Standard home insurance isn’t designed for rental properties, and using it for a let property could invalidate your cover. Landlord insurance is specifically designed to protect against the risks of renting out a property, including tenant damage, loss of rental income, and the legal costs associated with disputes.
If you have a buy-to-let mortgage, your lender will almost certainly require suitable landlord buildings insurance as a condition of the loan. We’ll help you arrange cover that meets your lender’s requirements while providing the right level of protection for your investment.
Around 14% of UK landlords, representing roughly 400,000 people, have no specialist landlord insurance in place, according to the Alan Boswell Group. This leaves them exposed to potentially significant financial losses if something goes wrong. With the median landlord insurance premium at around £285 per year, it’s a relatively small cost compared with the expense of an uninsured claim, an extended void period, or a contested eviction.
Covers the structure of the property against risks such as fire, flood, storm damage, and other insured events, much like standard buildings insurance. However, it is specifically designed for rental properties and reflects the additional risks associated with tenant occupancy rather than owner occupation.
Covers items you provide as the landlord, such as carpets, curtains, white goods, and furniture in a furnished property. It does not cover your tenant’s personal belongings, which is why tenants are generally advised to arrange their own contents insurance.
Covers a portion of your rental income if your tenant stops paying rent, often alongside legal expenses cover to help recover possession of the property. This can be particularly valuable if your rental income is needed to cover your mortgage repayments.
Covers legal costs arising from tenant disputes, including eviction proceedings, up to the policy limit. As legal expenses can increase quickly in contested cases, this cover is worth considering even if you hope never to need it.
| Cover Type | What It Protects | Who It Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Landlord Buildings Contents | The property structure and any landlord owned contents | All landlords with a tenanted property |
| Rent Guarantee Insurance | Lost rental income if a tenant stops paying | Landlords relying on rent to cover mortgage payments |
| Legal Expenses Cover | Costs of pursuing eviction or resolving disputes | Landlords wanting protection against costly legal proceedings |
| HMO Specific Cover | Higher occupancy risk, shared facilities | Landlords letting to multiple unrelated tenants |
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) present different risks from standard single-let properties due to the higher number of occupants and shared facilities. As a result, they usually require a specialist insurance policy rather than standard landlord cover. If you’re building a larger property portfolio, we can also help you arrange cover across multiple properties in a more structured and cost-effective way, rather than managing separate policies for each one.
Grace owns two rental properties and relies on the rental income to cover both mortgages. When one of her tenants lost their job and fell behind on rent, her rent guarantee insurance covered the missed payments, while the legal expenses cover paid for the eviction process. This ensured her mortgage payments remained secure despite the tenant’s financial difficulties.
Tariq converted a large family home into a five-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). As standard landlord insurance wasn’t suitable for the increased occupancy and shared living arrangements, we arranged a specialist HMO insurance policy. The cover reflected the shared kitchen and communal areas, as well as the additional fire safety requirements associated with this type of property.
No. Standard home insurance is designed for owner-occupied properties, and using it for a rented property could result in claims being refused. Landlord insurance is specifically designed to cover the risks associated with letting a property.
Almost always, yes. Most buy-to-let mortgage lenders require suitable landlord buildings insurance as a condition of the loan to protect their security. See our Buy to Let Mortgages page for more information on typical lender requirements.
Most policies require the tenant to have passed reference checks at the start of the tenancy and also set a maximum claim period. It’s important to understand the specific terms and conditions before relying on this type of cover.
Usually, yes. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) carry different risks from a standard single-let property, and most standard landlord insurance policies won’t provide adequate cover. In most cases, a specialist HMO insurance policy is the right choice.
