Chris Chase
Licensed Florida insurance broker · FL License #G193830 · NPN 21407586
Last reviewed October 2026
The short version
- How a home is used and who owns it decides which type of policy it needs.
- A seasonal home can usually be insured, but the company needs to know it isn’t lived in all year.
- An LLC or trust on the deed needs to be on the policy too, and it can change the liability coverage.
- Short-term renting is the situation where policies differ the most.
The standard homeowners policy assumes one thing: a person owns the house and lives in it all year. Plenty of Florida homes don’t fit that. The owners spend summers up north. The house is rented part of the year. The deed is in the name of a trust or an LLC.
None of that makes a home uninsurable. It does mean the policy has to be set up to match, because a policy that describes the home wrong is the kind that runs into trouble at claim time. So I sort it out up front.
In this article
Two questions decide everything
When I quote a home that’s anything other than owner-occupied all year, I start with two questions.
- How is the home used? Lived in all year, lived in part of the year, rented long term, rented short term, or empty.
- Who is on the deed? One or more people, a trust, an LLC or another entity.
The answers point to the type of policy and the companies that will write it. Getting them right at the start saves a lot of trouble later.
Seasonal and snowbird homes
A seasonal home is one you own and use yourself for part of the year. It’s very common here, and many companies will insure it.
How it is insured
Depending on the company, a seasonal home may go on a homeowners policy marked as seasonal or secondary, or on a dwelling policy. Some companies define a primary home by how many months a year the owner is there, and treat anything less as seasonal.
What companies worry about
An empty house is a house where nobody notices a problem. A supply line can leak for weeks. An air conditioner can fail and let humidity build. So companies may ask about:
- How many months a year you’re there.
- Whether someone checks on the home while you’re away.
- Whether the water is shut off when you leave.
- Whether there’s a monitored alarm or a water leak detection system.
What I tell seasonal owners to do
- Shut off the water at the main when you leave, and turn off the water heater.
- Have a neighbor, friend or home watch service walk through the house regularly.
- Leave the air conditioning on at a setting that controls humidity.
- Have a plan for who puts up your shutters if a storm is coming and you’re out of state.
- Make sure your agent knows the home is seasonal.
These steps are about preventing the loss, and they also put you in a much better position if you ever have to file a claim.
Vacant and unoccupied homes
Unoccupied means nobody is living there right now but the furniture is still in it, like a snowbird home in July. Vacant means empty of people and belongings, like a house between tenants or one that’s for sale after the owner has moved.
Policies often treat these differently, and many limit or remove certain coverage once a home has been vacant for a period of time. The wording is in your policy. If your home is going to sit empty, whether for a renovation, a sale or a gap between tenants, call your agent before it does. Coverage for vacant homes is harder to find and isn’t something to sort out after a loss.
Homes you rent out
Long-term rentals
A home with a tenant on a lease needs a landlord policy, usually a DP-3 dwelling policy, not a homeowners policy. I wrote a full article on that, linked below. The short version: liability and contents are often optional, water damage limits start earlier on older homes, and roofs are often paid at depreciated value.
Short-term and vacation rentals
This is where the widest differences are. Renting by the night or week isn’t the same risk as a yearly lease, and companies set their own rules. Some won’t insure nightly rentals. Some accept them with a minimum stay, a surcharge or an endorsement. Some want a management company involved. Some cap the number of short rentals per year.
Homes owned by an LLC
People put property in an LLC mostly for rentals and investment homes. For insurance, three things matter.
Homes held in a trust
A trust is common for estate planning, and it’s usually simpler than an LLC. If you put your own home into a living trust and keep living there, many companies will still write a homeowners policy. The trust is typically added to the policy so both you and the trust are protected.
What to do:
- Tell your agent when the home is moved into a trust.
- Give the exact name of the trust as it appears on the deed.
- Ask how the company lists the trust on the policy.
- Confirm your personal liability coverage still applies to you as the resident.
Homes owned by an estate after an owner has died are a separate situation. Some companies won’t write them. If you’re handling a family member’s home, call me early.
Common questions
Can I get regular homeowners insurance on a home I only use in winter?
Often yes, as a seasonal or secondary home, or on a dwelling policy. It depends on the company. The key is that the policy says the home is seasonal.
Do I need to change my policy if I put my house in a trust?
Tell your agent. The trust usually needs to be added to the policy so the name matches the deed.
Can an LLC have a homeowners policy?
Most homeowners programs are for individuals. LLC-owned homes are usually written on a dwelling policy, and liability is handled differently from company to company.
Eligibility and coverage vary by company. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to an attorney about how to title your property.
Official sources
- Florida Department of Financial Services: homeowners insurance overview
- Citizens Property Insurance: getting a policy
Keep reading
- Insuring a Rental Property in Florida: What Landlords Should Know
- Water Damage, Plumbing, and Older Homes
- Pools, Trampolines, Dogs, and Your Home Insurance
- How Much Should Your Home Be Insured For?
Related coverage: landlord insurance, condo insurance and homeowners insurance.
Want a second set of eyes on your policy?
Tell me what you have now and I’ll compare it against the companies I work with. No pressure either way.