Temporary accommodation after a flood, fire or leak: how insurance relocation stays work

A burst pipe, a kitchen fire or a flooded ground floor can make a home unliveable overnight. If that happens, many home insurance policies include cover for alternative accommodation while repairs are carried out.

This guide explains how that usually works. Every policy is different, so always check the wording of yours and speak to your insurer or loss adjuster first.

Step 1: Tell your insurer straight away

Report the claim as soon as you can and ask whether your policy includes alternative accommodation, and what the limit is. Some policies cap it at a total amount, others at a percentage of the sum insured.

Step 2: Agree who arranges the stay

Some insurers use their own relocation agents. Others let you find accommodation yourself and reclaim the cost. Ask which applies before you book anything, and keep every receipt.

Step 3: Look for like-for-like

The aim is usually to keep your household living as normally as possible: the same number of bedrooms, close to school and work, and somewhere pets can come too if possible. A whole house or apartment almost always works better than a hotel for a family.

Step 4: Expect it to take longer than you think

Drying out, strip-outs and rebuilds can take weeks or months. Choose accommodation that can flex on dates, and make sure the host is comfortable extending.

How we help

We work with families, relocation agents and loss adjusters across Kent. Our homes are fully furnished with equipped kitchens, washing machines, fast Wi-Fi and self check-in, so you can move in with a suitcase and get on with life.

We can invoice the insurer or agent directly where they agree to it, and we keep the same property for you if repairs overrun wherever the calendar allows.

If you have been displaced, send us an insurance relocation enquiry with your town, household size and expected dates, and we will reply quickly with what is available.