Cover for commercial premises standing empty. Written for units between tenants, buildings awaiting sale, and sites held ahead of redevelopment, from under six months to over five years.
Vacant commercial property is exposed in ways an occupied unit is not. This policy keeps proper buildings, contents and liability cover in place for as long as the premises stay empty.
Reconstruction cost for the premises, with professional fees and debris removal included within the sum insured, held in place throughout the vacancy rather than falling away after a few weeks.
e.g. A vacant warehouse gutted by arson while it sat between tenants.
Replacement value for the items still in the building and owned by you as the insured, including fixtures, fittings and plant left in place while the unit waits for its next occupier.
e.g. Racking, shutters and cabling stripped from an empty industrial unit overnight.
Cover at £2m or £5m for injury or damage to third parties arising from the premises. An empty building still fronts a street and still carries your liability as the owner.
e.g. Falling masonry from a vacant shopfront injuring a passer-by.
Terms written around how long the premises have been empty and what happens next, whether that is reletting, sale, your own occupation or demolition and redevelopment.
e.g. A former retail unit held empty for two years while a change of use is agreed.
The premises must be wholly commercial and genuinely unoccupied. Beyond that, the policy covers most types of vacant commercial building and most ownership structures.
Empty offices
Office premises between tenants or awaiting refurbishment.
Vacant shops and retail
High-street units and retail space waiting to be relet.
Warehouses and industrial units
Storage, distribution and light industrial premises standing empty.
Former pubs and hotels
Closed licensed and hospitality premises awaiting a new use.
Redevelopment sites
Buildings held vacant ahead of works, before construction begins.
Property-holding companies
Groups with up to six subsidiary companies on one policy.
SIPPs, trusts and joint insureds
Commercial property held in pensions, trusts or jointly.
Premises awaiting sale
Vacant commercial buildings on the market.
Premises must be in good structural repair, secure and weatherproof, free of rot, damp and infestation, and located in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man. External openings need to be boarded or secured by bars, grilles or shutters. Buildings containing residential units, premises undergoing structural alteration, and proposers with recent convictions, bankruptcy or declined insurance fall outside the online criteria and should be referred to a broker.
Empty commercial premises are the ones insurers worry about most, and the ones owners most often forget to re-cover. Buy online, or call and we will talk through the security and inspection conditions.
The questions we hear most often about unoccupied commercial property.
An empty commercial building is a much harder risk than an occupied one. There is nobody on site to notice a leak, a fire or a break-in, and vacant units attract theft of metal and cable, arson, fly-tipping and squatting. Occupied property policies cut back sharply once premises are empty, so a purpose-written unoccupied policy takes over.
Cannot see your question? Speak to our team on 01782 739099.
Why use a broker
FCA regulated
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Experienced team
Decades of combined commercial broking experience behind the firm.
Named broker
A direct line to the same person at quote, renewal and claim.
Independent
No tie-ins. We use the market that fits the property.
● Cover that often sits alongside this
Ready when you are
Buildings, contents and liability held in place for as long as the unit stands empty. Buy online now, or speak to a broker first.
