

Many standard buildings and contents insurance policies are not suitable for second properties or holiday homes as they do not adequately cater for empty periods and tenant occupancy. Get the policy wrong and it could cost you a lot of money.

Always tell your insurance company what you will be using the property for. If the property is simply used as a second home or holiday home then the insurance company will need to know how often the property is empty.

If you intend to let the property to tenants, paying guests or even friends then you are effectively a landlord. Landlord insurance is a growing area as many people now own more than one property with the majority held as buy to lets. However, holiday homes and holiday let property also need bespoke insurance cover.

This type of holiday home insurance should include extended contents cover and liability cover to protect you and your guests. Always take out holiday home insurance with a specialist insurance company who understands holiday home insurance and landlords insurance.