Ceta maps UK unoccupied property insurance hotspots
Ceta Insurance has mapped the UK postcodes with the highest concentrations of unoccupied property insurance policies, with Wales accounting for five of the top seven areas.
Ceta Insurance has identified the UK postcodes with the highest concentrations of unoccupied property insurance policies, using data from almost 2,000 live policies with a combined rebuild value of more than £720m.
The analysis found that Wales accounted for five of the top seven postcodes, while Hebden Bridge and Darwen also ranked highly. Rural and coastal areas in Norfolk, Northumberland, Cornwall and County Durham completed the top 10.
Ceta said the data suggested unoccupied property risk is concentrated more heavily in rural and coastal communities than in major cities.
The broker pointed to a range of reasons why properties can remain empty for long enough to fall outside standard insurance cover, including inheritance, second homes, holiday lets, renovations, repairs following flood, fire or escape of water, slower property markets and longer void periods between tenancies.
Most standard home and landlord insurance policies only provide cover for properties left unoccupied for between 30 and 60 days, according to Ceta. Beyond that period, owners may need specialist cover.
Ceta said demand for unoccupied property insurance had increased significantly, with sales in 2025 500% higher than in 2020 and conversion rates increasing fivefold over the same period.
Harry Peters, B2B operations manager at Ceta, said: “This is the first time an insurer has mapped exactly where the UK’s biggest unoccupied risks are located, and just how exposed homeowners across the UK are to the wide range of vulnerabilities associated with empty properties. Worryingly, a very large proportion of these owners might be completely unaware of the risk they are carrying, with the inadequacy of a standard policy only revealing itself when they attempt to make a claim.”
He continued: “Our data also reveals a bigger story, namely that what was once considered a niche insurance product is becoming increasingly mainstream. Intermediaries with the right insurance partner are better placed to proactively discuss unoccupied insurance with their clients, thereby differentiating themselves as trusted advisors while protecting the growing number exposed to genuine financial risk.”
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