Landlord insurance

A normal home insurance policy won’t protect you against the extra risks you can face as a landlord. Landlord insurance covers you for the risks and costs associated with owning rental properties, providing cover for legal liabilities, property damage and loss of income.

NB If you're a lodger landlord, remaining resident in your property and renting out one or more rooms to lodgers, you need a different kind of specialist insurance. Scroll to the bottom of the page for more information.

Do I need landlord insurance?

While landlord insurance is not legally required, it is highly recommended. Insurance can offer protection against any issues with your property and helps ensure you can meet your responsibilities to your tenants. It can cover anything from boiler repair to other issues that are your responsibility as the homeowner.

If you have a buy-to-let mortgage you may be required to have at least buildings insurance as part of the conditions.

What should a landlord insurance policy cover?

Standard cover

Most landlord insurance policies include:

• Building insurance – covers repair or rebuilding of your property
• Property owners’ liability insurance – protects against personal injury to tenants or visitors

Standard building and contents landlord insurance typically includes:

• Fire, flood and theft
• Structural issues
• Built-in or fitted elements, like kitchens and bathrooms
• Items that aren’t owned by the tenant, such as furniture, curtains and carpets

Optional extra cover

You can choose to add extra protection for areas like:

• Loss of rental income due to property conditions
• Legal expenses
• Boiler repair and maintenance
• Unpaid rent
• Between-tenant vacancy
• Accidental or intentional damage
• Public liability

Consider what’s important to you when deciding on what kind of landlord insurance you need and find a policy with the cover that suits you best.

Important: You are not responsible for your tenants’ personal contents, but you are liable for items you provide as part of the rental, such as furniture, carpets, and appliances. You can add contents to your buildings insurance, choosing the level of cover you need.

How much does landlord insurance cost?

The cost of landlord insurance depends on several factors including:

• Location
• Property value
• Level of cover (and any extras required)

Policies with more comprehensive coverage will usually cost more, but the priority should be appropriate protection, not just the cheapest option. This ensures you’re not left out of pocket if something goes wrong.

Special considerations for lodger landlords

If you rent out a room in your own home:

• Standard home insurance may not cover all the risks associated with having lodgers.
• If your home becomes uninhabitable (e.g., burst pipe or flood), your home insurance might cover alternative accommodation for you and your family, but not for your lodgers.
• Usually, you won’t need a completely separate policy, but you should update your existing policy to account for the extra risk.
• If your lodger is a family member, standard home insurance may not cover them if they pay rent or are officially listed as a lodger.