Unoccupied Home and Homeowners Insurance

[newsomer]

OK, we've just scrapped plans to enter the workamping life because I've read that most if not all homeowners insurance will not cover claims if the property is unoccupied for more than 30 days unless they are notified of this status and then they will bump premiums astronomically. Additionally I've read that if you don't avail them of this status and they find out, claim or not, they will likely cancel your coverage.

We want to travel without restriction. We'd like to try workamping to extend our stay and defray expenses. We don't want to sell our house and property.

I'm asking those of you who make these 3, 5, 7 month long expiditions around the country while keeping your home, what do you do? Do you just chance it by shutting things up and have a friend or service watch it? Do you pay a premium increase? If so, how much?

[1968mooney]

Most Ins. Co. Consider a home occupied if the contents are there. A vacant home is one that has no contents. Call your Agent and ask.

[gutfelt]

azdryheat wrote:
Read your policy or actually talk to your agent rather than relying on stories you've read and other gossip.

exactly every state and every insurance company have different ideals In BC Canada as long as waters is off and house has someone relegated to checking on it once and awhile its no problem and not any extra
talk directly to your agent and see what they tell you before doing anything and besides if it is a little more > how much more most home policy's on the average house are only 4 or 5hundred to begin with

[DutchmenSport]

We faced this same situation when we decided to move from one house (when zoning said I could no longer park my camper on MY property). We purchased a house in a totally different county where we could park the camper.

Meanwhile, we had the problem with the first house as it sat empty. The house still had a mortgage on it, so we had to carry insurance.

Solution? We let our adult son live in the house free. His only requirement was to pay his own utilities, which we kept in our name, but he paid. We never told the insurance company anything different, until the house sold under a land contract agreement, and then everything turned into a nightmare. (but that is another story.)

If you have someone that can live in the house, who you trust, that is really the best option.

Edit:
I just remember... we used the same insurance company for both houses. But (AllState) said we could only insure one house as a primary residence and warned us they were going to cancel the old house, since we were living in the new one.

We negotiated with our agent, and the solution was to insure the old house with a home-owners-renters policy, which protected the house no matter who lived in it. The policy did not cover someone elses contents, it did cover the house and any damage for XXX number of reasons, including vandalism from the renter. Yes, the premium was higher, but we had no choice.

[newsomer]

I appreciate your reply.

wa8yxm wrote:
So if you are not too far from home come back every 29 days for one night.

This could get real expensive if workamping across the country. Might as well pay the premium increase.

wa8yxm wrote:
. . . have friend or family visit on occasion.

I've read that claims can and have been investigated to determine the occupancy and a night occupied by someone other than the owner(s) is not sufficeint.

[KPetrick]

I suggest you look at your policy and/or talk with your agent. Typically it would be contained in the exclusions section. Many dwelling fire policies have a restriction that it doesn't pay for theft claims if the dwelling (rental unit) is left unoccupied for anywhere from 30-60 days. Homeowners policies aren't usually as restrictive.

[azdryheat]

Read your policy or actually talk to your agent rather than relying on stories you've read and other gossip.

[wa8yxm]

So if you are not too far from home come back every 29 days for one night.

Or have friend or family visit on occasion.