Unoccupied Commercial Property Insurance For Schools

Here’s what you need to consider if your building is not in current use.

Unoccupied commercial property insurance risks

Criminal damage

Without anyone present, an unoccupied building increases the likelihood of theft.

Breaking in and vandalising buildings internally and externally is more likely to occur when a building is out of use.

According to Crime Rate, during 2023, England and Wales’s police forces received 467,045 crime reports regarding criminal damage and arson.

Environmental damage

Flood and storm damage can pose a risk to any property, however if someone isn’t there when the damage occurs it may go unnoticed and cause greater damage. Lose tiles, flooding and damaged electricals can be extremely dangerous and cause lasting damage if not flagged right away¹.

Internal damage

Perhaps someone has left a tap running, a pipe has burst, an electrical item has a fault and poses a fire risk, or there’s been a gas leak – what if there was no one around to notice that these things have happened? All of these things can affect the structural integrity of a building. According to Zurich, there have been 2,300 fires in school buildings between 2016-2021².

Reducing unoccupied commercial property insurance risks

Combating and managing risks is the responsibility of individual schools, including; school governors, headteachers, premises managers and the Local Education Authority³.  It is vital to manage risks to protect staff, pupils, visitors and premises, and prevent or reduce the risk of disruption to learning.

It is also important to check your commercial combined/ property policies wording for an unoccupied property condition – this can differ between insurers so check this with your broker for clarification.

Reduce the risk of criminal damage by:

• Preventing unauthorised entry onto school grounds. Have robust fencing and ensure this is regularly repaired. Private property signage and lighting may also deter unwanted visitors.
• On-site staff: regular visits from a caretaker or live-in staff can be a strong deterrent. If this isn’t possible, random patrols by commercial or local authority security teams could be an option.

Preventative maintenance to entry points

• Check the robustness of your external doors and windows. Solid doors should have reinforced hinges and frames with no recessed panels or windows where possible.
• Ensure external windows and doors are fitted with approved locks and secure them before leaving the building unattended.
• You can install anti-arson mailboxes which keep any burning materials posted contained.
• Prevent entry via roof lights by fitting grills or bars to the inside of the frame.
• Check your intruder alarms are fully functioning. If you do not currently have alarms in place, consider fitting them in areas such as corridors where intruders can be detected moving from room to room. Be aware that alarm systems product BT Redcare will be discontinued from August 2025.
• Look for joint CCTV monitoring schemes between schools and local councils to reduce costs and share the management of the system. It is important to seek specialist advice before installing CCTV.
• If the building hosts after school clubs and summer activities, it is important to consider this as part of your safety plans over the holidays. It would be ideal to minimise access to other parts of the building where these activities are not taking place, however suitable fire escapes must be considered. It should also be noted that dependant on the basis of cover theft may be subject to forcible and/or violent entry/exit,
• Consider the equipment you have outside the building. Ensure refuse and recycling containers are secured and playground bins are fixed to the ground – these may be used to start a fire or to climb on to enter the building. Bins should also be away from the premises and in a locked compound where possible to reduce the risk of Arson.
• Ensure you have the correct fire equipment, and staff are trained to use it. A fire risk assessment should always be completed.

 See more info on how to how to combat arson in schools.

Reduce the risk of internal damage by:

• Shutting off gas and electrics if the building will be fully shut down over the holiday period. Consult your broker or policy wording to check what you are still fully covered if your school fully shuts down for the school holiday period. The 30 days unoccupancy clause may apply to your school building.
• Ensure boiler systems can be restarted safely and check if they require servicing.
• Ensuring weekly fire alarm checks are continued during closure and fire doors are working with no obstructions.
• Checking your water systems prior to shut down and ideally have someone come in regularly to check the building for potential pipe leaks, running taps, etc. You can also install flood detectors to identify the escape of water before it is too late. Check your condition of cover to see if draining down is required.
• Consider your flushing routines and temperature checks – will these continue during the holiday period? Cleaning and testing of heating and drainage systems may need to be undergone before the building reopens.
• Dripping taps and leaky loos: make sure you’re not wasting money on any water leaks while the building is closed.⁴

Reduce the risk of environmental damage by:

• Check throughout the building for signs of ingress of water
• Check inside and outside for signs of leaks/escape of water
• Ensure roof tiles are secure and in good condition, and aren’t out of place or broken =
• Flat roofs are in good condition, no rips/tears or pooling of water
• Ensure gutters and rainwater goods are regularly checked and cleared of any build up of leaves/rubbish
• Ensure trees and shrubs are maintained with any damage/diseased sections being removed – high winds and storms may cause old and rotting trees to fall, causing damage to school buildings or grounds
• Ensure any aerial, satellite dishes or any other roof attachments are secured – any that are no longer in use should be removed to reduce risk

To find out more about keeping your education premises safe during school holidays, speak to your usual  advisor who can put you in touch with our colleagues in the Education team.

Sources:

1. What Damage Floods Can Do
2. More Than 1100 Classrooms Gutted by School Blaze
3. How To Combat Arson in Schools
4. How Does Safety Management Look When Schools are on Holiday

Schools insurance from Towergate

To find out more about how we could assist you in making sure your schools buildings and contents are adequately protected from risks such as fires, floods and more, visit our specialist schools cover webpage, call Jo Taylor on 01438 735287 or email us.

About the author

Jo Taylor is an respected insurance industry leader with over 15 years’ experience working with both education and the public sector. She is responsible for supporting her clients on all things insurance and risk related, and is also a mental health first aider qualified through Mental Health First Aid England.

Consistent with our policy when giving comment and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems we recommend that professional advice be sought.