What’s landlord insurance?
Landlord insurance protects landlords against the risks of renting out a property.
Depending on your property type and situation, you can insure the building and contents together or separately. It's peace of mind for busy people like you, safeguarding against things like loss of rent and unoccupancy.
You can get optional add-ons like landlord legal protection, which can help with legal costs, and landlord emergency cover, which temporarily fixes things like plumbing issues and boiler total breakdown.
Our landlord jargon guide can help you understand some of the language we and other insurers use.
Do I need landlord insurance?
Landlord insurance isn't a legal requirement, but buy-to-let mortgages usually need you to have specialist cover in place.
Standard home insurance won't cover you for everything a buy-to-let property needs – for example, you could face an invalidated claim if you have rented your home out.
What's covered?
Combined Insurance
This is your general landlord insurance which combines buildings and contents. It's usually cheaper than buying both separately, and may be the right fit if you rent out a furnished house. However, leaseholds can't get buildings cover.
We offer three levels of cover for Combined Insurance.
Admiral |
Admiral
|
Admiral
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
Buildings sum insured |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Property owner's liability |
£1m | £2m | £2m |
Employer's liability |
£5m | ||
Alternative accommodation & loss of rent |
£30k | £75k | £100k |
Replacement locks & keys |
£500 | £750 | £1k |
Emergency access |
£500 | £1k | £2.5k |
Loss of metered water/oil |
£500 | £1k | £2.5k |
Sale of property |
|||
Unauthorised use of gas/electric/water |
£1k | £2.5k | |
Trace and access |
£5k | £10k | |
Unoccupancy |
30 Days | 60 Days | 90 Days |
Contents sum insured |
£25k | £50k | £75k |
Contents removal & temporary storage |
|||
Theft from garages and outbuildings |
£1.5k | £5k | |
Garden contents |
£1k | £2.5k | |
Garden plants |
£1k | £2.5k |
Contents Insurance
Contents insurance covers things inside your rented home, such as theft and vandalism. It's a good option if you're renting out a furnished flat.
We offer three levels of cover for Contents Insurance.
Admiral |
Admiral
|
Admiral
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
Contents sum insured |
£25k | £50k | £75k |
Alternative accommodation & loss of rent |
£10k | £15k | £25k |
Replacement locks & keys |
£500 | £750 | £1k |
Contents removal & temporary storage |
|||
Theft from garages and outbuildings |
£1.5k | £5k | |
Garden contents |
£1k | £2.5k | |
Garden plants |
£1k | £2.5k |
Buildings Insurance
Buildings insurance helps pay for damage to your rented home's structure and permanent fittings. It also protects your garages, outbuilding, and any other permanently fixed structure. However, leaseholds can't get buildings cover.
We offer three levels of cover for Building Insurance.
Admiral |
Admiral
|
Admiral
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
Buildings sum insured |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Property owner's liability |
£1m | £2m | £2m |
Employer's liability |
£5m | ||
Alternative accommodation & loss of rent |
£30k | £75k | £100k |
Replacement locks & keys |
£500 | £750 | £1k |
Emergency access |
£500 | £1k | £2.5k |
Loss of metered water/oil |
£500 | £1k | £2.5k |
Sale of property |
|||
Unauthorised use of gas/electric/water |
£1k | £2.5k | |
Trace and access |
£5k | £10k | |
Unoccupancy |
30 Days | 60 Days | 90 Days |
What isn't covered?
What's not covered by your policy might be different depending on which cover tier you have.
Typically, our landlord insurance won't cover:
- full accidental and malicious damage by tenant - sudden, unexpected, deliberate and visible loss or damage. You can purchase this as an add-on or it's included on Platinum policies.
- storm damage to your fence or gate - learn more about how we define storm damage on our storm hub.
- tenant belongings - we can't cover damage to or theft of tenant belongings.
- pet damage - like scratching and chewing.
- claims less than your excess - this is where the excess is more than the claim's value (for example, if the damage cost is £100 but you have a £200 excess, you can't make a claim).
- wear and tear - this refers to damage over time, like wet or dry rot, sunlight exposure, subsidence and worn carpets.
