Property insurance
Holiday Home Insurance
cover for a UK second home you use for holidays, left empty between visits or let to guests
Cover for a second home in the UK that stands empty between your visits or is let to guests. Keeping to the empty-period and winter conditions matters as much as the cover itself.
- Cottages, flats and lodges
- Cover while empty between visits
- Family use and occasional letting
- FCA authorised and regulated
Quick answerHoliday home insurance covers a UK property you own but do not live in full time, used for holidays and sometimes let to guests. A standard home policy expects someone to live there, so long empty spells and letting can fall outside it. Holiday home cover can protect the building, contents and your liability, with conditions for empty periods and winter. Enter your postcode and specialist UK providers can come back with quotes.
This page is about a second home you use for holidays. A property let mainly to paying guests is on our Airbnb insurance page, and the home you live in on home insurance.
At a glance
Holiday Home Cover, in Brief
Six things that decide how holiday home insurance behaves, before any of the detail.
- The building
- Insured for its rebuild figure
- Contents
- Furniture and belongings kept at the property
- Empty periods
- Cover and conditions while nobody is staying
- Liability
- Injury or damage to guests, visitors and others
- Letting income
- Lost bookings, if you let it out
- Winter precautions
- Heating and water conditions when empty
The basics
What Is Holiday Home Insurance?
Cover for a second home you own but do not live in full time, used for holidays and sometimes let to guests. It is designed for the long empty periods a standard home policy does not expect.
Buildings
The structure and fixtures, for the rebuild figure.
Contents
Furniture, appliances and belongings kept there.
Liability
Injury or damage to visitors and others.
Unoccupied periods
Cover while nobody is staying, with conditions.
Loss of letting income
Bookings lost after an insured event, where included.
Theft and vandalism
Subject to security conditions.
How it works
How Does Holiday Home Insurance Work?
You describe the property, how often it is used and whether it is let, set the sums insured, and the insurer sets the terms for empty periods.
You describe the property
Type, construction, location and security.
You describe how it is used
How often you stay, whether family or friends use it, and whether you let it to guests.
You set the sums insured
A rebuild figure and contents. The method is in our guide to calculating a rebuild value.
The insurer sets conditions
Such as heating or draining down in winter and checks while empty.
What it covers
What Does Holiday Home Insurance Cover?
The building, contents and your liability, with lost letting income and accidental damage available on many policies.
| Section | Where it sits | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Buildings | Core | For the full rebuild figure |
| Contents | Core or optional | Check limits for valuables left there |
| Liability | Core | The limit is set on your schedule |
| Escape of water | Core | Can depend on winter conditions |
| Theft and malicious damage | Core | Subject to security conditions |
| Loss of letting income | Optional | If you let the property |
| Accidental damage | Optional | Including damage by guests on some policies |
Empty periods change the cover. Theft, water and vandalism cover can depend on the conditions for when nobody is staying, so check that section closely.
Exclusions
What Holiday Home Insurance Does Not Include
Cover can exclude losses where empty-period conditions were not met, undeclared letting, wear and tear, and gradual damage.
Frost damage
Where heating or draining conditions were not kept.
Undeclared letting
Paying guests the insurer was not told about.
Unsecured property
Theft where doors or windows were left open.
Wear, tear and gradual damage
Damp, rot and slow leaks.
Long empty periods
Beyond what the policy allows without checks.
Valuables left there
Above the limits for an often-empty home.
Types of holiday home
Which Holiday Homes Can Be Covered?
A wide range of UK holiday homes, from a coastal cottage to a city flat. How the property is used shapes the terms.
Cottages
Rural and coastal holiday homes.
Flats and apartments
Second homes in towns and cities.
Period properties
Older homes with higher rebuild costs.
Lodges
Holiday lodges on private land.
Family second homes
Shared by relatives through the year.
Holiday lets
Let to guests when you are not using it.
A static caravan or lodge on a park? See our caravan insurance page.
Who it is for
Who Needs Holiday Home Insurance
Anyone who owns a UK property they use for holidays rather than live in full time.
Second-home owners
Using the property for their own breaks.
Families sharing
A home used by relatives through the year.
Occasional letters
Letting to guests when not using it.
Inherited homes
A family property kept for holidays.
Future retirees
Buying now to live in later.
Joint owners
Friends or family owning together.
