Holiday Home Insurance

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Holiday Home Insurance — Cover for Second Homes & Holiday Lets

Holiday home insurance covers properties you own that are not your primary residence — whether you use them for personal holidays, let them to guests, or a combination of both. Standard home insurance does not cover properties that are unoccupied for extended periods or used as holiday lets. You need a specialist policy that covers the unique risks of a second home.

At UK Sure, we provide holiday home insurance for buildings and contents, covering fire, theft, storm damage, flood, and liability. Our policies cover properties used for personal holidays, holiday lets, Airbnb rentals, and mixed personal and letting use. If you want to use your property as a holiday let, it must meet HMRC rules for furnished holiday lettings.

Whether your holiday home is a cottage in the countryside, a coastal apartment, or a city flat, UK Sure will find the right cover.

Get a quote online or call us on 01323 416706.

Why Our Holiday Home Insurance

1. Buildings and contents cover for second homes

2. Holiday let and Airbnb use covered

3. Unoccupied periods between stays covered

4. Public liability for holiday let guests

5. Storm, flood, fire, and theft protection

6. Mixed personal and letting use accepted

What's NOT Covered

1. Wear and tear or gradual deterioration

2. Damage from lack of maintenance

3. Properties used as primary residence

4. Business use other than holiday letting

5. Intentional damage or fraud

Key Features of Our Holiday Home Insurance

Your holiday home is often unoccupied and used by guests — creating risks that standard home insurance does not cover. UK Sure provides specialist cover for second homes and holiday lets.

Holiday Let Cover

Letting your property to paying guests? Our policies cover Airbnb, holiday let, and mixed personal and letting use with public liability for guests.

Unoccupied Periods

Holiday homes sit empty between stays. Our policies cover vacant periods — no 30-day occupancy requirements like standard home insurance.

UK Sure works with specialist property insurers who understand second homes and holiday lets. Whether your property is a coastal cottage or a city apartment, our policies cover the unique risks of owning a holiday home.

Cottages, apartments, and rural properties

Airbnb and holiday let platforms

Mixed personal and commercial use

Storm, flood, and subsidence cover

● DETAILS

Additional Holiday Home Insurance Details

Buildings and contents insurance for a holiday home

Firstly, let’s clarify what a holiday home is. In short, it’s a propertyyou own that isn’t your primary residence. You can use it for your breaks, rent it out to friends, let it pay guests, or combine all three!

If you want to use it as a holiday let and benefit from tax breaks, it must meet HMRC rules. It will need to be furnished and available for letting for at least 210 days a year. But that still means you could use it yourself for up to 22 weeks.

Insuring your holiday getaway differs from insuring your main homebecause the way you use it isn’t the same– you won’t live at your holiday home full-time and might rent it out to paying guests.

These circumstances could make your holiday home more vulnerable. If there’s a leak in the roof, for instance, there may not be anyone there to notice it before it causes a lot of damage – and an empty house could be easier to break into. Plus, paying guests might damage your property or injure themselves while they’re there.

Specialistholiday home insurancecan cover these risks, giving you peace of mind that your home-away-from-home is protected.

Buildings and contents insurance for a holiday home typically offers the same cover as astandard home insurance policy.

Buildings coverensures the structure of your holiday home against damage from events like fire, flooding, storms, and vandalism. It also covers permanent fixtures, including fitted kitchens and swimming pools.

Contents coverinsures your furniture, gadgets, and valuable possessions in your holiday home, including sofas, beds, and smart TVs.

Depending on the provider, specialist holiday home and holiday let policies could also include:
Cover for holiday homes that are empty for more than 30 consecutive days

Cover for friends and family, as well as paying guests

Public liability covers you if you let your holiday home out to paying guests. This could protect you if someone injures themselves on your property and decides to sue you.

We provide loss of income and alternative accommodation cover if you rent out your holiday home and it becomes unfit to stay in due to damage.

It’s just home insurance specifically designed to cover your second property, whether you let it out or not.

