Unoccupancy

What Does Unoccupancy Mean?

Unoccupancy is a state or condition of a property, as in a home or a building, of not being occupied by persons but containing furniture and other items. Most insurance companies do not insure a property that is unoccupied for 30 days or more consecutively. The appropriate coverage is an unoccupied home insurance policy, which commands a higher premium because of the greater risks involved.

A home in a state of unoccupancy may also be called uninhabited.

Insuranceopedia Explains Unoccupancy

The reasons a house is unoccupied vary. Maybe the property is the subject of probate proceedings, or the occupants are forced to leave the house to go to a hospital or home care facility, or the house is for sale. The exact reason for unoccupancy dictates whether the standard home insurance policy covers it. Most do not, but some insurance providers offer to insure an unoccupied property, but for a much higher premium.