How an Estate Home Request Works
A short form, then a conversation with someone licensed to help.
Estate home insurance request
For executors, administrators and heirs. Free.
Describe the home
Role, occupancy and plan.
Talk with an agent
A licensed agent or partner may follow up with questions.
Compare options
Existing policy, vacancy terms or a new policy.
Put coverage in place
With the estate or heirs as insureds.
Keep these handy
- The existing homeowners policy if found
- Letters testamentary or administration if issued
- Property address and year built
- Occupancy and visit schedule
- Plan for the home
Start with the existing policy
If you can find the deceased person's homeowners policy, bring it to the conversation. The agent can help you read how it treats the death of the named insured and any vacancy, and whether the current insurer is the right place to start.
Be clear about occupancy
Tell the agent whether the house is empty, furnished, occupied by a family member or rented. Occupancy is often the deciding factor between keeping the current policy, adding an endorsement or buying a vacant home policy.
Paperwork from the court
Some insurers ask for proof of your authority to act for the estate, such as letters testamentary or letters of administration. If they have not been issued yet, explain the timeline.
No pressure
Asking for estate home quotes is free, and there is nothing to accept unless it helps.
If the current insurer will not continue
Some insurers decline to keep covering a home once it is empty, or will do so only for a limited time. If that happens, ask for the decision in writing, including the date coverage ends, and share it with the agent. A vacant home or dwelling fire policy can usually be arranged before the existing coverage stops, so the house is never left without protection.
If the house is in poor condition, photographs and a short description of needed repairs help the agent find an insurer willing to look at it.
Responsible for a home in an estate?
Tell us about the property and who lives there. A licensed agent or partner may contact you about coverage that fits.