You can buy holiday home insurance for the building and its contents or combine both into one policy.

Buildings insurancewill cover the structure of your holiday home and pay for repairs if fire, storms, flooding, vandalism, or other insured events damage it.

Contents insurancecovers the possessions inside your holiday home, including furniture, TVs, carpets, and any personal property you keep in it.

While it’s not a legal requirement, there are several reasons why taking out home insurance for your holiday property is a good idea.

First,mortgage lenders often require you to have building insuranceas a loan condition. But even without a mortgage, this cover is still vital for protecting your property against unexpected disasters.

You should also consider protecting your home’s contents, especially if others will be using the property. This makes accidents and breakages more likely.

The chances of losing or misplacing house keys also increase as more guests come to stay. And there’s a higher risk of break-ins if your place is left empty for long periods.

Contents Insurance
Public Liability Cover
Optional Legal Expenses & Terrorism cover
Cover for holiday homes that are empty for more than 30 consecutive days
Cover for friends and family, as well as paying guests
Alternative accommodation after a claim
Loos of income in case of damage

● FAQS

Frequently asked questions

1. What is holiday home insurance?

Holiday home insurance covers properties you own that are not your primary residence. It protects the building and contents against fire, theft, flood, and liability — whether you use the property for personal holidays, holiday lets, or both. Call 01323 416706.

2. Does it cover holiday lets and Airbnb?

Yes. Our holiday home policies cover properties used for holiday letting, Airbnb rentals, and mixed personal and letting use. Public liability for guests is also available.

3. Is the property covered when unoccupied?

Yes. Holiday homes are often unoccupied for extended periods between stays. Our policies cover these vacant periods — unlike standard home insurance which may restrict cover after 30 days.

4. Do I need public liability for a holiday let?

Public liability is strongly recommended if you let your property to paying guests. It covers claims if a guest is injured on your property. Call 01323 416706 to add it to your policy.

5. Can I insure a holiday home abroad?

Our policies cover UK holiday homes. If you own a property abroad, contact our team on 01323 416706 to discuss options.

6. What are the HMRC rules for holiday lets?

To qualify as a furnished holiday letting for tax purposes, the property must be furnished, available for letting at least 210 days per year, and actually let for at least 105 days. Check HMRC guidance for full details.

7. Is it worth buying a holiday home UK?

If you are buying a holiday home to enjoy a little bit of extra income from holiday letting or want to sublet your lodge to help with the annual running costs, buying a holiday home in the UK may prove worthwhile.

8. Can I insure property abroad from the UK?

Yes, many UK insurers will offer insurance policies for holiday homes abroad, which means you don't have to buy a policy in the country in which your holiday home is located. A holiday home policy can give you the same cover as your residential property, including: Buildings insurance.

9. Can I insure a house that is not in my name UK?

However, insurance cover can be extended to individuals who have a significant legal interest in the property, such as in cases where contracts have been exchanged for a sale, or when you're a tenant with a financial interest in the property.

10. Is it worth buying a holiday lodge in the UK?

A holiday lodge is an excellent investment. First of all, its virtual price tag is much lower than traditional holiday homes. Contemporary holiday lodges are energy-efficient, which will save you money in the long run, and include amenities like on-site wi-fi.

11. What happens to house insurance when someone dies in the UK?

Typically, the insurance policy can be transferred to the name of the executor(s) until probate has been granted. Of course, depending on how long the property is likely to remain empty, an unoccupied house insurance policy may need to be taken out to provide adequate cover in the intervening period.

12. Is it illegal to not have home insurance UK?

The quick answer is no. Home insurance is not a legal requirement in the UK. But there are certain situations that require either buildings or contents insurance, depending upon whether you own the property.

13. What is the lifespan of a holiday lodge?

Life expectancy factors of holiday lodges made from high-quality materials could last longer than average, estimated up to 40-50 years. In contrast, lower-quality lodges could last 20-30 years. The climate and environment will also affect how long a holiday lodge lasts.