Cover for a property you've inherited — including during probate and while it sits empty.
Inheriting a property in Spain often arrives alongside grief, paperwork and distance — and insurance is easy to overlook in the middle of it. Yet an inherited home is frequently more exposed than an ordinary one: it may stand empty for months during a slow Spanish inheritance process, and any existing policy may be out of date or wrongly valued. This guide explains how to insure an inherited property in Spain, including cover during probate and while the home sits empty, and the options for heirs who live abroad.
Until the estate is settled, the house still exists, still has pipes that can leak and doors that can be forced, and still carries liability to neighbours and passers-by. An old policy taken out by the previous owner may have lapsed, may not name you, or may insure the property at a figure set decades ago. Sorting cover early — even provisional cover — removes one real worry from an already stressful situation.
You don't always have to wait until the title is formally in your name. Cover can often be arranged while the Spanish inheritance (the herencia) is being processed, recognising that you have an insurable interest in the property as an heir. The exact options depend on the stage of the process and the documentation available, and we'll explain clearly what's possible in your circumstances — including how the policy can transition once the title is registered in your name.
Spanish inheritance can take many months, and the home frequently sits empty throughout. That makes unoccupied property cover the central issue: insurers will typically expect the water shut off at the mains, basic security, and perhaps periodic checks. Water damage and theft in an unattended inherited home are exactly the claims this cover is designed for, so it's worth getting in place rather than leaving the property exposed while the legal process grinds on.
Many heirs to Spanish property are non-resident — they inherited a parent's holiday home, say, while living in the UK or Ireland. You can insure the property entirely from abroad, in English, with documents by email; see non-resident home insurance. And if you eventually decide to keep and use the home, let it, or sell it, we can move the cover onto the right footing — second home, landlord or a standard owner policy — as your plans settle.
General guidance only — not personal insurance or legal advice. Cover, limits and exclusions vary by insurer and policy, so always check your policy terms. Last updated: May 2026.
Often yes — cover can be arranged during the inheritance process, recognising your insurable interest as an heir. We'll explain what's possible at your stage and how it transitions once the title is registered.
Empty inherited homes need unoccupied-property cover; insurers may ask for water shut off at the mains, basic security and periodic checks. We'll set out the conditions.
Yes — we arrange cover for non-resident heirs entirely in English, with documents sent by email.
Possibly, but it may be lapsed, in the wrong name, or wrongly valued. We'll review it and tell you honestly whether to keep, update or replace it.
Tell us about your property and we'll recommend the right cover — in plain English, with no pressure.
