How to Secure Your Home While You Winter Away
Securing the house is half the job. Telling your insurer you'll be gone the other half, because an empty home changes what your policy expects of you.
Tell your insurer before you go, then lock down the house
Most homeowners policies have a clause about homes left unoccupied for an extended stretch. If a pipe bursts or a break-in happens while you're away and the policy finds out the home sat empty past its limit, the claim can be reduced or denied depending on what your policy says. Call your insurer or agent before you leave and ask what counts as unoccupied under your policy and what they expect you to do about it.
Once you know what your policy requires, the physical security part is more straightforward. Stop mail and deliveries, have someone check the house, and make sure anything that could fail while no one's watching, like a water heater or a sump pump, is in good shape before you lock the door.
What your policy says about an empty house
Every insurer defines unoccupied differently, and some policies change what they cover once a home passes that point. A few require specific steps, like having the water shut off or someone checking the property on a set schedule, before they'll pay a claim for freeze damage or theft.
This is not something to guess about. Read your policy's vacancy or unoccupancy clause, or ask your agent directly what applies to a seasonal absence. If you winter away every year, ask whether there's an endorsement built for that, since some insurers offer one that removes the guesswork.
If your insurer does require a check-in schedule or a named person watching the house, keep a record of it. A dated note, a text to the neighbor, anything that shows you met the requirement, matters if you ever need to make a claim.
What actually stops damage while no one's home
Water does more damage to an empty house than break-ins do. A burst pipe can run for weeks before anyone notices. Before you leave, know where your main water shutoff is, and consider having it shut off entirely if you won't need water running, or set the heat to a temperature that keeps pipes from freezing rather than off completely.
A neighbor or a hired check-in service that actually walks through the house beats a camera that just records footage no one watches. If something does go wrong, a camera tells you after the fact. A person catches it early enough to matter.
Simple things reduce risk too. Lights on timers, a car in the driveway if a neighbor can manage it, blinds left in their normal position rather than all closed at once. None of this replaces telling your insurer, but it lowers the odds you'll need to call them at all.
Questions people ask about this
Does homeowners insurance cover a house that's empty for months?
It depends on your policy's definition of unoccupied and what happens once you pass it. Some policies keep full coverage, others reduce what they'll pay for certain claims like water damage or vandalism. Check your policy's vacancy clause or ask your agent directly.
Do I need a special insurance policy for a seasonal home?
Not always, but some insurers offer an endorsement built for homes left empty for part of the year. Ask your agent whether your insurer has one and what it changes compared to your standard policy.
Will my insurer cover a burst pipe if no one was home to catch it?
That depends on whether your policy has requirements for an empty home, like keeping the heat on or having someone check the property. If those weren't met, the claim could be reduced or denied. Ask your insurer what's expected before you leave.
Should I tell my insurance company I'm leaving for the winter?
Yes, because many policies have rules about homes left unoccupied past a certain point, and those rules can affect a claim. A short call before you leave tells you exactly what your policy expects and avoids a dispute later.
Does a home security system lower my homeowners insurance rate?
Many insurers offer a discount for monitored alarm systems or certain security upgrades, but this varies by company. Ask your agent whether your system qualifies and what documentation they need to apply it.
Before you head south, see how your coverage compares and whether another insurer handles seasonal absences better.
Call your insurer or agent this week and ask directly what their policy says about homes left unoccupied, including how long you can be gone and what steps they expect you to take. Get the answer in writing if you can, an email summary is enough. Line up a neighbor, friend, or paid check-in service who will physically walk through the house on a schedule, not just glance at a camera feed. Find your main water shutoff and decide whether to shut it off or leave the heat set to a safe minimum. Stop mail and deliveries so the house doesn't look obviously empty from the street. Once you know what your policy requires and you've secured the house, write down the date you confirmed it with your insurer in case you need it later.
