Vacant Is Not the Same as Unoccupied
Many policies draw a line between the two. Unoccupied usually means your things are still there and you are simply away, like a snowbird between seasons. Vacant usually means the house is empty of people and of most belongings. The exact definitions, and how long a house can stay that way before coverage changes, are written in each policy, so read that wording rather than assuming.
What Tends to Change When a House Sits Empty
Policies commonly limit or exclude certain losses once a home has been vacant for the period the policy defines. The losses most often affected are the ones an empty house invites: vandalism, broken glass, theft and water damage that runs for weeks before anyone notices. The specifics vary by company and by form, which is why the policy language matters more here than almost anywhere else.
