Unoccupied property insurance during probate: a checklist

Tell the insurer about the policyholder's death and the property's occupancy. Ask who may act for the estate, what cover remains, and what documents, payments or changes are needed. There is no universal 30- or 60-day rule.

Depending on the policy, the insurer may continue cover, change conditions or recommend another product. Confirm any inspection, security, heating and water requirements in writing and keep the response with the estate records.

Before the insurance questions are even settled, get the property secure and stable:

• Notify the current home insurer of the death and the property's unoccupancy — ask what cover remains in force and on what conditions.
• Secure the property: all doors and windows locked, spare keys recovered or locks changed, alarm codes updated.
• Deal with water — turn it off at the stopcock and drain the system, or keep heating at a minimum temperature in winter, per the insurer's preference.
• Redirect or regularly collect post — a stuffed letterbox is the clearest signal a house is empty.
• Photograph the property and contents room by room — a condition and contents baseline for the estate.
• Tell neighbours who to contact, and consider light timers to keep the home looking occupied.

When arranging unoccupied cover for the probate period, pin down these points:

• The inspection condition: how often must the property be visited, by whom, and what records are required?
• Water and heating requirements: drained-down system, minimum temperature, or both — and in which seasons.
• Contents cover: are the deceased's furniture and property covered, at what value, and with what security conditions?
• Policy term and renewal: record the actual expiry date, payment arrangements and who has authority to renew if estate administration continues.
• Permitted activities: you may need to notify your insurer about viewings, clearance visits and maintenance works — check before arranging them.

Use the inspection interval and authorised inspector confirmed by your insurer; there is no universal probate schedule. Check accessible doors and windows, signs of leaks or entry, and the agreed water and heating arrangements. Adapt checks to local risks such as freezing, storms, wildfire or humidity, and do not enter an unsafe building.

Inspection Record was built for exactly this obligation. Set the interval the policy requires, and the app reminds whoever is responsible before each visit is due. Photos and notes are logged on the spot, and every visit compiles into a formal record. Executors managing from a distance can see each inspection as it's logged.

A dated record can help explain how the home was maintained to beneficiaries, advisers and insurers. It does not remove a representative's legal responsibilities or determine whether an insurance claim is covered. Ask a local estate adviser about your duties, authority and record-retention requirements.

Keep the record with the estate file, alongside the baseline photos from the first visit. When the property finally sells, the same record doubles as evidence of how it was maintained throughout probate.