House insurance for boaters away for six weeks at a time

[homer2911]

Insurers are picky about how long a house may be left empty and still be covered by them. I'll take a look at GoCompare, but any recommendations?

[Guest]

Insurers are picky about how long a house may be left empty and still be covered by them. I'll take a look at GoCompare, but any recommendations?

I think they all have a time limit. Our daughter sleeps there one night a week while we are away.

[Arthur Marshall]

I'd simply get someone you trust (there must be one somewhere!) to come and stay for a night in the middle of your trip.

ETA forestalled by advice above!

Edited March 9, 2016 by Arthur Marshall

[Ex Brummie]

Saga give two months, if you are old enough to qualify!!!!!!!

[b0atman]

I use to stop over at my parents occasionally when they did the 3 months winter sun in Spain

[Leisure boater]

Towergate Marden do policies for empty houses and houses left empty for a few months at a time.

[dogless]

We 're with Halifax on a 60 day absence.

Suits us

Rog

[homer2911]

Thanks everyone

[jeanb]

59 days with Tesco.

[Tony Brooks]

I think 90 days with Liverpool Vic. but may be 45. However long it is we always find that we want to put the boat into a marina and go home for a few days before that time is up. I have queries this pattern with LV and they are happy with it.

[KenK]

If it is any help you can borrow my son to house sit for you. We are so lucky that he has returned home after the last tour with the band but honestly I'm sure your need is greater than ours

 

Ken

[MartinC]

I think they all have a time limit. Our daughter sleeps there one night a week while we are away.

 

Insurers have been tighting up on the question of unoccupancy. There are several insurers that would now not count one night a week as occupancy. Also a lot of insurers have cut back from 60 to 30 days. The changes are often included in a long list at renewal.

[Canalwatcher]

We always go for a no more than 60 days unoccupied policy.

Trouble is I've not yet come across a definition of unoccupied in the usual list of definitions that come with a policy. When we get close to the limit we return and have at least one overnight stay before returning to the boat.

 

Mick

 

Mick

[Derek Porteous]

I think the 60 days unoccupied exclusion is/was the norm on house insurance. However some insurers (Saga) are OK if you tell them in advance that you will be away and comply with their conditions (house checked at least once a week, turn off services, drain water tanks,etc.,). There is an admin fee (£5-£10) but otherwise to real issues.

[David Mack]

For a while last year my father owned two houses, so having moved, his old house was unoccupied for several months. WE just tet the insurers know, and they were fine about it as long as someone was checking it regularly. Since the chap next door was keeping an eye on it, the estate agent was visiting regularly and Dad visited from time to time, all was well until it sold.

[Keeping Up]

Our insurer used to limit it to 30 days, then about 3 years ago they suddenly told us they'd changed it to an aggregate of 30 days per year. When we protested they cancelled our insurance and refused to insure us on the grounds that "our lifestyle was incompatible with their business model". They blacklisted us throughout the industry and we had one heck of a job getting anyone to insure us at any price. Eventually Ageas agreed to insure us, but they too insist that the house must be checked weekly by our neighbours and we must stay overnight at least once per 30 days.

[homer2911]

Thanks everyone . Aviva it is, with a discount for already having the car insured with them. 60 days readily agreed to.