Leaving for the Summer? How to Insure a Second Home the Smart Way

For those with the means to own a second property, summer often means one thing—escape. Whether it’s a beachfront retreat in the Carolinas, a cabin tucked into the Rockies, or a stone estate in the Hudson Valley, the second home is where stress is supposed to melt away like a popsicle on a dock. But what too many luxury homeowners forget is that these sanctuaries come with a very different risk profile than a primary residence, especially when left vacant for long stretches. And while it’s tempting to assume your standard policy has it covered, that assumption can get painfully expensive.

High-end homes that sit empty—even for just a few weeks—require a different type of care, and not just in terms of the lawn. We’re talking about insurance policies built specifically to handle the realities of high-value properties, absentee ownership, and all the “what ifs” that come with them. The goal isn’t to scare you into panic—it’s to walk you through what smart, wealthy homeowners already know. You protect your vacation property the same way you protect your peace of mind: deliberately, thoroughly, and without cutting corners.

The Hidden Risk of Silence: What Happens When a Home Sits Empty

When you’re away sipping espresso in Positano or chasing your kids down ski slopes in Aspen, the last thing you want to think about is your vacation home. But vacant homes behave differently than occupied ones. A burst pipe doesn’t get caught until it’s gushing through the floorboards. A flicker from an electrical outlet could spark a fire that burns undetected for far too long. Even a slow, steady leak can create enough mold damage to send renovation costs sky-high.

Traditional insurance policies typically have language buried deep in the fine print that excludes or limits claims if a home is left vacant for a set period—sometimes as little as 30 days. The moment a property is labeled “vacant,” the protections you thought were rock-solid may quietly vanish. This is one of those insurance traps that many well-off homeowners fall into without realizing it. They think they’re covered until it’s too late.

To prevent this, policies for secondary homes need to be tailored with that specific lifestyle in mind. That usually means customized add-ons or a separate policy altogether that accounts for periods of non-use, unmonitored systems, and increased liability exposure. An insurance provider who understands high-net-worth living will ask you the right questions. How often is the home occupied? Who else has access? Is there surveillance or smart monitoring in place? If those questions aren’t being asked, you’re probably not dealing with the right policy—or the right provider.

When Your Summer Plans Involve an Ocean, Mountains, or Zero Cell Service

A big part of the luxury lifestyle is mobility. You don’t just own one home—you flow between multiple. But every new place comes with its own vulnerabilities, and those risks don’t clock out when you leave the driveway.

Hurricane zones. Wildfire-prone valleys. Areas where the power grid falters every time the wind picks up. These risks aren’t just theoretical—they’re geographical realities. So if your summer hideaway falls into one of those categories, your insurance needs to reflect that. You’ll want broader perils covered, fewer exclusions, and enough flexibility to address changing weather patterns that seem to shift year by year.

Some homeowners even build elaborate automation systems—climate controls, fire detection, motion sensors—but forget that none of those things guarantee compensation after a loss. They help reduce damage, yes, but insurance is what protects you when tech fails or can’t prevent it altogether.

And if you’re bouncing between countries, a worry-free trip abroad only stays worry-free if you’re confident that your property back home—or homes, plural—is protected against the unexpected. Global policies and domestic ones don’t always speak the same language. In some cases, multiple homes across different states or countries require a portfolio approach to insurance rather than a one-size-fits-all setup.

Why Your Regular Policy Doesn’t Cut It for High-End Properties

Luxury homes aren’t just bigger—they’re built differently, outfitted differently, and valued on a scale that traditional policies aren’t designed to cover. That’s where high value home insurance coverage becomes not just helpful, but necessary.

It goes beyond just higher limits. These policies typically offer full replacement cost coverage, which means that in the event of a total loss, the payout reflects the actual cost of rebuilding the home to its original grandeur, using materials and craftsmanship that match—not some average market estimate. They also include things like extended coverage for architectural details, artisan materials, rare woods, imported stonework, custom lighting, and built-ins that can’t be found at your average supply store.

And let’s talk about liability. If someone slips by the infinity pool or the caretaker’s friend gets injured during a visit, your exposure is significant. You want a policy that thinks three steps ahead of the what-ifs and handles them with the same seriousness you would expect from a wealth advisor or estate planner.

Don’t Forget the Contents: Your Stuff Deserves Its Own Spotlight

You may not keep your main wardrobe in your summer home, but what you do keep is often expensive, meaningful, or both. That includes art collections, wine cellars, antique furniture, heirloom silver, vintage instruments, rare books, and maybe even a few sentimental pieces you don’t want bouncing back and forth between homes.

Standard contents coverage usually doesn’t come close to replacing these kinds of items—not properly, anyway. So while you might assume everything in the house is “covered,” many items need to be scheduled individually. That means appraising them, documenting them, and ensuring their value is fully reflected in your policy. If you haven’t done that in a while, it’s worth revisiting, especially if you’ve made recent additions.

And one last thing that tends to get overlooked: if you lend the house to friends or use it as a short-term rental on occasion, your coverage changes again. Personal use isn’t the same as commercial use, and without adjusting your policy, you might find yourself exposed in ways that are hard to bounce back from—financially or legally.

A Quick Note Before You Head Out

Having a second home should feel like a gift, not a liability waiting to surprise you when you’re least prepared. With the right coverage in place, your only real responsibility should be enjoying it—or ignoring it completely while it takes care of itself. Because peace of mind shouldn’t end when your vacation begins.