What Does Holiday Home Buildings Insurance Cover?

What does holiday home buildings insurance cover? This is an important question for anyone who owns a holiday lodge, chalet, cottage or any type of second home in the UK. Because holiday homes are often unoccupied for long periods, or used only seasonally, they can face risks that differ from those of a permanent residence. Holiday home buildings insurance through Park Home Assist is designed to help protect your property against unexpected events, offering reassurance when you need it.

Park Home Assist is an award-winning, specialist provider with many years of experience supporting holiday-home owners. Our policies are tailored to the particular needs of leisure properties, so you may find the cover feels more suitable than a standard home insurance policy. Below is a detailed look at what this insurance covers, how it works, and how it might support you as a holiday-home owner.

Buildings Insurance: What It Covers

Holiday home buildings insurance through Park Home Assist helps protect the physical structure of the property, including:

  • Walls, floors, ceilings and roof
  • Internal and external doors and windows
  • Built-in fixtures such as fitted kitchens and bathroom suites
  • Internal pipes, drains and permanently installed systems

This means that if the structure is damaged by an insured event, your cover may help with repairs or rebuilding.

Protection Against Fire, Storm, Flood, Theft and Other Insured Events

Park Home Assist holiday home buildings insurance includes cover for damage caused by a range of unexpected events, such as:

  • Fire
  • Storm damage
  • Flooding (where this is part of your policy)
  • Theft and attempted theft
  • Vandalism and malicious damage
  • Accidental damage (if selected)
  • Escape of water
  • Impact damage

Storm and flood cover may be particularly useful if your home is in a more exposed or in a coastal location.

Cover When the Property Is Unoccupied

Holiday homes are often empty for extended periods, so this insurance is designed with that in mind. You might find it reassuring that the cover continues during unoccupied periods, so long as the conditions in your policy are met.

This may offer peace of mind in situations such as:

  • Extreme weather events
  • Leaks that may go unnoticed for longer
  • Increased risk of vandalism during quieter times

If you’re ever unsure about unoccupancy terms, contact our team at Park Home Assist to clarify what applies to your particular policy.

Flexible Cover Options

Because holiday homes are so varied in how they’re used, Park Home Assist offers flexible options that you can tailor to suit your circumstances. For example:

  • Cover for sports equipment and pedal cycles
  • Additional cover for accidental or malicious damage when renting out your holiday home
  • Legal expenses cover

This flexibility helps the policy reflect the way your holiday home is actually lived in, and can be updated if use changes.

Optional Home Emergency Cover

For some holiday-home owners, adding Home Emergency Cover may feel worthwhile — particularly if their holiday home is far from where they live. This extra cover is designed to help with sudden urgent issues such as:

  • Loss of heating
  • Broken doors or windows
  • Burst pipes
  • Structural emergencies
  • Electrical failures

It offers reassurance that urgent help can be arranged even when the property is unoccupied.

What Holiday Home Buildings Insurance Doesn’t Cover

As with most insurance, the cover is intended for unexpected loss or damage, not for long-term wear. It’s helpful to keep in mind that the policy won’t cover:

  • Gradual deterioration, ageing or wear and tear
  • Damage caused by lack of maintenance
  • Claims where the property has not been insured for the full rebuild cost
  • Uses of the property that aren’t included in your policy schedule

It’s important to review your schedule occasionally, especially if you make improvements or alter how you use the property.

Why Specialist Holiday Home Insurance Can Be Helpful

Holiday homes face particular risks that differ from full-time residences, such as longer unoccupied periods or higher exposure to weather. Because of this, specialist cover — like that offered by Park Home Assist — can provide a level of reassurance that standard home insurance may not.

Many owners say they appreciate knowing their cover is designed for the way they actually use their holiday home, and that support is available even when they are not on site.

Holiday-home ownership is a pleasure, but it brings its own responsibilities. Understanding what your buildings insurance covers can help you feel more confident and prepared. Park Home Assist’s holiday home insurance is designed around the realities of leisure property ownership, offering a flexible and supportive option for those looking to protect their retreat.

Please note that all insurance cover is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions.

This is a marketing article from Park Home Assist, multi award-winning providers of park home insurance, mobile home insurance, insurance for static caravans,  insurance for holiday homes and holiday lodges, as well as boat insurance and touring caravan insurance. If you have any questions about your insurance, then please call our office on 01604 946 796 and one of our insurance advisers will be happy to help.

Published – 9/12/25