If you own property in Spain, you have probably heard of “okupas”. What does “okupas” stand for? “Okupas” are people who illegally occupy someone else’s home and live in it. Unfortunately, this situation is not unusual in Spain. Only in the first half of 2020, almost 7.5 thousand lawsuits have been registered in relation to the occupation of property by squatters. Spanish law to a certain extent protects the rights of the “vulnerable” segment of the population who do not own their own home, and evicting strangers from your own home can be a time-consuming and costly process for you.
During the pandemic, where movements between countries and regions have been restricted, the situation has worsened. Many owners of houses and apartments in Spain, especially foreigners, are unable to come and “okupas”, taking advantage of the fact that the property is unattended, settle in, after which the eviction process becomes quite a challenge for the owner.
Legal protection against illegal occupation – insurance against “okupas”.
Is it possible to protect yourself from this quite unpleasant situation and what is the best way to do it? Of course, alarm systems connected to a security service with a police call, concierges, attentive neighbours who will report if something strange starts to happen in the house or flat can help. Unfortunately, even an alarm system and helpful neighbours do not guarantee there will be no risk of “okupas” if the property remains empty for a long time. It is to ensure your peace of mind the top insurers have a special product to protect property owners against illegal occupation issues. Thus, the top German insurance company, operating in the European market for 85 years and specializing in legal defence, offers a legal protection insurance against “okupas”.
The cover includes:
- Claims for the effective recovery of the property. Limit – € 6000.
- Claims for damages to the property caused by “okupas”. The minimum claim is €150. Limit – € 6000.
- Defence in municipal administrative issues. Limit – € 6000.
- Telephone legal assistance with the lawyer specialized in “okupas” issues.
Such insurance costs only €33.14 per year and, what is important, can be taken out online. Just fill in the form on the website and our representative will contact you shortly.
Please also note that if the property is used as a secondary residence and remains empty for most of the year, it is important that your general home insurance is drawn up correctly and allows for long periods of non-occupation. You can read more about other considerations you need to consider when taking out home insurance in the article “Is your property in Spain properly insured?”
We would be glad to advise you on all aspects of property insurance in Spain and offer the solution that suits you best. Call us at 677 455 883, email info@justinsurance.es or apply for a personalized offer online.
