For owners who don't live in Spain full time.
For owners who don't live in Spain full time.
A large share of Spanish property is owned by people who don't live there full time — holiday-home owners, second-home owners and non-residents who visit a few times a year. You don't need to be resident, or even in Spain, to insure a property properly: we arrange non-resident cover from abroad, in English, with documents by email.
The key issue for these owners is the empty months, when an unnoticed leak or a break-in is most likely — so cover continues through unoccupied periods with sensible conditions.
Because the property is unoccupied for stretches, insurers attach reasonable conditions, and meeting them is what keeps a claim valid. The common ones: turn off the water at the mains during long absences (the single best way to prevent the catastrophic empty-home leak), keep basic security in place, and sometimes arrange periodic checks. None are onerous, but they must actually be done. It's also why a key-holding or management service is popular with overseas owners — it satisfies the checks and gives someone local to act if something happens.
These terms get used loosely but are insured differently, and the label affects how the policy is rated. A holiday home is a seasonal base you visit through the year; a second home is an additional property you own and use yourself, perhaps more regularly; and an unoccupied property stands empty for extended continuous periods. The right cover follows the real pattern of use — tell us how you actually use the place and we'll match it, rather than forcing it into the wrong box.
Everything runs remotely. You arrange cover from the UK, Ireland or anywhere else by phone, email or WhatsApp; documents arrive by email; and if you need to claim while you're away, you report it to us and we manage the Spanish insurer and the loss adjuster (perito) in English on your behalf. You are not left navigating a Spanish claims process by phone from another country — which, for owners who don't speak Spanish, is the single biggest reason to use an English-speaking intermediary.
The moment you let — even occasionally to friends for a contribution — you introduce risks a standard holiday-home policy may not cover. Let to holidaymakers and you'll want holiday-rental cover with guest liability, and most regions require a tourist licence (VUT); let long-term and you're into landlord insurance. Tell us your plans so the policy genuinely responds.
The answers below cover insuring from the UK or elsewhere, empty-property cover, the NIE question, year-round vs seasonal cover, and the difference between a holiday home and a second home.
Yes — residency isn't required to insure a property in Spain. We arrange cover for non-resident and overseas owners across the UK, Ireland, the US and Europe, handled in English with documents sent by email. See non-resident home insurance.
Yes — you don't need to be in Spain, or even travel there. The whole process runs by phone, email and WhatsApp, and if you ever need to claim, we manage the Spanish insurer and loss adjuster in English on your behalf.
Cover can continue while the property is unoccupied, but insurers may set conditions — typically the water turned off at the mains during long absences, basic security, and sometimes periodic checks. These prevent the most expensive empty-home claims. See unoccupied property insurance.
An unnoticed water leak during the empty months — a small drip can run for weeks and cause major damage, and in a flat reach the neighbours below. Turning off the water at the mains when you leave is the best prevention. See the holiday home guide.
Some insurers ask for it, but many policies can be arranged without residency. We'll confirm exactly what's needed for your situation before you buy.
A holiday home is more of a seasonal base (often empty or occasionally let); a second home is one you own and use yourself. The right cover follows how you actually use the property — tell us and we'll match it.
Year-round cover is almost always right — the empty months are when the property is most exposed to leaks, storms and theft. Season-only cover protects it when it least needs it. See seasonal vs year-round cover.
Letting changes the risk, and a standard holiday-home policy may not respond to guest claims. You'll need holiday-rental cover, and most regions require a tourist licence (VUT). See holiday rental insurance.
Not because of residency itself — the premium reflects the property, location, value and how often it's occupied. An empty coastal flat carries different risk from a permanently-occupied one, regardless of where the owner lives.
If a holiday home becomes your main residence, the policy should be re-rated — the empty-property conditions fall away and contents cover usually needs increasing. Tell us and we'll update it. See that guide.
You report it to us in English and we manage the Spanish insurer and loss adjuster on your behalf — you're not navigating a Spanish claims process from another country. See making a claim.
Tell us about your property and we'll recommend the right cover — in plain English, with no pressure.
