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“My mother passed away in April of 2021 and my brother and I inherited her home. I knew she paid her home insurance premiums up front for the whole year, and her policy wasn’t set to expire until December. So I just assumed her house would remain covered until time of renewal and never once did I think to notify the insurance company about her death. Some homeowners might have a mortgage life insurance policy attached to their home insurance, which means the insurance company pays the mortgage after they die.
A basic level of cover may be suitable in some cases if the property is not left unattended for long periods of time, whereas a fuller coverage would be beneficial if regular checks are not possible. If the property is subject to probate or is waiting to be sold it is common for the property to be left unoccupied during this time. It is not uncommon for probate to take anywhere between 3-12 months sometimes more and standard insurers may not be able or willing to insure unoccupied property for this amount of time. A lot of insurers will not offer policies for properties that are going to be empty for more than 30 days at a time. A house left empty for more than three months at a time, which is often the case when going through probate, is deemed to be more at risk than other homes. Homeprotect aims to give everyone a competitive quote for home insurance online, regardless of how long your property might be empty.
Have you dealt with homeowners insurance after a death?
She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s. Empty properties are more vulnerable to vandalism, burglaries and greater damage from fire, flood and subsidence as they are not spotted as early. Some insurance companies are resistant in insuring unoccupied properties for these reasons.
From there, you can either take out a new policy for the home under your name with that same company, or else shop around for coverage and take out a new policy with a different insurance company. The status of the deceased’s homeowners and auto insurance coverage depends on the situation, the policy, the insurance company and state regulations. If the property was held in joint names or tenants in common the remaining owner should contact the insurance companies and make arrangements to keep the home covered.
Plan Ahead With Trustworthy
For example, you can upload your family member’s life insurance claim onto Trustworthy and keep it secure for when you need to access it in the future. Once you’ve gathered all the documents, you must contact the insurance company to notify them about the death and file your claim. In most cases, the action plan is to contact the sending party and notify them about the death of your loved one. Then, the other party will give you the next steps you need to follow to cash the check into the estate account or your own personal account. Furthermore, all the proceeds from the check must first be applied to your loved one’s final expenses and debts of the estate. Once all your loved one’s assets are liquidated, and debts are settled, the remaining money is distributed to the heirs according to the will or the state’s intestacy laws if there’s no will.
You usually have around 30 days to notify the insurance company that the homeowner died — otherwise they’ll likely cancel the policy and the home will be without coverage. “While each company’s contract can be different, most insurance companies will give a family up to 30 days to notify the insurance company of a policyholder’s death,” he says. Use the phone number on your travel companion’s insurance policy to call their 24/7 helpline. The travel insurer can also assist you if you are tasked with taking care of the deceased’s body.
Death of a loved one and insurance: What you need to know
Policygenius Inc. (“Policygenius”), a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in New York, New York, is a licensed independent insurance broker. The information provided on this site has been developed by Policygenius for general informational and educational purposes. We do our best to ensure that this information is up-to-date and accurate.
What you need to know about dealing with home and contents insurance after someone has died. Just let us know what your current state of affairs is in relation to the property, either online or by phone, and we will take care of the rest. While probate is being granted, it is up to the executors to secure the building. Vacant properties are also targeted by criminals, so keeping the property safe by installing burglar alarms or changing the locks can be another unforeseen expense. That’s why we’ve created cover that you can get a quick quote for, as well as information on how to maintain the property in the meantime. On the other hand, an annuity is an account where the death benefit gets invested.
Purchase a New Homeowners Policy
Then, the estate must arrange to continue coverage, or a person buying the home must arrange for insurance. If you decide to cancel the deceased’s auto insurance policy, make sure the insurer receives the notice of cancellation. The will’s liquidator , is the person appointed by the deceased to administer their succession and ensure their last wishes are carried out. The liquidator must consult the will, make an inventory of the deceased’s assets and debts, pay their creditors and taxes, and remit their property to the rightful owners.
If no surviving spouse is available to take over the insurance policy, the estate executor may request coverage for the residence throughout the probate process. If the home remains vacant during the process, the insurance provider may require the executor to acquire a vacant-home policy on the estate's behalf. During this time period, the mandatory premiums for the coverage must be paid on time. If you fall behind on a payment, the insurance company has the ability to cancel your policy. When my father died and I inherited his house in Florida, the last thing on my mind was the status of his homeowners insurance policy.
This can include selling their property; this is called liquidating the deceased’s assets. The sale of the house is therefore subject to probate law, and buyers may need to attend court to confirm the sale. After you submit your claim, the life insurance company will verify the policy and relevant information.
If you can access your parent’s email, check there for correspondence from the life insurance company. Many policyholders opt for paperless premium notices, choosing to receive bills via email. Plus, the issuing company may send out monthly newsletters or other general-interest correspondence that can provide clues to a missing policy.
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When a home insurance policy holder dies, the original policy will no longer be valid in its current state. If the spouse of a deceased policy holder wishes to continue the insurance plan, it must be rewritten by the insurance company to reflect these changes. The best way to notify the insurance company is to send them a copy of the death certificate. After that has been sent, you’ll want to follow up with a phone call to discuss the next steps with them. You’ll want to clarify the situation and be sure that coverage remains in force for the property until the title can be officially transferred to you or another party. Otherwise, the insurance company might give you around 30 days to purchase a new policy under your name.
By doing so, there won’t be any guessing as to what they should do and the fewer problems they’ll have. We recommend shopping around for coverage and getting quotes from at least three different companies to ensure you’re getting the best coverage at the best price. Our team of licensed insurance experts at Policygenius can help you with this. You might be able to transfer the existing policy under your name so you have coverage during probate — so long as you have proof that you’re the beneficiary.
That depends on the terms of the contract and state insurance laws, Morales says. Amid the grief and turmoil after a loved one’s passing, questions about auto and home insurance naturally aren’t top of mind. At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain our editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria. Probate property refers to an empty home due to the owner recently dying.
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