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Short-term home insurance premiums and conditions vary a lot between insurers, since providers price the added risk of a property being empty or between occupants differently. Comparing quotes helps you find the right level of cover for your situation, whether that's a few weeks between house moves or several months during a renovation, without overpaying.
Short term home insurance, also known as short term unoccupied home insurance, is designed to protect your property when it is left empty for more than 30 consecutive days, as most standard home insurance policies will not cover extended periods of vacancy. Empty homes are at greater risk of burglary, vandalism, leaks, or unnoticed damage, so this type of policy provides financial protection during times when a property is unoccupied. Cover can be arranged for a flexible period, from a few weeks to several months, and may include buildings insurance, contents insurance, or both.
This type of insurance is particularly useful in situations such as moving between homes, taking a long holiday, renovating a property, or handling an estate in probate. Insurers may also set conditions, like regular property checks or keeping the heating on in winter, to reduce risks. By bridging the gap left by standard home insurance, short term home insurance ensures your property is safeguarded until it is lived in again.
If your property is likely to be empty for much longer than a few months - for example between tenancies on a long-term basis, or as a second property - our unoccupied home insurance guide covers dedicated longer-term options.
This type of temporary cover is to be sought only in the event that your current home insurance contents cover policy won’t look after you, for example during an extended period of absence.
Some common reasons include:
You are going on a long holiday.
You are completing major renovations on your house and have to temporarily vacate the premises.
There is a gap between tenants in your rental property.
You have moved to a new house, but you’re still waiting to sell your old one and it’s unoccupied.
You have bought a new home, but you’re not yet able to move in.
You are waiting for your Grant of Probate to complete and your house is empty until then.
If any of these are true for you, and you will subsequently be away from your home for longer than 30 days, it’s likely your current home insurance contents cover won’t be valid. In this case you should seek a short term home insurance policy, so you’re protected against theft and damage.
If an ongoing gap between tenants is a regular part of managing a rental property, dedicated landlord insurance is usually a better fit than short term home insurance, which is designed for one-off, temporary situations.
Short term home insurance will offer the same level of protection as your standard home contents cover policy. However, because the risk of break-in and damage is greatly increased when your property is unoccupied for a long period of time, it’s necessary to take out a second, more expensive policy to offset that risk.
Some policies will ask you or someone you trust to regularly visit the property, to check that nothing major has happened to it. It’s important you stick to these rules as otherwise your insurance may become invalid.
Short term home insurance cover can start from one week, and will usually last for a three, six, nine or 12-month period.
Exact cover varies between providers and policies, but a short term policy will typically include some combination of the following:
Temporary Buildings cover: the structure of the property, including walls, roof, floors and permanent fixtures, against fire, storm, flood damage and burst pipes, theft, and vandalism
Temporary Contents cover: belongings left in the property, such as furniture and white goods, usually up to a defined limit
Property owners' liability: cover if someone is injured on or around the property and you're held legally responsible
Legal expenses: unexpected legal fees incurred to protect your home while it's unoccupied
Outbuildings: sheds, garages and other structures attached to the property
As with standard home insurance, wear and tear to the building isn't covered.
As with standard home insurance, short term policies come with common exclusions. These typically include:
Burglary where there's no sign of forced entry, such as an unlocked door or window left open
Damage caused by renovation or building work - a specialist policy may be more appropriate if you're carrying out structural work
Contractors' own mistakes - if you hire a builder or tradesperson, their work should be covered by their own insurance, not yours
Damage caused by poor maintenance, rather than an unexpected event
There will also usually be an occupancy clause specifying how long the property can go unvisited or unoccupied while remaining covered - check your policy documents for the exact terms.
How long your home will be empty - the longer the vacancy, the more cover you'll need
Whether you need buildings cover, contents cover, or both
Your home's rebuild value
The value of your contents
As short term cover can present greater risks standard home insurance, premiums are often higher.
Money Expert has been helping UK customers compare and save on home insurance since 2003. We connect you with a broker who can help you find the right short term policy, from a panel of trusted UK insurers - unlike some comparison sites, which don't offer a short-term quote comparison at all.
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Yes, most standard home insurance policies won't cover a property left empty for more than 30 days, which is common during probate. A short term policy protects the property until it's sold or occupied again.
One month is typically the shortest short-term home insurance you'll find as a mainstream option. Other available periods include quarterly and half-yearly policies, for anyone needing cover for longer than a month. Whichever length you choose, read the terms carefully to make sure the policy actually fits your situation, and it's worth comparing quotes from a few providers before you commit.
Not normally, no. A month is typically the minimum period insurers will cover for short term home insurance. That's especially true for over-the-counter policies bought through comparison websites, where week-long cover generally isn't an option. If your situation falls outside the usual, an empty property between tenants, for example, or one going through probate, a specialist broker may be able to arrange a bespoke short-term policy to match your specific requirements.
Not usually. Because insurers see an empty or short-let property as higher risk, short term home insurance is typically more expensive per month than a standard annual policy, even though the total cost for a short period may still work out lower than paying for a full year you don't need.
Standard short term home insurance isn't usually designed for paying guests staying in your property. If you're hosting through Airbnb or a similar platform, you'll typically need specialist holiday let or landlord insurance instead, which accounts for the higher turnover of occupants.
*51% of consumers could save £257.05 on their Home Building & Contents Insurance. The saving was calculated by comparing the cheapest price found with the average of the next fourteen cheapest prices quoted by insurance providers on Seopa Ltd’s insurance comparison website. This is based on representative cost savings from April 2026. The savings you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances.