However, always refer to your policy document to find what is and isn't covered.
Optional add-ons
-
Tenant damage to buildings
Add cover for accidental or malicious damage and vandalism caused by your tenant(s)
-
Tenant theft
Loss or damage cover to your property caused by theft or attempted theft by your tenant(s)
-
Landlord Legal Protection
Up to £100k help with legal fees and access to a free 24/7 legal helpline. Read more about Landlord Legal Protection.
-
Landlord Emergency cover
Get up to £500 per claim for temporary repairs and a 24/7 emergency helpline. Read more about Landlord Emergency cover.
Find more information about the optional extras and any waiting times in our policy books.
Save money with MultiCover Insurance
Bundle up to five buy-to-let properties, your home and cars together on one policy to get a MultiCover deal. Everything renews on the same date for zero hassle.
More about multicoverWhat you need to get a landlord insurance quote
To get a quote, you'll need the following information:
Your details
- name
- contact information
- address
- job title
Property details
- wall and roof type
- garages
- flood history
- signs of subsidence
Rental details
- number of rental properties you own
- tenant reference checks
- rental income
Claims
- claims you or anyone living at the property have made in the last five years
- losses made at the property in the last five years
What affects landlord insurance prices?
A few factors can impact your insurance quote, some of which may be out of your control.
- Your postcode — Location is important. Crime rates, proximity to water and subsidence all factor into the property's risk.
- Your tenancy — You and your property are what we care about the most. However, the type of tenancy you have in place can also impact your insurance.
- The climate — Weather plays a big part in landlord insurance quotes. For example, if you're in an area near the sea, prone to flooding or very high winds, this can increase your landlord insurance price.
- Tax rules — Government tax rules can impact landlord insurance quotes. Sometimes, the government will raise or lower the Insurance Premium Tax (IPT), which will reflect in your quote. Read more about IPT.
- Repair costs and frequency — If repairs become more frequent and expensive in your area, this can impact your insurance price. However, you could get a lower insurance premium if repairs fall in price or deflate.
- Your building — The type of building you have can impact your premium; a semi-detached may be more expensive to insure than a flat, for example.
What type of property does landlord insurance cover?
Our landlord insurance policies are available on all residential property types, including:
However, we can only provide contents insurance to leasehold properties.
How to get cheaper landlord insurance
There are a few ways to cut down your landlord insurance price.
Combine landlord policies |
Insuring up to 5 properties with one provider may save you money, especially if they offer MultiCover like ours. Contact us for your discount. |
|
|---|---|---|
Take security seriously |
A more secure property means lower risk, reducing your premium. |
|
Pick the best tenants |
We have a guide on the importance of referencing tenants |
|
Reduce vacancy time |
An empty house means a greater chance of break-ins and other issues. |
|
Get the right cover level |
Avoid covering things you don't need. |
|
Calculate your rebuild value |
A rebuild value estimates how much your home would cost to rebuild from scratch. |
Award-winning cover
Awarded Commended Home Insurance Provider 2023
Platinum cover awarded MoneyFacts’ highest five star rating
Your questions answered
Do I need contents insurance as a landlord?
You can cover some contents with a combined or contents-only landlord insurance policy. Fixtures and fittings are covered under buildings policies, except for leaseholders where fixtures and fittings are covered under contents policies. Leaseholders can only get contents cover. As with all insurance policies, please check your policy book for exclusions.
Do I need buildings insurance when purchasing a buy-to-let?
If you're the freeholder of a buy-to-let it's your responsibility to insure the building, not the tenant's. You'll need to arrange buildings cover to make sure you're covered.
Does landlord insurance cover boiler replacement?
Landlord Emergency Cover doesn't cover boiler replacements, but we'll cover a temporary repair if your boiler completely fails.
What is tenant referencing, and do I need it?
Tenant referencing is a legal requirement that verifies if a potential tenant is right for you and your property. At a minimum, it involves a credit check. If you don't fill out the referencing correctly, any claim may be affected.
We have a guide on tenant referencing for landlords to answer your questions.
