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Tips for Protecting Your Home While on Vacation
Date updated: 2026-04-30
TL;DR – Does Home Insurance Cover Your Home While You're Away?
Being away from home doesn’t automatically affect your insurance policy, but absences longer than seven days and missed precautions can create coverage gaps—especially for water damage. A little planning can help keep coverage in place.
- Coverage Generally Continues: If you’re temporarily away and plan to return, your home insurance typically continues to apply to insured risks like theft or vandalism, as long as your home remains your primary residence.
- Unoccupancy Conditions: Many policies require regular check-ins if your home is left unattended for more than a week. If these conditions aren’t met, certain claims may be limited or denied.
- Water Damage Risk: Water damage is one of the biggest risks when no one is home. Insurers often require steps like maintaining heat, shutting off water, or having a trusted person enter your home at least once a week.
- TD Insurance Value Add: If you're a TD Insurance customer, you may qualify for a discount on your home insurance policy when you install a centrally monitored or connected home security system, which can help detect issues like break-ins, fire, or water leaks while you're away.
Bottom line: Before you travel, review your policy, arrange regular check-ins, and reduce water and security risks. If in doubt, contact your insurer to confirm what’s required
When you're away from home, a few simple steps like having someone you trust check in on your house regularly, reducing water risks and securing your property can help lower the chance of damage or theft. Preparing ahead of time may also help ensure your home insurance continues to apply while your home is unoccupied.
Before You Go: Prepare Your Home for Time Away
- Have someone you trust check in
Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to stop by regularly to collect mail and flyers so your home doesn't look unoccupied, and to enter your home to ensure that the heat is working during the cooler months, and check that there's no sign of damage. This person should always know how to reach you in case of an emergency. If no one is checking on your home as required by your policy, certain types of damage, especially water damage, may not be covered.
- Reduce the risk of water damage while you're away
If you’re travelling during colder months, keep the heat on during winter months. Consider shutting off your main water supply and draining appliances to help reduce the risk of water damage.
If your home has a sump pump, check that it's working properly before you leave and that any available backup power source is in place to help it continue operating during a power outage.
- Secure the outside of your home
Before you leave, put away and secure outdoor items like bicycles, tools, and patio furniture. Remove or safely store flammable materials, like propane tanks, fuel cans, or barbecues away from your home. This can help reduce fire risk and theft, while making your home look less obviously unoccupied while you're away.
- Have a plan for seasonal maintenance
Overgrown grass and snow buildup can pose fire and water risks and may signal that no one's home. Before you travel, plan for seasonal maintenance tasks, such as raking leaves or arranging snow removal to help protect your home from fire, water damage, and other weather-related risks.
- Do a quick walkthrough
Take photos or videos of your home and belongings before you go. It’s a simple way to keep a record of the condition of your home and contents should you ever need it.
- Give your home that "lived-in" look
Using timers or smart plugs for lights can help create the appearance that someone is home. Avoid publicly sharing travel plans until you’ve returned.
- Unplug unnecessary electronics
Disconnect non-essential electronics and use surge protectors for devices that stay plugged in.
- Set up smart monitoring tools
Connected home security systems can alert you to potential issues like fire, water leaks or break-ins. If you have a homeowner or tenant policy with TD Insurance, you could qualify for discounts when you install a home security system that is professionally monitored or connected to your smartphone.
- Review your home insurance
It's a good idea to understand how your home insurance applies when your home is not occupied. Some policies may require regular check-ins or additional precautions. We can provide guidance on any additional precautions you should take before you leave, and whether there are any coverage considerations you should address.
How TD Insurance Works for You While You're Away
Coverage continues
If you’re temporarily away from home and plan to return, your TD Insurance homeowner policy generally continues to apply. Your home may still be protected against insured risks like theft, vandalism, or certain types of damage while it remains your primary residence.
If you're away for a longer stretch of time, or you don't intend to return, coverage restrictions or exclusions may apply. Contact us so we can help ensure you have the right coverage
Liability coverage that follows you
Your personal liability coverage isn’t limited to your home; it follows you wherever you go. This means it may help protect you financially if you’re found legally responsible for unintentionally causing injury to someone else or damage to their property, even while you’re away from home. For example, this could include situations where an accident happens while you're visiting a friend or family member, staying at a vacation property, or going about everyday activities.
