What is alternative accommodation?

It could start with a suspicious leak and end with you and your family stood in 6 inches of flood water in the middle of your kitchen. Our homes are our safe havens so when serious damage stops you from living in yours, it can feel like you’re having the rug pulled out from under you.

When you and your loved ones are displaced, the priority is repairing your home as quickly as possible and helping you stay on track with everyday life in the meantime.

That's where alternative accommodation may help.

Alternative accommodation provides a temporary place to stay if your home is uninhabitable due to insured damage, like fire or flood.

You’ll only need alternative accommodation if your home isn’t fit to live in while repairs are being made. Alternative accommodation cover is typically included in home insurance policies to support policyholders in emergency situations - such as severe flood or storm damage - when a property becomes uninhabitable. These events can be highly distressing for individuals and families, and the purpose of this benefit is to help people return to their normal routines as quickly and smoothly as possible. There are usually no additional fees for having or using this type of cover, aside from paying the policy excess when making a claim.

When it comes to home insurance and alternative accommodation, the term 'uninhabitable' is often used. This simply means that it isn’t possible or safe to stay in the property because essential facilities - such as water, heating, electricity, or working toilet and washing facilities - are unavailable.

If a home becomes uninhabitable, alternative accommodation cover may be provided as part of a home insurance policy. This cover is intended to ensure that policyholders have somewhere safe and comfortable to stay while repairs are carried out and the home is made fit to live in again.

Being away from home can be challenging, even when the temporary accommodation is comfortable. Insurers will typically take into account practical considerations - such as proximity to workplaces, schools, or other important daily commitments - when arranging accommodation, so that disruption is kept to a minimum.

If you need to make a claim for damage to your home, your insurer will arrange for an assessment to determine whether the property is still habitable. If the assessment confirms that you can’t safely stay in your home while repairs are carried out, your insurer will begin arranging alternative accommodation.

They’ll usually talk to you about your circumstances to understand what you need - for example, your work location, school arrangements for children, mobility requirements, and any other responsibilities that might affect where you can stay. If you have a preferred place nearby that would be convenient, you can mention this, and your insurer can assess whether it falls within your policy cover.

If you find that the cost of living is higher in your temporary accommodation compared to your usual overheads at home, your insurer may cover the difference. That’s why it never hurts to hold onto any receipts and keep your insurer in the loop about your expenses, so they have a clear picture of how much they might need to reimburse you.

How long you can stay in temporary accommodation really depends on what repairs your home needs and how much you’re covered for. You might only need alternative accommodation for a few weeks if the repairs can be made quickly. Or, If it’s a big job like replacing the roof or rebuilding walls, it could be a matter of months, especially if you have to consider planning permissions or delays and shortages of materials. 

Many home insurance policies include fixed monetary limits for alternative accommodation, while others use percentage‑based cover. Percentage‑based cover means the amount available for alternative accommodation is calculated as a percentage of the overall home insurance sum insured. Some policies may also include time limits on how long alternative accommodation can be provided.

Because these details vary between insurers and policy types, it’s important to review the policy documents to understand the specific limits and conditions that apply.

Aviva’s Signature home insurance includes alternative accommodation cover as standard. If your home isn’t fit to live in during repairs, we’ll look to help you find somewhere suitable to stay.

As long as the damage is covered by your policy, we’ll arrange alternative accommodation until your home is ready for you again, paying up to £100,000 with buildings insurance or up to £25,000 with contents insurance. If suitable accommodation can’t be found close enough to work, school, or other essential commitments, we’ll cover reasonable travel expenses to help keep your routine manageable.

Because pets are part of the family, our cover also includes reasonable accommodation expenses for them, and we’ll always try to ensure they can stay with you. This cover is included as standard, meaning you never need to pay extra for it - something that can be especially reassuring if you live in an area with high rental costs. As long as you remain within the relevant cover limit, you won’t need to worry about paying for a temporary place to live while repairs are underway.

It may be reassuring to know that your family’s daily routine shouldn’t be affected too much, as consideration is usually given to things like work, school and other everyday commitments when arranging accommodation. To understand the full details of what’s included, you can check the limits in your policy documents through the MyAviva app.