Holiday home insurance Italy: the complete guide for UK owners

Italy is a favourite among tourists. From the sun-soaked Amalfi coast to the picturesque Italian alps, Italy combines breath-taking landscapes and favourable climates with a world class cuisine and cultural heritage.

With competitive property prices and a thriving tourism market, Italy is a smart choice for prospective holiday home owners. If you're looking to buy a property in Italy, having the right insurance in place is essential. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about holiday home insurance in Italy - keep reading to find out more!

What's covered:

• What is holiday home insurance?
• What insurance do I need for a holiday home in Italy?
• What type of insurance do I need for a holiday let in Italy?
• What are the legal and administrative requirements for holiday lets in Italy?
• Is it worth buying a holiday home in Italy?
• 6 ways to save money on your Italian holiday home insurance
• Your next step
• FAQs

Are you looking for holiday home insurance for your property in Italy? At Howden, our team of trusted experts can help you find a policy that’s the perfect fit for you.

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What is holiday home insurance?

Holiday home insurance is a specialised type of home insurance specifically designed for second properties or holiday homes abroad. These specialist policies protect your property from the unique risks and challenges of owning a home abroad, which may be left unoccupied for long periods or used for short-term rentals.

Unlike ordinary home insurance, which usually won't cover vacant homes for more than 30 days, holiday home insurance policies typically include unoccupancy cover for 60 days or more, as well as protecting your holiday home against increased risks such as theft, fire, flooding, water damage, and accidental damage caused by visitors.

What insurance do I need for a holiday home in Italy?

In Italy, there is no legal requirement to have insurance for holiday properties. The only exception is if you buy your holiday home with a mortgage, Italian banks typically require at least buildings cover. That being said, it's still strongly recommended to take out holiday home insurance to protect your property against the various risks associated with owning an overseas property.

You should have buildings insurance, contents insurance and public liability insurance as the bare minimum for your holiday home. These are typically included as standard in most holiday home insurance policies. Beyond that, there are several additional cover options that you should consider for your holiday home, including:

• Accidental damage cover

• Unoccupancy cover

• Alternative accommodation cover

• Emergency travel costs cover

• Legal cover

• Loss of rental income cover

• Domestic staff cover

Note: Many comprehensive Italian holiday home insurance policies will already include some or all of these additional cover options below. If they aren't already included, you can usually add them on as optional extras. Be sure to check your policy documents first to see what's included

Let's take a look at each type of insurance in more detail:

Buildings insurance

Buildings insurance protects the structure and fixed fittings against risks like earthquakes, fire, storms, flooding, vandalism. It often includes permanent fixtures like fitted kitchens and bathrooms.

Note: If your overseas property is financed with a mortgage, this is usually mandatory.

Earthquake cover

Due to it's geographical proximity to the Eurasian-African tectonic plate collision zone, Italy is prone to earthquakes. While seismic activity varies greatly across the country, with some regions seeing little to no activity, you should definitely confirm that earthquake cover is included in your policy.

Italy recorded 16,826 earthquakes in 2024, averaging just over 46 events per day. Most are small, but it is a useful reminder to consider earthquake cover if your home sits in an active region.

In recent years, it's become increasingly difficult to get Italian holiday home insurance for properties situated in high-risk earthquake zones, so be sure to factor this into your research.

You can check your area’s earthquake risk level via the Italian government’s risk prevention website and the using the seismic risk map.

Contents insurance

Contents insurance covers the contents inside your holiday home, including furniture, appliances and personal possessions.

Public liability insurance

Typically included in most holiday home insurance policies, public liability cover protects you against claims made by third parties for injury or damage to their property. If you plan to rent out your holiday home, public liability insurance is essential.

Accidental damage cover

Covers your holiday home and its contents against accidental damage, including incidents caused by guests if you choose to rent out your holiday home.

Also read: Accidental damage - are you covered?

Unoccupancy cover

Your Italy holiday home will likely be left unoccupied for long periods of time during the year, leaving it exposed to risks like theft, leaks, and maintenance issues. Standard home insurance typically won't cover vacant properties for more than 30 days, so unoccupancy cover is vital for your holiday home.

It typically covers longer empty periods of up to 60 days or more, subject to certain conditions (like removing valuables) and may exclude risks like loss of metered water or oil. Be sure check your policy wording to see what's excluded.

Again, unoccupancy cover is often included as standard in holiday home insurance policies.

Legal expenses cover

Holiday home legal insurance provides cover in the event of a legal dispute related to your holiday home in Italy. This could include:

• Contractual disputes (e.g., related to buying, renting, or leasing your holiday home).

• Property disputes (e.g., damage, nuisance, or trespass caused by another party).

• Tax - to have help from an accountant if HMRC investigate your personal tax affairs.

• Legal defence costs - for incidents arising from letting out your holiday home.

Alternative accommodation cover

If your Italian holiday home becomes uninhabitable due to property damage, this covers the cost of alternative accommodation, ensuring you and your family have somewhere to stay while repairs are completed.

