After someone passes away, you might have to take care of their property. Whether someone stands to inherit the property, or you intend to sell it, the first thing to sort out is home insurance.
In this post we’ll outline everything you need to know about insuring a house after death. For more information about how we can support you with home insurance issues, call us on 0208 8290 9086 or you can email the team direct at personal@anthonyjones.com.
What is Probate? A General Introduction
Before we discuss what happens to home insurance after a person passes away, we’ll just explain a few things about the probate process.
After a person passes away, if they leave a will, then the will’s executor will be responsible for settling the estate. In short, this means they need to settle all outstanding debts, sort out inheritance tax, and ensure that everyone named in the will gets their inheritance. The legal right to manage an estate in this way is known as probate.
We have many guides to the probate process on our site:
- What are the steps of the probate process?
- How long does probate take?
- What documents do you need for probate?
- What are the duties of a will’s executor?
What Happens To Home Insurance After A Person Passes Away?
A home insurance policy may not continue automatically once a person passes away. This is largely because many home insurance policies will name a specific policyholder. And if the policyholder passes away, then the cover will no longer apply.
So, following the death, either the executor, or a family member, will have to notify the insurers that the policyholder has passed away. You should aim to do this as soon as possible, to avoid any complications further down the line.
Is The Property Occupied Or Unoccupied?
When you notify the insurer, they’ll want to know if the property will be occupied or unoccupied. This is an important distinction, as most standard home insurance policies only apply to occupied properties.
This is why it’s important to understand the technicalities of the probate process. Under probate law, inheritors cannot take possession of their property until the probate process is complete. And if you intend to sell the house, you will not be able to complete the sale until the process is complete either.
This means that, if the property is currently unoccupied, then it will probably remain unoccupied throughout the probate process.
The good news is that you can get a dedicated probate home insurance policy to cover the home throughout probate. Read our full guide to probate home insurance, and the difference between occupied and unoccupied properties.
Why You Need To Act Quickly
Unoccupied properties are a lot more vulnerable to certain threats. If there’s a fire or a leak, and nobody’s around to address the situation, then it can quickly escalate into a major disaster. Plus, thieves and vandals may be more likely to target unoccupied homes.
And even if the home will remain occupied throughout the probate process, if the main policyholder’s deceased, then their home insurance cover will no longer apply. You may still have to arrange for probate cover until you can arrange for more long-term cover.
Keeping Properties Safe Throughout Probate
If you’re the executor of a will, and there’s any property in the estate, then you will have certain responsibilities to keep the property safe.
You can read our full guide to probate and property responsibilities.
But once you’ve insured the property, what happens next? This all depends on whether you intend to sell the property, or whether someone stands to inherit it.
Once again, we have multiple guides to help you navigate these waters:
- Can you sell a house during probate?
- How long does an executor have to sell a house?
- Do you still pay council tax on an empty property after death?
- What happens if deeds and documents have not been updated following a death?
We Can Help You Keep Your Property Safe Throughout Probate
Shuaib Rahman at Anthony Jones says:
“When someone passes away, you’ll have a thousand other things to think about, and home insurance might not feel like a priority. But as we’ve seen, you need to take steps to secure any property the person left behind. And we can help you do just that.
“If you need to look after a property throughout probate, our personal and property insurance experts can advise you on your insurance requirements. We can help you understand the risks you might face and support you in finding cover that meets all of your needs.”
For a friendly chat, get in touch by calling 0208 290 9086 or emailing personal@anthonyjones.com.
