LITTLE ROCK — In most cases, housesitter or no, homeowner’s insurance will continue. There are obvious caveats to this, and Gary Stephenson, spokesman for State Farm Insurance, says each case is subject to individual review.
Stephenson says the following is a good rule of thumb.
If you have a homeowner’s policy and are gone for a while on an “extended vacation” or working overseas but are coming back and have the residence as your primary address, coverage continues with or without a housesitter. The presence of someone in the house is a matter of personal preference. Their presence or absence does not typically affect the insurance contract.
If the house is “vacated” — that is, its contents are emptied, and the person leaves, and it is no longer his residence though he retains ownership — then some coverages under a policy may cease. This is also true if the owner rents the house in his absence.
If you will be gone for 30 days or more, it would be advisable to check with your insurer to make sure everyone is on the same page.
HomeStyle, Pages 38 on 07/28/2012