Overview — Continental Risk Vacant Buildings & Vacant Land Program
Continental Risk / Continental Marine Insurance Services offers a dedicated Excess & Surplus lines program for vacant properties. This program targets vacant buildings up to 200,000 square feet and vacant land up to 1,500 acres, providing liability protection designed for the unique exposures of unoccupied real estate. Coverage is intended for agents seeking a non-admitted market solution for owners, developers, lenders, and investors with short- to mid-term vacancy exposures.
Policy Structure
- Commercial General Liability and Products/Completed Operations Liability
- ISO Occurrence coverage form
- Primary limits: $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 general aggregate / $2,000,000 products-completed ops aggregate (Excess limits available)
- Deductibles available from $0 to $2,500
Minimum premium: $500.00
Ideal Accounts and Appetite
This program is well-suited for:
- Commercial and industrial buildings currently vacant during renovation, lease-up, or sale
- Vacant retail centers, office parks and warehouses within the square-footage guideline
- Vacant parcels of undeveloped or transitional land up to 1,500 acres
- Owners, lenders and investors needing short-term liability placement while property status changes
Typical fits are properties that are secured, monitored, and where the insured can provide basic vacancy details and loss history. Accounts involving active redevelopment, controlled demolition, or properties with significant security and fire-protection measures are within the program’s focus.
Coverage Advantages
- Designed specifically for the exposures of vacant premises and vacant land where standard admitted markets are often unavailable
- ISO occurrence form offers broad, time-tested liability wording
- Primary limits adequate for most commercial vacancy risks, with excess capacity available for larger liability needs
- Flexible deductible options to help tailor pricing
Underwriting Notes & Submission Preferences
Underwriters will look for:
- Length of vacancy and reason for vacancy (sale, renovation, foreclosure, etc.)
- Current security and maintenance measures (alarms, fencing, boarding, on-site management)
- Recent loss history and any claims related to the site
- Site photos, prior insurance details, and an ACORD application or equivalent
Minimum premiums apply and placements will be handled through surplus lines channels. Deductible selection and additional excess limits are available based on underwriting review.
Territories & Availability
Continental Risk can place Vacant Buildings / Vacant Land business in the following states and territories: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, DC, WV, WI, WY. This program is positioned for non-admitted / E&S placement through Continental Risk’s broker channels.
Why Place Vacant Risk with Continental Risk
Continental Risk specializes in surplus lines solutions for difficult-to-place real estate risks. Brokers benefit from targeted underwriting, competitive primary limits, and access to excess capacity when needed. The program moves quickly on straightforward accounts and accepts a broad range of vacant commercial and land risks within the stated size parameters.
Example Scenarios
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You have a client who owns a 45,000 sq. ft. retail building that is vacant while a tenant is negotiated — the program can provide short-term CGL coverage while the property is secured and monitored.
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A developer owns 600 acres of contiguous vacant land pending subdivision. This program can provide liability placement for exposures related to trespass or third-party injury during the development planning phase.