Published November 1, 2026 | Written by the Mission Realty Team.
A standard homeowners policy may not cover a house that is empty, and a house under renovation is treated differently from one that is vacant. Virginia rules define “vacant” narrowly, but policies add their own conditions. If you are buying a vacant, inherited or fixer-upper home near Richmond, ask your insurance agent how the policy treats your exact situation before closing, and get the answer in writing.
This post draws on the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) Homeowners Insurance Guide, the Virginia regulation 14VAC5-341 and one Insurance Information Institute article, all of which we loaded and read. It is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Policy wording controls, so your agent and the policy itself are the final word.
What the SCC guide says about empty homes
The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) Homeowners Insurance Guide says a vacant or unoccupied home may have its coverage suspended. It also notes that a standard HO-3 form excludes freezing damage when the building is unoccupied. Both points matter if a house will sit empty between closing and move-in.
The guide also explains cancellation. A new policy can be cancelled for any reason during the first 90 days. After 90 days, the reasons for cancelling an owner-occupied policy are limited. That is why your first three months deserve extra care: the paperwork you give the insurer at the start decides what it relies on later.
How Virginia defines vacant
The regulation 14VAC5-341 applies to dwelling property policies that cover solely owner-occupied dwellings, and it took effect December 31, 2023. It defines “vacant” as more than 30 consecutive days with most personal property removed. A dwelling that is under construction or being remodeled is not vacant under that definition.
That distinction helps a buyer who plans to renovate, but it has limits. The rule governs owner-occupied dwelling policies. A policy on a rental, an inherited home that no one lives in, or a house you have not yet moved into may be written on a different form with different terms. Ask which form applies to you.
Freezing, theft and vandalism
The same regulation lets insurers exclude vandalism, burglary and glass breakage if a dwelling is vacant. It lets them exclude freezing damage while a dwelling is under construction, vacant or unoccupied for more than four consecutive days, unless heat was maintained or the water system was drained.
For open-perils policies, an insurer may exclude theft from a dwelling that is under construction, but materials and supplies on the premises for repair must be covered. In practice, this means the days between closing and move-in are the riskiest on paper. Keep the heat on, or have a plumber drain the system, and document what you did with dated photos and receipts.
Send us the address and your plan. We will help you line up the insurance questions before closing.
What the industry says about vacancy clauses
The Insurance Information Institute says vacancy clauses commonly kick in after 30 to 60 consecutive days and that vacancy endorsements exist for homes that will be empty longer. That article is not a Virginia regulator, so treat it as background and use it to form questions for your agent. Ask for the exact number of days in your policy and whether an endorsement is available.
Also ask what the insurer means by “unoccupied” as opposed to “vacant.” The regulation defines vacant as more than 30 days with most belongings gone, and its freezing rule separately names unoccupied homes, with a four-day test. A house with furniture in it and no one sleeping there can be unoccupied without being vacant, and the two words can lead to different outcomes. Ask your agent to explain how each term applies to your plan.
Builder’s risk versus homeowners insurance
The SCC pages we loaded do not define builder’s risk coverage, so we will not describe it as if they did. In general, people use the term for a policy that covers a structure while work is in progress, and a homeowners policy covers a finished, lived-in home. Whether you need a separate policy depends on the scale of the work.
Ask your agent four things. Does the homeowners policy stay in force during the renovation? What work triggers a limit or an exclusion? Does the contractor carry coverage for the work, and does it cover the materials on site? What changes when the work is done? Get the answers by email so you have a record.
Inherited homes: before and after closing
An inherited home often sits empty while the family sorts out the estate. If you are buying from an estate, our guide to buying a home from an estate or heirs covers how that sale works, and our post on selling an inherited Richmond home shows the seller’s side. Both are worth reading before you plan the insurance.
If you are the one inheriting, tell the insurer about the change in ownership and occupancy as soon as you can. The SCC guide shows that unoccupied status can change what the policy pays. Waiting to mention it risks a dispute over what the policy was written for.
After closing: keep the paper trail
Once you own the house, the work shifts from buying coverage to proving what you did. Keep dated photos of the heat setting, any drained lines and the condition of the house at move-in. Save the contractor’s certificate of insurance, the signed scope of work and receipts for materials stored on site. If a claim happens, those records answer the first questions an adjuster asks.
Review the policy when the situation changes: when work ends, when someone moves in, and when a vacancy period ends. Ask the agent whether the policy needs an update at each point. A change that you report is easier to fix than one the insurer finds after a loss.
Where this comes up around Richmond
If you are shopping in areas like Church Hill, North Side or Bon Air, the same questions apply. Renovation and estate sales happen in every county, so use our community pages to compare areas, then take your plan to the insurer. Coverage terms attach to the policy and the property, so ask about the specific address.
A checklist for the days around closing
First, get a quote before the end of your inspection period. Our guide to reading a homeowners insurance quote and our post on how homeowners insurance is priced explain what to look for. Second, tell the agent the true plan: how long the house will be empty, what work you will do and who will do it. Third, ask for the vacancy definition and freeze conditions in writing.
Fourth, if you are financing renovation, read our post on renovation loans, since lenders may have their own insurance requirements. Browse homes in our property search, check payments on our mortgage calculator and see lenders on our preferred lenders page.
Frequently asked questions
Does a standard homeowners policy cover a vacant house?
Not necessarily. The SCC Homeowners Insurance Guide says a vacant or unoccupied home may have coverage suspended, so ask your agent how your policy treats vacancy.
How does Virginia define a vacant dwelling?
Under 14VAC5-341, vacant means more than 30 consecutive days with most personal property removed. A dwelling under construction or being remodeled is not vacant under that definition. The rule applies to policies on owner-occupied dwellings.
Can a policy exclude freezing damage in an empty house?
Yes. 14VAC5-341 allows an exclusion when a dwelling is under construction, vacant or unoccupied more than four consecutive days, unless heat was maintained or the system was drained. The SCC guide also says an HO-3 excludes freezing in an unoccupied building.
Do I need builder’s risk insurance for a renovation?
The SCC pages we loaded do not answer this. Ask your agent whether your homeowners policy stays in force during the work and what changes with the scale of the renovation.
Can an insurer cancel a new policy for any reason?
The SCC guide says a new policy can be cancelled for any reason in the first 90 days.
How long can a house sit empty before a vacancy clause applies?
The Insurance Information Institute says vacancy clauses commonly apply after 30 to 60 consecutive days. Your policy lists the exact number.
Who should I tell about an inherited home?
Tell the insurer about the change in ownership and occupancy as soon as possible, and ask whether the policy form still fits.
Tell us the address and the plan. We will help you ask the right insurance and inspection questions before you commit.