Worldwide protection with Umbrella coverage
If you’re looking for additional personal liability protection, Personal Umbrella coverage can provide an extra layer of liability coverage above the limits of your home (and auto) insurance. This may be worth considering if you travel frequently, travel worldwide, have multiple assets, or want added protection beyond your base policy.
Home sharing or short-term rentals
Renting your primary residence through a short-term rental platform can affect how your insurance applies. If you're a TD Insurance Home customer, coverage for short-term‑ rentals may be available when your primary residence is rented through Airbnb, for limited periods, depending on your policy terms. Short-term rentals through other platforms are not covered. Before listing your home, you should contact us to speak with a TD Insurance advisor to confirm eligibility and review whether your coverage needs to be updated.
Enjoy Your Time Away
Whether you’re heading out for a quick getaway or a longer trip, taking a moment to think about what's happening at home can make all the difference. If you have questions about coverage or precautions for an unoccupied home, TD Insurance is here to help. We hope you enjoy a safe and well deserved‑ vacation.
Additional FAQs
Not always, but it can be important, especially if something happens while you're away.
Some home insurance policies include a "vacancy" or "unoccupancy" clause. If your home is left unattended for too long and damage occurs (for example a water leak, fire, or break in), your coverage could be affected if policy conditions weren't met. When in doubt, always contact your insurer.
- If you’re a TD Insurance home customer, and your primary location is left unattended for more than a week, we recommend having a trusted person enter your home at least once every seven days to confirm there's no damage. This helps ensure your water damage coverage remains in good standing in the event of a claim.
- If you’re a TD Insurance home customer and leave your residence with no intention of returning, it's important to notify us so your coverage can be updated accordingly.
Not always. Coverage can be limited or denied if your home is left unattended and no precautions are taken.
Water damage (like burst pipes or leaks) is one of the biggest risks when no one is home. During heating season, many insurers require additional steps to reduce this risk. If these steps aren't followed, water damage coverage may not apply if a claim occurs. For TD Insurance home customers, a trusted and capable person you know – someone who is able to monitor the condition of your home - must enter your home at least once every seven days.
You may also want to consider taking the following steps to minimize the chances of water leaks or damage:
- Turn off the main water supply and draining fixtures, appliances, and other items that hold water (for example: toilets or dehumidifiers) before you leave.
- Keep your heat on to 13 degrees Celsius at minimum during the colder seasons to help prevent freezing pipes
- Install a water leak detector or a smart water shut-off system if possible.
Because requirements can vary by insurer and policy, it's a good idea to confirm what applies to you, especially before an extended absence.
It depends. Sharing your home while you’re away doesn’t always mean the same thing from an insurance perspective. If a house sitter, friend, or family member is staying in your home while you’re away, this is generally considered a continuation of personal use and doesn't require any updates to your policy. Home sharing or short-term rentals are different. Renting out your primary residence through a short-term rental platform can affect how your insurance applies.
If you're a TD Insurance home customer, coverage for short-term rentals may be available when your primary residence is rented through Airbnb, for limited periods, depending on your policy terms. Short-term rentals through other platforms are not covered.
Coming home to damage can be overwhelming. Regardless of the reason for the damage or loss, remember that safety comes first.
- If it's not safe (e.g. fire, structural damage, gas smell), leave immediately and contact emergency services. You should not enter your home if upon arrival, you find that your home has been broken into.
- If it's safe to do so, stop the source of damage immediately (turn off water, electricity, etc.,)
- Document the damage with photos or videos.
- Contact your insurance provider as soon as possible to start your claim. If you’re a TD Insurance customer, start your claim within MyInsurance or through the TD Insurance Mobile App or contact us to start a claim at 1-866-454-8910. We're here to guide you through your insurance claims experience.
- Follow the instructions provided by your insurance provider.
Tip: Keep receipts of any emergency repairs or expenses, they may be eligible for reimbursement depending on your coverage.
†Conditions and restrictions may apply. Subject to meeting eligibility criteria.
The content on this page is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Coverages described herein may be subject to additional eligibility criteria, limitations and exclusions. In the event you make a claim, potential indemnification is also subject to the receivability of the claim and the type of coverage you bought.
In the case of conflict between the content on this page and your policy wordings, your policy wordings shall take precedence. Please speak to an Advisor or consult your policy wordings for further details.