[Tbugs]

This question for the snowbirds and snowflakes out there as well as those moving to The Villages and need to sell their home "up north".

How do you handle the homeowner's insurance on your home(s) during the time period you are residing in them? When I was in the process of selling my home in Maryland to move here, I was told (and it was in the policy) that if the house was vacant for more than 90 days, the policy was no longer in effect and I would have to buy "unoccupied dwelling" insurance - which was extremely high priced. Luckily, mine sold well before that time period and I did not have to buy the insurance.

Has anyone else heard of this and, if so, how do you handle it on your Villages house when you go North in the summer months for 5 months of the year or on your "up North" house when you are in The Villages for 6 months?

[k2at]

My insurance policy also states if my house is not occupied for a period of time I have to purchase a different type of insurance which indeed is a lot more expensive. One really has no choice. Either pay for that new policy or ur house is uninsured. I would think the same thing holds true for a house in the villages which goes unoccupied for a certain period of time.

[ladydoc]

This is an excellent question. I have been worrying about the same thing. Unless we postpone buying in TV until our house here sells, this will be a big problem for us. Sure would appreciate any advise you have to share!

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Tbugs

How do you handle the homeowner's insurance on your home(s) during the time period you are residing in them? When I was in the process of selling my home in Maryland to move here, I was told (and it was in the policy) that if the house was vacant for more than 90 days, the policy was no longer in effect and I would have to buy "unoccupied dwelling" insurance - which was extremely high priced. Luckily, mine sold well before that time period and I did not have to buy the insurance.

We are seasonal residents which means our Villages home is vacant for six months during the spring/summer months. Our homes in Canada are vacant for six months in the winter.

The main concern of the insurance companies is that someone should be checking regularly to prevent or remedy problems, such as leaking pipes, etc. We have Village Watchdogs check our house in The Bubble every week when we're up north. And we also have a House Watch Service up north when we're in Florida. This satisfies our insurance companies.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

tbugs - It's probably going to be best if you ask the question of any insurance company you're considering (or are currently) dealing with. I think the occupied vs. unoccupied timeframe and parameters differ from company to company.

Bill