Vacant homes
Vacant homes can be insured, including houses, condos and small residential buildings between owners or tenants. Vacant-home programs review the home's condition, vacancy period and planned work.
Vacant Property Insurance
Don't leave your empty home or building uninsured. We request quotes while it sits vacant.
Yes, an empty home or building can be insured on a vacant property policy. The programs we use write vacant houses, condos, small apartment buildings and commercial buildings held for sale, waiting on renovation or between tenants. One allows up to 48 months of vacancy for a home and 24 for a commercial building.
- Who qualifies
- Completely vacant houses, condos, 2 to 4 unit buildings and commercial buildings held for sale, waiting on renovation or between tenants, like an inherited house on its way to market. A home can be titled to an LLC or business on one program
- How long it can sit empty
- Up to 48 months for a home and 24 months for a commercial building with Green Shield, up to 36 months for a home with Delos, and up to one year on the FAIR Plan, or longer while under construction
- Occupancies written
- Vacant single family homes, condos, apartments of 4 units or fewer and mixed use buildings, plus vacant stores, offices, restaurants, warehouses and apartment buildings of 5 or more units with a prior commercial use
- Typical limits
- Building limits up to $4 million with up to 6 locations on Green Shield, up to $5 million per location on Blitz and US Assure, homes up to $1.5 million on Delos and dwellings up to $1 million on Aegis
- Minimum premiums
- Some programs start at $100 for a short term policy on US Assure, and Delos has a $1,500 annual minimum before taxes and fees with 25% earned at the start
- Policy terms
- Usually 12 months, with 3 and 6 month terms on US Assure and 3 to 12 month terms on Blitz for commercial buildings
- What is excluded
- Structural renovation, condemned or abandoned buildings, buildings due for demolition or in foreclosure, existing damage and buildings with no expected future occupancy. Cosmetic work up to half the building value or $400,000 is allowed on Green Shield
- Programs we use
- Green Shield, Delos, Aegis and US Assure for vacant homes, Blitz, Green Shield and US Assure for fully vacant commercial buildings, and the California FAIR Plan when they decline
We shop the market for you, no broker fees
Two kinds of empty building, one place to start
Vacant commercial buildings
Fully vacant commercial buildings can be insured too: stores, offices, warehouses and larger apartment buildings. Commercial vacancy markets ask about prior use, security, utilities and planned renovation.
Property-specific eligibility
Whether a vacant property qualifies depends on its construction, condition, protection and planned work. The insurer decides whether to offer coverage.
Is the empty building a fit?
Usually a fit
- Houses, condos and 2–4 unit buildings
- Fully vacant commercial buildings
- Secured against entry
- Planned renovation, by review
Usually declined or referred
- Condemned or due for demolition
- Existing structural damage
- Partly occupied buildings
- Evictions under way
How it works
One short form
A few questions about your business or home.
We shop the market
We compare carriers and read the forms line by line.
Quote and bind
We pick the best policy and get you covered.
Coverage for a building while it stands empty
A vacant building needs a vacant property application, because insurers review it differently from an occupied one. Your first answer decides which questions follow: a home continues with the vacant-home application, a commercial building with the commercial vacancy application, so you only answer what the markets for your building ask.
Why it is vacant, and for how long
Have the date it became vacant, the reason and what happens next: a sale, a new tenant or renovation.
Condition and protection
Have roof, utilities, security and inspection details available. Planned structural work requires specific review.
Value and coverage requested
Prepare the replacement value of the building and whether you need premises liability.
Land is separate
Undeveloped land with no building has its own liability application.
On the California FAIR Plan
The FAIR Plan writes vacant homes that standard insurers decline.
Vacant up to a year
A home vacant for up to one year, or longer while it is under construction. The application asks why it is empty, how it is secured and whether it is for sale or rent.
A vacancy permit
The FAIR Plan offers a vacancy permit endorsement. Ask for it when you apply.
What to prepare
- The property address and what kind of building it is
- Construction, condition and replacement value
- Vacancy dates, inspections and planned work
Other property pages
Vacant commercial property insurance
For a fully vacant commercial building.
Vacant land insurance
Liability for undeveloped land with no buildings.
Dwelling fire insurance
For a home occupied by tenants, seasonally or by you.
Landlord insurance
For the rental once a tenant moves in.
What changes your premium
These details help insurers assess your business and price the coverage. Terms and available options vary by insurer.
- Building type, location and replacement value
- Vacancy period and planned use
- Construction, condition and protection
- Planned renovations and prior claims
Read up first
Insuring a Vacant or Inherited Home in California: Vacancy Clauses, Estates and Trusts, and What It Costs
Best Vacant Home Insurance in California: Six Programs Compared by a Broker
American Modern Vacant Home Insurance: Coverage, 3-to-12-Month Terms and California Availability
Aegis Insurance for Vacant Homes in California: Aegis General's Dwelling Fire and DIC Programs
Foremost Vacant Home Insurance in California: What the Farmers Program Covers and How to Get a Quote
Questions we get asked
Can you insure a house that has been vacant for years?
Yes, up to a point. One program accepts a home vacant up to 48 months and another up to 36 months. The FAIR Plan takes a home vacant up to one year, or longer while it is under construction.
What does vacant property insurance cost?
Some policies start at $100 for a short term, and one vacant home program has a $1,500 annual minimum before taxes and fees. The price depends on the building's value, location, condition and how long it will be empty.
What makes a vacant property ineligible?
Structural renovation, condemnation or planned demolition, foreclosure, existing damage, partial occupancy and no plan to occupy it again. Cosmetic work is usually fine up to a set share of the building value.
Is this for a home or a commercial building?
Both. The first question asks what kind of empty building it is. A house, condo or 2 to 4 unit building continues with the vacant home application, and a store, office, warehouse or an apartment building with five or more units continues with the commercial vacancy application.
What about land with no building on it?
Undeveloped land has its own liability application.
Does starting the form provide coverage?
No. A broker and the insurer must review the property and confirm any offered terms before coverage can take effect.
Review your coverage options.
A licensed broker can review eligibility and policy terms with you.