Second or main home
Holiday Home Cover vs Standard Home Insurance
A standard home policy expects someone to live there. A holiday home is empty for long spells and can be let, so it needs cover built for that.
| Holiday home cover | Standard home insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | A home often left empty | A home lived in full time |
| Empty periods | Expected, with conditions | Cover can reduce after a set period |
| Letting to guests | Can be included | Not usually |
| Winter conditions | Often set | Standard conditions |
Empty for months with no plans to visit? See our unoccupied property insurance page.
Cost
What Holiday Home Insurance Is Priced On
The property, its rebuild figure and contents, the location, how often it is empty or let, security, and the claims history. We do not print average premiums.
Why the empty periods lead
A home left empty for long spells is at more risk of undetected leaks, theft and vandalism.
Why the property matters too
The rebuild figure, construction and location set the base, and remote or coastal homes can carry their own risks.
What the quote is rated on
The main factors
- Rebuild figureThe buildingBase
- UseEmpty periods and lettingRate
- LocationCrime and flood exposureRate
- SecurityLocks and alarmsRate
- HistoryPast claimsAdjust
Security
Good locks and an alarm can help the terms.
Leak protection
Water shut-off valves and leak alarms can help.
A local key-holder
Someone nearby to check on the property.
The details
The Empty-Period Details That Decide a Holiday Home Claim
Holiday home claims can turn on what happened while nobody was staying. Four details come up again and again.
Keep to winter conditions
Where the policy asks, keep the heating on at a set level or turn off and drain the water when you leave.
Arrange regular checks
Have someone visit inside and out as the policy requires, and keep a note of each visit.
Secure it when you leave
Lock doors and windows, set any alarm, and do not leave valuables on show.
Tell the insurer about letting
Paying guests change the risk, so declare any letting and how often it happens.
Quote checklist
What You Will Be Asked for a Holiday Home Quote
Six things shape the quote: the property, how it is used, any letting, the sums insured, security, and the claims history.
The property
Type, age, construction and postcode.
How it is used
How often you stay and how long it is empty.
Any letting
Whether guests pay to stay, and how often.
The sums insured
Rebuild figure and contents.
Security
Locks, alarm and who holds a key.
Claims history
Recent claims and any refusals of cover.
Comparing
Checking Holiday Home Quotes Side by Side
Four areas decide whether a policy suits the property: the cover, empty periods, letting, and cost terms. The price is only one of them.
The cover
- Buildings and contents
- Liability
- Loss of letting income
Empty periods
- How long it can be empty
- Winter heating or draining rules
- Visit requirements
Letting
- Whether letting is allowed
- Damage by guests
- Theft by guests
Cost terms
- The excess
- Higher excesses for some events
- Paying monthly or upfront
Check the empty-period conditions. They need to fit how often you really visit. Unfamiliar terms are explained in our plain English jargon guide.
Cutting costs
How to Reduce the Cost of Holiday Home Insurance
The levers are good security, leak protection, an accurate rebuild figure, and the excess. We publish no savings figures.
Improve the security
Good locks and an alarm can help the terms.
Fit leak protection
Shut-off valves and leak alarms reduce water damage.
Get the rebuild figure right
Too high can waste premium; too low can lead to a reduced claim.
Use a local key-holder
Regular checks can help the terms.
Take valuables home
Leaving less at the property keeps contents cover simpler.
Choose the excess deliberately
A higher excess is a lever, worth using only at a level you could absorb.
Glossary
Holiday Home Insurance Terms Explained
The words that come up most on a holiday home schedule.
- Holiday home
- A property you own but do not live in full time, used for holidays.
- Second home
- Another name for a property that is not your main home.
- Unoccupied
- Not lived in for longer than the period a policy sets.
- Drain down
- Emptying the water system to prevent frost damage.
- Key-holder
- Someone nearby who can check on the property.
- Loss of letting income
- Cover for bookings lost after an insured event.
- Rebuild figure
- The cost of rebuilding the property, not its sale price.
- Escape of water
- Damage from leaking pipes, tanks or appliances.
- Liability
- Cover for injury or damage to others caused by the property.
- Excess
- The part of each claim you pay yourself.
Why MyMoneyComparison.com
Why Compare Holiday Home Insurance with MyMoneyComparison.com?
