For landlords · 5 min read
Landlord insurance: what standard home cover leaves out
Standard home insurance generally does not cover a tenanted property, and letting without telling your insurer can invalidate the policy entirely. Landlord insurance typically covers buildings, property owners' liability, and optionally loss of rent, landlord contents, accidental damage, home emergency and rent guarantee. The exclusions that most often bite are unoccupancy clauses (commonly 30 to 60 days), undeclared tenant types such as students or benefit claimants, and undeclared subletting.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need landlord insurance?
Standard home insurance generally will not cover a tenanted property, and letting without informing your insurer can invalidate the policy. Buildings cover is also normally a condition of a buy-to-let mortgage, so landlord insurance is effectively required.
What does landlord insurance cover?
Typically buildings and property owners' liability as core, with optional loss of rent, landlord contents, accidental damage, home emergency and rent guarantee. Cover levels for liability are commonly £2m to £5m.
What is rent guarantee insurance?
Cover that pays out if a tenant stops paying rent. It usually requires the tenant to have passed referencing to a specified standard before the tenancy started, so letting to an unreferenced tenant can leave you without protection.
Does landlord insurance cover an empty property?
Only for a limited period. Most policies restrict or withdraw cover once a property has been unoccupied for 30 to 60 consecutive days. Tell your insurer before a long void or refurbishment rather than after a claim arises.