Holiday Home Insurance

Accidental Damage Cover is an optional extra that protects you against unexpected damage to your buildings and/or contents, like spilling paint on a carpet, drilling through a pipe, or dropping a television. It is available for an additional premium. Without accidental damage cover, you would need to pay for these repairs yourself.

It is not necessary to purchase this optional extra in order to purchase a Home Insurance Policy. 

Home Emergency Assistance provides a 24/7 repair service if you experience an emergency at home such as a burst pipe, boiler breakdown, or electrical failure. A qualified tradesperson will be sent to secure your home and prevent further damage.

Cover is available for up to €260 (plus VAT) per incident with 3 call-outs per year (Aviva) or up to €300 (including VAT) per incident with 4 call-outs per year (Allianz). No excess is payable.

This cover is underwritten by MAPFRE ASISTENCIA Compania Internacional De Seguros Y Reaseguros, S.A., trading as MAWDY. 

The excess is the amount you pay towards a claim before your insurer covers the rest. Your Home Insurance Policy has a standard excess which is set out in your policy documents. You can choose to increase your excess, which reduces your premium, but make sure you can afford the excess amount if you need to make a claim. No excess applies to Home Emergency Assistance claims. 

The reinstatement value is the cost of completely rebuilding your home from scratch including any outbuildings, permanent fixtures and fittings (such as kitchens, bathrooms, and fitted wardrobes), demolition, materials, labour, professional fees, and site clearance.

This is not the same as the market value of your home, and is sometimes also called the rebuilding cost. You should insure your home for its full reinstatement value, as underinsurance (insuring for less than the full value) could result in a reduced payout if you claim (this is called the average clause).

Use the SCSI House Rebuild Calculator  at scsi.ie for an estimate, or consult a chartered surveyor.

Landlord's Insurance covers both the building and any contents you provide in the rental property. It is designed for landlords who own the full property.

Landlord's Contents Insurance covers only the contents like furniture, appliances, and household goods, and is designed for situations where the building is already insured separately, such as apartments in managed developments.

Both include Public and Personal Liability Cover up to €3 million.

Visit our Landlord's Insurance and  Landlord's Contents Insurance pages for full details. 

It depends on the risk and provider. Holiday Home Insurance is not always more expensive than standard Home Insurance. The property being unoccupied for longer periods can increase certain risks, but pricing varies significantly by insurer and individual circumstances. Having an approved alarm system installed and maintained in working order can help reduce your premium. Alarm discounts on Holiday Home Policies are available with Aviva only. The alarm must be activated when nobody is in the home.

You should notify An Post Insurance immediately if your holiday home is, or is likely to become, unoccupied. The specific terms depend on your insurer.

With Allianz, an unoccupancy clause applies after 35 days, though cover may not be restricted provided the policy terms and conditions have been complied with.

With Aviva, cover restrictions apply if the property is unoccupied for more than 60 consecutive days. If your property is insured as a holiday home or as a holiday home let to tenants, specific terms and conditions or endorsements will apply.

Refer to your policy booklet for the full details. 

Yes, if you rent your holiday home out to guests, this is covered under our Holiday Homes for Rent Policy, which is tailored to properties let out short-term rather than used exclusively by you, your family, or friends.

See 'What's Covered' above for the full distinction between the two policy types. Contact An Post Insurance on 0818 22 22 22 if you are unsure which option fits your situation. 

Yes, storm damage is covered as standard with both Aviva and Allianz. Premiums may vary based on location and property characteristics, but the cover is the same.