Vacant Property & Fix-and-Flip Insurance in Colorado
An empty house is a different risk than an occupied one, and a house full of contractors is different again. Standard policies exclude or void coverage for both. We insure vacant properties and renovation projects every week, and flippers are some of our best referral clients.
The right policy for each stage of the project
Vacancy and renovation are stages, not afterthoughts. The coverage should track the property from closing through sale or lease-up.
- Vacant dwelling coverage: purpose-built policies for unoccupied homes, written by the month or the term, covering fire, weather, and optional vandalism and theft.
- Renovation and builders risk: covers the structure plus the value of the work going into it, so the new kitchen is insured before the appraiser ever sees it.
- Premises liability: protection when a neighbor kid, a buyer's agent, or a delivery driver gets hurt at an empty or active-project property.
- Flexible terms: three, six, and twelve-month options with renewal flexibility, because projects run long and policies should not punish that.
- Exit-ready: we convert coverage at the finish line, to a landlord policy if you hold and rent, or coordinate cancellation and refund if you sell.
Why your standard policy will not work
Most homeowners and landlord policies restrict coverage after 30 to 60 days of vacancy, and many void key coverages entirely. Renovation work compounds it. Buying a flip and leaving the seller's coverage mindset in place is the most common uninsured loss we see in real estate investing.
Flippers get a process, not just a policy
Repeat investors get a repeatable quote process: send the address, scope of work, and timeline, and coverage is typically bound around your closing. Portfolio investors can fold projects into a master program. See our investor programs.
Contractors on site
Your builders risk does not replace your GC's or trades' liability coverage. We help you collect certificates from everyone swinging a hammer, which protects the project and your lender relationship.
Vacant & fix-and-flip FAQs
How long can a house sit empty before insurance becomes a problem?
Most standard policies begin restricting or excluding coverage after 30 to 60 consecutive days of vacancy, and some void vandalism and water damage coverage immediately. If a property will be empty past a month, it is time for a vacant policy.
What does vacant property insurance cost?
More per month than an occupied-home policy, because vacant homes burn, flood, and get vandalized more often, but flexible short terms keep the total reasonable. Pricing keys off location, condition, term length, and optional coverages like vandalism and theft.
Does builders risk cover my renovation materials?
Yes, typically including materials on site, in transit, and sometimes in temporary storage, along with the structure itself. Theft of materials from open job sites is a real Colorado problem, so we pay attention to those terms.
I am flipping with hard money. What will my lender require?
Hard money and private lenders typically require builders risk or vacant coverage naming them as mortgagee, with liability limits set in the loan docs. We issue lender-compliant evidence fast, because we know your closing date is real.
What happens when the flip is done?
Three exits: sell it and we cancel for a pro-rated refund, rent it and we convert to a landlord policy, or move in and we write a homeowners policy. Tell us the plan and the transition takes a phone call.
Can I get coverage on a distressed property with code violations?
Usually yes through specialty markets, with honest disclosure of condition. Coverage may start narrower and broaden as the renovation cures the issues. Hiding condition is the one thing that genuinely breaks placements.
Do you cover mid-project purchases or partially renovated homes?
Yes. We write coverage mid-stream regularly, including projects inherited from another investor or stalled builds restarting.
Insure your next project
Address, scope, and timeline. We will have options before your closing.