Insuring your home during renovations or while it's empty

A standard home insurance policy quietly assumes two things: that you live in the property, and that nobody is knocking holes in it. Renovating a house, or leaving it empty while work is done, breaks both assumptions — and that's where cover falls away, usually without the owner realising until a claim is refused. Here's how UK policies treat an empty or half-built home, and the one call that keeps you covered.

The 30-day unoccupancy rule

Most UK home insurers treat a property as "unoccupied" once no one has lived in it for 30 consecutive days (some allow 60). Cross that line and large parts of your policy switch off automatically — typically theft, escape of water (burst pipes and leaks), malicious damage, and accidental damage. The building is still insured against fire and total loss, but the everyday risks empty homes are most exposed to are exactly the ones that stop being covered — because no one is there to notice a slow leak or an intruder for weeks. So act before you hit the limit, not after.

Why renovation work opens a cover gap

Building work adds a second problem on top of occupancy. Standard policies exclude or restrict:

Damage caused by the works themselves — a contractor cracks a pipe, a wall comes down badly.
Theft of building materials or tools left on site, or where scaffolding made entry easy.
Structural work — extensions, removing walls, a new roof, or anything affecting foundations often voids buildings cover entirely unless declared.
Public liability — if a passer-by is hurt by your scaffolding or a falling tile, a domestic policy may not respond.

The bigger the project, the wider the gap. Minor redecorating rarely troubles an insurer; a loft conversion or a full refurbishment almost always needs specialist unoccupied or renovation cover for the duration.

Tell your insurer before work starts

The single most important step is also the easiest: contact your insurer before the property is left empty or before building work begins. Under a home insurance contract you must disclose any material change in risk, and both an empty house and active building work are exactly that. Say nothing and you risk your policy being treated as invalid at claim time.

When you tell them, one of three things happens: they extend your existing policy (sometimes for a fee), add an endorsement covering the works, or point you to a specialist unoccupied-property or renovation policy for the length of the project. Have the details ready — how long the property will be empty, the scope and value of the works, and whether anyone is on site.

A few practical steps also keep premiums down and claims clean: drain the water system in winter, keep the property secure and visited regularly, and photograph its condition before work starts.

How the Aviva ChatGPT app helps

If your situation has changed and you need to re-quote, the Aviva ChatGPT app gives you a home insurance quote without leaving ChatGPT. When you're ready to buy, you complete your purchase on aviva.com.

Install it from the ChatGPT App tab (or visit chatgpt.com/apps), search "Aviva", and ask in plain English — for example: "What would cover cost for a 3-bed house empty for four months during a full renovation?"

FAQ

Is my house still insured if it's empty for a few months? Only partly. Once it's unoccupied for 30 days (or 60 with some insurers), cover for theft, water damage, and malicious or accidental damage usually drops away, though fire and total-loss cover often remain. Tell your insurer before you reach the limit.

Do I have to tell my insurer about renovation work? Yes. Building work is a material change in risk, and not disclosing it can invalidate your policy. A call before work starts lets them extend, endorse, or replace your cover so you're protected throughout.