Tell your insurer before your home sits empty, and ask for your policy's day count and affected coverages. At Rank and Pay, we publish plain-language guides on U.S. military pay and benefits.
Do You Have to Tell Your Insurer About a Vacant Home?
Contact your insurer before you leave for a permanent change of station (PCS) or deployment to report that the home will be empty. A standard homeowners policy covers an owner-occupied home. Your policy's vacancy or unoccupancy wording determines its day count and which coverages may stop.
To understand your obligations, ask your insurance representative for the policy's vacancy or unoccupancy condition by name, the exact number of days it allows before restrictions begin, and the specific perils that stop once that clock expires.
Vacant Versus Unoccupied in Homeowners Policies
Policies often use both vacant and unoccupied, but definitions vary by policy. Under Maine's standard fire insurance policy, 24-A M.R.S. section 3002, the statute uses the phrase "vacant or unoccupied" together without providing legal definitions for either individual word on that page. Ask your insurer whether belongings or staged furniture change how your policy treats the home.
When you prepare for a PCS or deployment, ask your insurance company these specific questions about terminology:
- How does the policy contract define the term vacant?
- How does the policy contract define the term unoccupied?
- Does leaving furniture, appliances, or stored military gear inside the house classify the property as unoccupied rather than vacant?
- Does an unoccupied status suspend the same protections as a vacant status?
Request written answers to these questions from your carrier.
The Policy Day Clock and Coverage Suspensions
Maine's statutory standard fire policy wording and Wisconsin's insurance office FAQ both describe 60-day thresholds; your policy may differ. In Maine, 24-A M.R.S. section 3002 establishes that the company is not liable for loss occurring "while a described building, whether intended for occupancy by owner or tenant, is vacant or unoccupied beyond a period of sixty consecutive days" unless provided otherwise in writing added to the contract.
The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance consumer FAQ notes that an insurance company can cancel a homeowners policy if a home has been vacant for more than 60 days. The Wisconsin guidance further explains that even if the company does not cancel or nonrenew the policy, certain coverages may be suspended after more than 60 days of vacancy. Under the Wisconsin office's published example, a claim for vandalism or malicious mischief that occurs after a home sits vacant for 61 days could be denied if that coverage ceases after 60 days of vacancy.
The exact day count governing your home depends strictly on your individual contract. Do not assume you have 60 days or any other timeframe. Contact your carrier and ask for the explicit day count published in your policy documents, and confirm in writing which protections halt once you cross that threshold.
Options for Insuring an Empty Home
If the home will remain empty or be rented out, ask about a written endorsement, a separate vacancy policy, or a landlord policy. Under Maine's standard fire policy statute, other perils or subjects are added by written endorsement, and other insurance may be limited by an attached endorsement. Ask your insurer which arrangement fits your policy and plans.
| Coverage Route | When This Option Fits | What to Ask Your Insurer |
|---|---|---|
| Written Policy Endorsement | If the home will sit empty, ask whether a written endorsement changes its coverage. | Ask if the insurer offers a written vacancy endorsement, how many days it covers, and what perils remain protected. |
| Separate Vacant Home Policy | If your policy's vacancy condition affects needed coverage, ask about a separate vacancy policy. | Ask if the company writes standalone vacant dwelling policies and what restrictions apply to an empty building. |
| Landlord Policy (Dwelling Fire) | You decide to rent out the home rather than leave it empty. | Ask to convert your homeowners policy to a landlord or dwelling fire policy before tenants take physical occupancy. |
If you plan to rent out your property, ask about converting your homeowners policy before tenants move in. Our PCS home insurance checklist explains that a standard homeowners policy covers an owner-occupied residence and the insurer usually requires conversion to a landlord policy, commonly written as a dwelling fire policy, before tenants occupy the house. It cites the Insurance Information Institute for the point that an insurer can deny a claim on an owner-occupied policy if an inspection shows the policyholder moved away and leased the home. If you have a VA loan and are considering renting, see renting out a VA loan home for its occupancy rule and landlord-policy discussion. For related information, see PCS entitlements.
Checklist for Protecting an Empty Home
Before you leave, call or write your insurer about your policy's vacancy or unoccupancy condition. Treat these points as inquiries to resolve with your insurer rather than assumptions about your protection:
- Ask for the exact section name and page number of the vacancy and unoccupancy conditions in your contract.
- Ask for the precise day count that triggers coverage suspensions or policy cancellations.
- Request a complete written list of every peril that suspends or terminates once the vacancy period expires.
- Ask whether the company offers a written endorsement to extend your standard homeowners protections through your absence.
- Ask who should check the house and how often.
- Ask what documentation the company expects you to keep regarding property visits, temperature checks, or physical inspections.
- Ask how the insurer treats arrangements where a temporary house-sitter lives on the property or checks the house periodically.
- Ask what steps you must complete if your plans change and you decide to put the property on the rental market.
Keep a physical and digital log of every conversation with your insurance representative, including dates, names, and copies of any written endorsements added to your policy file.
Who This Guidance Does Not Apply To
This discussion of an empty home is not for a home occupied by a spouse or family member during a PCS or deployment. Ask your insurer how your policy treats a home where your family remains. This empty-home discussion is also not for a rented home with a landlord policy. For questions about a car policy during deployment, see auto insurance during deployment.
What Would Change These Rules
Your own policy's day count and vacancy definition override both state examples. Your policy may define vacancy or unoccupancy differently; ask which coverages and endorsement options apply. If you rent out the home, the insurer usually requires converting a standard homeowners policy to a landlord policy before tenants move in.
Review your policy declarations page today, send a written inquiry to your insurance company detailing your departure dates, and ask for the day count and the affected coverages in writing before leaving the property empty.
This page provides general information and does not constitute legal, financial, or insurance advice. Ask your insurer for your policy's day count, affected coverages, and endorsement options in writing.