MyMoneyComparison.com is an FCA-authorised UK comparison service that introduces property owners to specialist brokers. We do not sell insurance and we do not give advice: the broker you choose arranges the policy. Using us is free.
One form, one property
Describe the property once, instead of repeating yourself to each broker.
Advice given
We are an introducer, not a broker. We do not sell policies and we do not recommend one insurer or product over another. Read our editorial policy.
Authorised and regulated
MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd appears on the FCA register under FRN 916241.
Incorporated
A UK company since 2013. FCA authorisation is separate and later; the register carries its date.
FAQs
Holiday Home Insurance FAQs
Answers on empty periods, winter conditions, letting and liability.
What is holiday home insurance?
Cover for a UK property you own but do not live in full time, used for holidays and sometimes let to guests. It can protect the building, contents and your liability, with conditions for empty periods.
Does my home insurance cover a second home?
Not usually. A standard home policy is written for the home you live in. A second home left empty for long spells, or let to guests, needs cover designed for that.
How long can a holiday home be left empty?
It depends on the policy. Holiday home cover expects empty spells, but conditions such as regular checks or winter precautions can apply. Check how long the property can be empty and what you need to do.
What are winter conditions?
Rules for cold months while nobody is staying, such as keeping the heating on at a set level or turning off and draining the water. Frost damage can be refused if a required step was missed.
Can I let my holiday home to guests?
Many holiday home policies allow letting if you tell the insurer. If it is let for much of the year, short-let or holiday let cover may suit better.
Is lost letting income covered?
Some policies cover bookings lost when an insured event, such as a fire or flood, stops you letting the property. Cancellations for other reasons are not usually covered.
Is liability included?
Many holiday home policies include liability for injury or damage to visitors and others caused by the property. Check the limit on the schedule, especially if you let to guests.
Are my belongings covered?
Contents cover can protect furniture, appliances and belongings kept at the property, often with lower limits for valuables. Taking valuables home keeps the cover simpler.
Does the location affect the price?
Yes. Crime rates, flood history and how remote the property is feed the rate, alongside the rebuild figure, how often it is empty and the claims history.
Do I need someone to check on the property?
Some policies ask for regular visits while the home is empty. A local key-holder can check for leaks or damage and help show conditions were met.
Can family use the holiday home?
Yes. Family and friends staying without paying is usually fine, but tell the insurer who uses the property and how often, so the cover reflects it.
What about a static caravan or lodge?
Static caravans and lodges on holiday parks are usually insured on specialist caravan or lodge policies rather than holiday home cover. See our caravan insurance page for more.
How should the rebuild figure be set?
As the cost of rebuilding the property, not its sale price. A professional assessment can help, especially for older or remote homes where building costs can be higher.
Is theft covered when nobody is there?
Theft following forcible entry is covered on many policies, often subject to security conditions such as locked doors and windows and a working alarm where required.
Does it cover a holiday home abroad?
This page covers UK holiday homes. Property overseas is usually insured differently, often through specialist policies, so ask about it separately and check the local rules where the property stands.
How do I compare holiday home quotes?
Look beyond the price to the buildings and contents cover, empty-period and winter conditions, whether letting is allowed, liability, lost letting income and the excess.
Ready when you are
Get Quotes for Your Holiday Home
Enter your postcode and tell us about the property. Specialist UK providers can then come back with quotes. Free to use, with no obligation to buy.
- Cottages, flats and lodges
- Free to use, no obligation
- FCA authorised and regulated
Free to use · No obligation · UK brokers
About this page
This page explains UK holiday home insurance: what it covers, what it leaves out, and how empty-period and winter conditions decide a claim. It is general information rather than advice. Policies differ between insurers, so read your own documents and put the questions raised here to your insurer or broker.
How we approached this page
- Published UK holiday home and second home policy summaries
- Unoccupancy, winter and letting conditions
- Financial Ombudsman material on property insurance complaints
Legal & Regulatory Information:
The MyMoneyComparison.com website is owned and operated by MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd, which does not provide financial advice and does not sell insurance policies. MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for insurance mediation and credit broking activity under FCA registration number 916241.
MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd is a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018, registered on the Data Protection Register under registration number ZA460665.
Registered Office: Jubilee House, 55 Church St, Morley, Leeds LS27 9JQ, United Kingdom.
© 2013-2026 MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd. All rights reserved.