If you rent out your vacation home, you will probably have to pay 20% over the cost of typical second-home insurance. That’s caused by the fact you’ll be spending there even less time than most second-home owners and insurance companies see your house is at even higher risk. Moreover, they claim that it is the owner who best takes care of a property. However, if you plan to rent it out often, notify your insurer. Although it may sound contradictory, certain insurers will charge you less if it seems that there will be tenants around most of the time. An occupied house is less likely to be burglarized or burn to the ground. Usually, second-homeowners rent their houses furnished, but if you rent an empty house, let your insurer know that; you’ll get a break on contents coverage. And if your tenant brings his belongings into your house, he’s on his own. He can’t claim anything under your policy, and although 10% of the contents insurance from his primary residence follows him into a rental, it’s not likely to be enough should some disaster occur.