Emergency travel costs cover

This covers the travel costs to your holiday home in Italy in the event of an unexpected emergency. Examples include water damage from a burst pipe, a fire on the property, or storm-related damage to your home.

What type of insurance do I need for a holiday let in Italy?

If you plan to rent out your holiday home to paying guests, you are responsible for guest safety and third‑party property damage. As such, you'll need public liability cover to protect your holiday home against these risks. While not legally required in Italy, it is strongly recommended.

Loss of rent cover

If your holiday home is damaged due to an insured event like fire, flood, or storm damage, loss of rent cover provides compensation for lost income (e.g. due to booking cancellations)

Domestic staff cover

If domestic staff that you employ are injured or fall ill while working, this cover provides financial protection, covering associated expenses such as legal or medical fees.

What are the legal and administrative requirements for holiday lets in Italy?

Renting out your Italian holiday home can be a fantastic way to earn extra income. Beyond insurance, there are also specific legal and administrative requirements you must follow. This varies depending on whether you use your holiday home for short-term or long-term rentals.

General requirements for all rentals

• Italian tax code (codice fiscale): You must hold a valid tax identification code.

• Energy Performance Certificate (APE): mandatory for all rental properties.

• Property habitability: The property must comply with safety, health, and habitability standards. You may need to provide a Certificate of Habitability (Certificato di Agibilità) as proof.

• Registration: All rental contracts, except for very short-term stays, must be registered with the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) within 30 days of the contract's start date.

For short-term rentals (up to 30 days)

Italy introduced new national rules in 2025, mainly affecting tourist rentals:

• National Identification Code (CIN): You must obtain a Codice Identificativo Nazionale (CIN) from the Ministry of Tourism. This code must be shown on all online listings and displayed at the property entrance.

• Safety Equipment: Properties must have carbon monoxide and gas detectors, plus portable fire extinguishers.

• Guest Registration: Hosts must register guests with the local police via the Alloggiatiweb portal within 24 hours of arrival.

• Tourist Tax: Collect the local tassa di soggiorno and pay it to the municipality. Rates vary by location.

• Flat-Rate Tax: Occasional landlords can pay a 21% flat tax on rental income. Renting more than four properties counts as a business activity.

• Check-In Rules: In-person check-ins are now required to verify guest identities. Remote check-ins and lockboxes are not allowed under the new law.

For long-term rentals (over 30 days)

• Written Agreement: The lease must be in writing and signed by both parties. Verbal agreements are not allowed for long-term rentals.

• Registration Tax: A registration fee, usually 2% of the annual rent, must be paid and is typically split equally between landlord and tenant. This fee is waived if the landlord chooses the flat-rate tax option (cedolare secca).

• Stamp Duty: The contract must include the required stamp duty.

Is it worth buying a holiday home in Italy?

Buying a holiday home in Italy can be a fantastic investment. With fairly affordable property prices, lifestyle benefits, and of course a rich culture, it's easy to see Italy's appeal as a holiday home destination.

Of course, you'll need to factor in ongoing costs such as local taxes, maintenance, and holiday home insurance, but if you plan to let the property, Italy’s strong tourist market can make it a smart investment.

6 ways to save money on your Italian holiday home insurance

If you're looking to cut the cost of your holiday home insurance, there are plenty of ways to make it more affordable. Here are 6 practical tips:

1. Keep up with maintenance

Regular upkeep helps prevent wear and tear and protects against weather damage. Fewer issues mean fewer claims, which can keep your premiums lower.

2. Upgrade your security

Adding simple security measures like burglar alarms, approved locks, and cameras can reduce the risk of break ins and may reduce your premiums.

3. Increase your excess

Choosing a higher excess often brings down your premium, but make sure it’s an amount you can comfortably afford if you need to make a claim.

4. Stick with one insurer

Combining your buildings and contents cover (as well as any additional cover) under a single policy is usually cheaper than splitting policies across a few providers.

5. Pay annually

Paying your premium in one yearly lump sum is typically more cost-effective than monthly instalments.

6. Shop around

Before you settle for a policy, be sure to compare holiday home insurance quotes online and do your research.

Your next step

Are you looking for holiday home insurance for your property in Italy? Whether it's for personal use or holiday lets, at Howden, our team of trusted experts can help you find the right cover for your needs. Get a quote today or call us at 0117 403 3000

Hear from our insurance expert…

What’s new or changed in the holiday home insurance market which I should be made aware of?

"One of the most common claims on holiday homes is for escape of water e.g. pipes bursting. Holiday homes tend to be left unoccupied for longer periods, so any damage may not be found quickly, resulting in high claim costs - especially with the cost of construction/living in recent years. Holiday home insurers have started increasing their escape of water excess to reduce claims, so if you are adding a voluntary excess, check if that’s on top of the escape of water excess."

Rob Neal, holiday home insurance expert.

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