Insurance for a Vacant or Under-Renovation Home in New Jersey
Empty and under-construction homes are two of the most common gaps we fix. The standard homeowners policy was written for an occupied, finished house — step outside that and coverage quietly falls away.
The vacancy trap
Nearly every homeowners policy has a vacancy clause. Once the home has been empty past the policy's limit — often 30 to 60 days — coverages like vandalism, water damage, and glass breakage get restricted or dropped entirely. Owners frequently don't discover this until a claim is denied. A vacant dwelling policy is the fix.
Renovations and builder's risk
If the property is being rehabbed or flipped, you need builder's risk — coverage for the structure, the materials, and construction-period perils. It's especially important on older buildings, where the value once renovated is far higher than the as-is value. This is squarely specialty/surplus-lines territory.
Get the right policy
Kevin Brown Insurance Agency (Kevin Brown, NJ resident producer, License #3003694894) places vacant dwelling and builder's risk coverage across New Jersey. Call 732-944-1791 or start online with the property address, whether it's vacant or under renovation, and your timeline.