Homeowners Insurance When Selling a House (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you forget to cancel homeowners insurance after selling a house? ›

Contact your provider if you forgot to cancel your homeowners' insurance when you sold your house. You will most likely be able to negotiate at least a partial refund for the time you meant to cancel.

If you're buying a new home, you should set up your insurance to be effective from the time you close on the home. And if you're selling, you should make sure not to cancel your policy until after the closing.

Can my homeowners' insurance be transferred to the new owner? No. The new homeowner must purchase their own home insurance policy. Home insurance must be in the current owner's name.

What is a homeowners insurance refund check? You may receive a refund check from your prior homeowners insurance company if you cancel your policy before it expires, reimbursing you for the coverage you already paid for. You may also receive a refund in the event your lender makes a payment to your old insurer.

Give your current home insurance company a heads up

Once you've confirmed your new homeowners insurance policy, contact your current insurance company and let them know you plan to cancel. They'll likely send you a form to specify the details of your cancellation.

Key Takeaways. Failing to maintain homeowners insurance can breach your mortgage terms, resulting in penalties, mortgage recall and potential financial challenges. Without coverage, lenders may impose lender- or force-placed insurance, which is a costly alternative to standard home insurance policies.

However, going without coverage is inadvisable for many reasons, not least that gaps in your coverage will negatively affect your rates or ability to find affordable coverage. The best option that most homeowners have is to shop around.

Can the seller back out of the contract before closing? In some cases, yes. It all depends on how your contract reads and what contingencies are in place. If you don't have any contingencies in the contract it can be harder for you to cancel than it would be for the buyer.

Admitting Fault, Even Partial Fault.

Avoid any language that could be construed as apologetic or blameful. Admitting any level of fault can eliminate or reduce the compensation that may be available.

What is the most important thing in homeowners insurance? ›

Make sure you're covered for the right amount – your home insurance policy should cover the full value of your home in case of damage or destruction. When it comes to home insurance, you want to make sure you're getting the right amount of coverage.

Think deeply about the exact question the agent asked, and only provide that specific information. Never admit to fault. Never admit to even being partially at fault. Never admit that you are uninjured.

Homeowners Insurance and Selling Your Home

If you sell your home, your insurance coverage will remain in effect until the final payoff is sent in by the mortgage company. Any excess escrowed insurance money will be paid back to you.

You should wait until the closing has officially finalized before canceling your homeowners insurance policy. Explore Progressive's editorial standards for Answers articles to find out why you can trust the insurance information you find here.

Homeowners insurance is there to protect the property and your wallet from facing serious damage after a covered incident. However, for this policy to even be effective, the policy must have the name of the current owners, whether it is yours or your children's. There is such a thing as an 'additional insured.

The Bottom Line. If you receive notice that your homeowners insurance plan has been terminated, you'll need to take action. In some cases, finding a new plan should be your next step. But you may also be able to work with your insurer to fix the issue and reinstate your existing coverage.

How long does canceled insurance stay on my record? Insurance companies report claims and cancellations to the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) database. The CLUE records typically last five to seven years.

Home insurance policies may be canceled or not renewed for a variety of reasons. This could be because you've fallen behind on payments or you misrepresented something about yourself or your home when initiating the policy. In addition, your policy may not be renewed if you live in a high-risk area.