🔍 What Type of Landlord Insurance Do I Need?
A clear guide for UK landlords who want to insure smarter.
Last updated: July 2025 | Written by Meshed
✅ In this guide:
🏠 What is landlord insurance?
Landlord insurance is designed to protect property owners who rent to tenants. It covers the building itself, any contents you supply, and liability if something goes wrong.
A standard landlord policy may include protection for:
Damage from fire, flood, or storm
Malicious damage by tenants
Loss of rent after an insured event
Liability if a tenant or guest is injured
Contents you provide with the property
Unlike home insurance, landlord insurance is built for rented properties—and most buy-to-let mortgages require it.
🔧 What types of landlord insurance are there?
Here’s a breakdown of the key types of cover available. You can combine these into a tailored policy to suit your property and risk profile.
1.
Buildings Insurance
Covers structural damage to the property—walls, roof, pipes, electrics, heating systems.
✅ Usually includes fire, storm, flood, subsidence, vandalism.
2.
Contents Insurance (Landlord’s)
Protects the items you supply—white goods, furniture, curtains, carpets.
✅ You don’t need to cover tenant belongings.
3.
Property Owners’ Liability
Covers legal fees and claims if someone is injured on your property.
✅ Example: a guest trips on a broken step.
4.
Employers’ Liability
Required by law if you hire anyone—even part-time help like a cleaner or gardener.
✅ Fines apply if you don’t have it in place.
5.
Loss of Rent Insurance
Compensates you for lost income if the property becomes uninhabitable (e.g. after a fire or flood).
6.
Legal Expenses Insurance
Covers solicitor costs for evictions, disputes, or tax investigations.
✅ Some policies include 24/7 helplines.
7.
Malicious Damage by Tenants
Protects against intentional damage caused by someone legally on the premises.
8.
Alternative Accommodation Cover
Covers temporary housing costs for tenants if the property becomes uninhabitable.
✅ Required if your tenancy agreement promises it.
9.
Accidental Damage Insurance
For unintentional incidents—e.g. nail through a pipe or red wine on carpet.
✅ Some policies include external glass or locks.
10.
Unoccupied Property Insurance
Essential if your property is empty for more than 30 days (e.g. between tenants or during renovations).
📦 What other insurance do landlords need?
Modern landlord policies often include or allow you to add extras such as:
Home Emergency Cover – For broken boilers, burst pipes, pest infestations
Trace & Access – Covers costs of locating water leaks
Key Care – Replaces lost or stolen keys
These aren’t always standard—so check your policy or ask your broker.
📊 How much landlord cover do I need?
You should insure based on the actual cost to replace or rebuild—not just market value.
🔨 Buildings Insurance
Cover should match the full rebuild cost of the property (not the price you paid).
🛠 Use a chartered surveyor or ABI’s rebuild calculator.
🪑 Contents Insurance
Only insure what you provide.
💡 Even in unfurnished lets, don’t forget carpets, curtains, and white goods.
💰 Single Item Limits
Check your policy for caps on high-value items.
📌 If you’ve provided anything costly (e.g. premium fridge or designer furniture), make sure it’s covered.
⚠️ What conditions and exclusions should I know about?
Most policies have limits. These are the most common exclusions:
Exclusion | What it means |
|---|---|
Wear & Tear | Not covered. You can’t claim for general ageing of boilers, pipes, etc. |
Negligence | If you leave a door unlocked or ignore repairs, the claim may be refused. |
Poor Maintenance | Insurers expect you to keep the place in good shape—e.g. clear gutters, safe wiring. |
Always read your policy terms or ask your broker to walk you through them.
📜 Is landlord insurance required by law?
No, it’s not a legal requirement—but some parts are legally required, such as:
Employers’ Liability Insurance if you hire staff
Buildings Insurance may be a condition of your buy-to-let mortgage
Even if it’s not mandatory, not having landlord insurance could cost you tens of thousands in repairs, legal bills, or missed rent.
📚 Landlord Insurance FAQs
Do tenants need buildings insurance?
No. That’s your responsibility as the landlord. Tenants only need contents insurance for their own belongings.
Can tenants insure a landlord’s building?
Generally, no. The building belongs to you—so you’re the one who must insure it.
Can I insure more than one property on a single policy?
Yes. This is called portfolio insurance. You get:
One renewal date
Fewer admin headaches
Discounts for multiple properties
I own a block of flats. What cover do I need?
If you’re the freeholder, you’ll likely need block insurance:
Buildings insurance for the entire block
Contents cover for communal areas
Liability for shared spaces
If you’re a leaseholder, check your agreement—buildings insurance may be handled by the freeholder.
Can I get cover for an HMO?
Yes—but you’ll need specialist HMO landlord insurance. Standard policies don’t cover the added risks of multiple tenants from different households.
What type of insurance do I need for Airbnb or short-lets?
You’ll need cover that allows for short-term, high-turnover guests. Look for:
Holiday let insurance
Airbnb landlord cover
Serviced accommodation insurance
Also check for pet damage, guest damage, and public liability.
Luca Katchburian
Founders Associate
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