What companies are still insuring unoccupied and or second homes?

This seems to be a new trend. It seems that insurance companies are canceling Homeowner's policies of their customers who are selling their homes! Once the client has to move out to their new home the insurance company cancels the policy on the home that's still for sale. This is being done even if the customer has been a client for over 30 years and is using that company for the new home! Sellers are having a rough enough time with the real estate market these days!
What can be done about this? Also suppose the seller decides not to sell but keep the home as a vacation spot? Are second homes being uninsured also?

It is not a new trend and second homes are fine. The problem is when the house becomes vacant (or not enough furniture in it to be able to stay there). That is when the homeowners policy is cancelled (or nonrenewed) because the house no longer qualifies for a homeowners policy. Also, I don't have any company that will insure a house on the market. Rewritten policies have new business guidelines because it is a new policy. That has ALWAYS been an underwiriting issue for us (for the 18 years I have been in the business). Nothing has changed there. The only market I have then is Surplus Lines (some states have a homeowner fair plan). I tell my insureds, do NOT let the house go vacant, be sure to keep enough furniture, dishes, linens, etc to be able to stay there & stay there at least once per month. It is better for the house too, especially in the winter. This way it is considered a secondary home & can stay on a homeowners policy. It is easier to sell a house that is nicely furnished than one that is vacant anyway. Any realtor will tell you that. Also, some of my insureds are deciding to rent the house & then it is also usually OK (as long as there are no other issues the company does not wirte), we just change the policy to a dwelling fire or landlords policy - again, new business guidelines but much easier than a vacant home that is up for sale.
**unless you are in FL then it is COMPLETELY different....

Sorry, this is NOT a new trend. Homeowers policies are intended - and have ALWAYS been intended, for OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES. I've seen carriers cancelling for 25 years, this is NOT new.

It doesn't matter HOW long you've been a client - once you move out, it's not owner occupied.

Secondary homes are easier to insure, IF the carrier also writes the primary home, AND the utilities are left on, AND you go there at least once a month.

Regarding the original question - Mid Continent and Foremeost will write a stand-alone vacant home policy. I like Foremost's policy better. And the secondary home policy, well, Foremost will write it stand alone, but whoever writes your PRIMARY homeowners will also write the secondary policy.

Not a problem....I wrote a vacant house yesterday!

Insurance companies have a vacancy clause in most policies....VACANT, not un-occupied, as there IS a difference..and in this particular case, State Farm had insurance on the house. The owner built a new house and had this house up for sale. It had been vacant for 60 days, effective 12/03 and the company KNEW this and sent out notice of cancellation to be effective 12/03.

We wrote a policy that will cover the house on a Texas Form TDP-3 and when he sells the house or rents it, we can cancel the vacant house coverage. Normally, the vacant policies are written for shorter terms (3 or 6 months) with the premium being "fully earned", however, we discovered a company that would write an annual policy and allow pro-rate cancellation when the house was sold.

An un-occupied house is one that is furnished and COULD be lived in, in the case of a beach/lake house that is used as a secondary residence, and owned by the same person that has a primary residence that they live in for most of the time.

If you still have doubts, call your local independent insurance agent and they should be able to show you examples of coverages and/or forms that explain this for you.

Good luck and I hope this brings a better understanding of how this all works.