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landlord insurance

Compare landlord insurance from £130 per year*

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Compare landlord insurance quotes from 14 trusted UK providers**

By comparing landlord insurance policies from top providers you can quickly find our best deal and save money. Our providers include:

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*Source: Simply Business. 10% of customers paid up to £130.48 a year for a standard buildings cover policy when paying annually, between January 22 and June 22.

**Correct as of February 2023

What is landlord Insurance?

Renting out a property comes with risks. Regardless of who your tenants are, accidents can always happen, so you need to make sure you’re covered. Landlord insurance is specifically designed to protect you from potential damages and accidents including damage to the property itself, and any fixtures or furnishing you’ve provided.

Landlord insurance offers peace of mind knowing your property will be protected and you won't be delayed in making vital repairs.

Read more in our guide to landlord insurance

a picture of a house door in purple hues

Do I need landlord insurance?

Landlord insurance isn’t required by law, but it’s strongly recommended for anyone who has a rental property or a portfolio of properties.

Landlord insurance provides tailored protection to meet the unique needs of landlords, offering coverage that standard home insurance policies don't.

Specialised landlord cover means you avoid the risk of having your claim invalidated if something goes wrong with your rental property.

Additionally, if you’re taking out a buy-to-let mortgage your lender might require you to have landlord insurance in order to qualify for the loan.

What does landlord insurance cover?

With specialist landlord insurance, you’re covered for plenty of risks – but there are a few things that aren’t generally included. Here’s what you’ll be insured against:

  • Tick

    What’s included:

    • Disasters

      You’re covered against flooding, storms, and subsidence, along with damage from fire and explosions

    • Deliberate vandalism

      Your insurance will cover the costs if your property is damaged by vandals or burglars, or in a riot 

    • Burst pipes and boiler trouble

      Insurance can also help out if water escapes in your property, or if the hot water boiler breaks down

    • Other issues

      If you need to replace your locks, or a tenant loses their keys, insurance has you covered. It’ll even meet the costs of alternate accommodation 

  • Cross

    What isn’t:

    • General wear and tear

      Ordinary wear and tear to your building and fixtures isn’t included. You’re also not covered for damage caused by poor craftsmanship

    • Deliberate damage by your tenants

      If someone you rent to deliberately causes damage to your property, most insurers won’t let you claim – so vet your tenants carefully 

    • Your tenants’ property

      Your insurance won’t include any furniture or possessions that belong to your tenants, only you – so they should consider taking out their own contents cover

    • Animal damage

      Many insurers won’t cover you for damage caused by dogs or cats, or pests such as rats. You might be able to include pet damage as an add-on – but it’ll likely cost you extra 

What kind of properties can be insured with landlord insurance?

Landlord insurance covers a range of different types of properties including:

  • Residential property

    Your rental accommodation is an investment worth protecting. If you let one property or a whole portfolio, you’ll need more than just home insurance

  • Commercial property

    Whether you rent out offices, shops or warehouses, we’ve got you covered with commercial landlord insurance policies

  • Multi property

    Multi-property insurance will insure a portfolio of properties. This ensures landlords can have one policy with the right level of cover for each property

What types of landlord insurance are available?

When you buy landlord insurance you’ll be able to take out the following types of policy:

  • 1

    Landlord buildings insurance

    Buildings insurance covers the structure of your property, including the walls, roof, and floors as well as permanent fixtures like bathrooms and kitchens

  • 2

    Landlord contents insurance

    Contents insurance covers the furniture, rugs and curtains you provide in the property – but not any contents belonging to your tenants

  • 3

    Rental protection

    Also known as rent guarantee insurance. Rental protection covers any rent lost if the tenant is unable to live in the property as a result of physical damage

  • 4

    Property owners’ liability

    Covers any costs you might have to pay if a third party suffers injury or damage on your property and it’s deemed to be your fault

  • 5

    Employers’ liability

    Employers’ liability insurance covers costs you may need to pay if people you employ in your property suffer injury or damage as a result of your negligence

  • 6

    Unoccupied property

    Insurance cover for your property while it’s unoccupied, for example if you’re waiting for new tenants to move in

  • 7

    Rental income protection

    This cover will cover you if you are unable to rent out your property due to any damage that's covered by your insurance

  • 8

    Landlord emergency cover

    Emergency cover for landlords will cover you for emergency call-outs if you need to hire a tradesman to make emergency repairs

Why compare landlord insurance with MoneySuperMarket?

  • Save time

    MoneySuperMarket makes it easy to compare policies from multiple providers in one place, saving you the time and hassle of researching each provider individually.

  • Save money

    By comparing policy quotes and features MoneySuperMarket makes it easy to match our best deals with prices to fit your needs and budget, saving you money on your insurance premium.

  • Get tailored cover

    With a wide range of policies available, you can find landlord insurance that meets your unique needs and provides the coverage you need to protect your investment.

How much is landlord insurance?

At MoneySuperMarket, landlord insurance starts at just £130* per year. However, the cost of your policy will depend on various factors, such as:

  • Your property

    Insurers take into account how old your property is, how many rooms it has, how its roof is structured, and more to judge what kind of risk it presents

  • Your location

    Your location matters too – if you’re in an area with high crime rates or a greater likelihood of flooding, you’ll usually pay more for cover

  • Your tenants

    If you’re letting your property out to students, you may have to pay more for cover as insurers are likely to consider these tenants as a higher risk

  • Your policy

    A combined buildings and contents policy may be cheaper overall than buying them separately, but it’s good to compare your options to be sure

  • How you pay

    You might find that paying your premiums as an annual lump sum works out cheaper than spreading the cost over monthly instalments

  • Your claims history

    A history of previous claims on your landlord insurance policy will make you a higher risk, so insurers will likely charge more in premiums

How to get cheaper landlord insurance

There are a few steps that you can take prior to apply for a policy that can help you save some money.

  • 1

    Compare policies

    Comparing quotes is one of the first ways you can save money on your policy. There is a lot of choice out there when it comes to providers, so make sure you get a good view of your options

  • 2

    Increase your excess

    Increasing your voluntary excess will reduce the cost of your landlord insurance policy. However, you should avoid increasing your excess to a point that it becomes unaffordable

  • 3

    Calculate rebuild costs

    Rebuild cost isn't the same as market value. By calculating how much it would cost to rebuild your property, you can avoid over-insuring yourself and get better value for your cover

  • 4

    Invest in security

    Providers may reduce the cost of your policy if you are taking proper steps to secure your property. This includes installing burglar alarms, CCTV, and upgrading the locks on doors and windows

Sean Thompson

Our expert says

"

Getting landlord insurance doesn’t need to be expensive – you can get rewarded by your insurer with lower rates if you have the right security measures in place from the get-go. Fit a burglar alarm and make sure all locks are in good working condition. Also make sure you properly vet any tenants before you take them on. You can also limit your risk by not allowing pets in your property since many insurers don’t cover them.

"
- Sean Thompson, Insurance Expert

What do I need to get a quote?

There are some pieces of basic information that you should have in order and at hand before collecting quotes or applying for a policy. These details can affect the cost of your policy as well as your eligibility:

  • Tick

    Property details

    You will need to provide some basic details about your property, such as the address, when you purchased it, when it was built, and whether the property is commercial or residential

  • Tick

    Tenant details

    If you currently have tenants living in the property, you will need to provide basic details. This can include their employment status or any background checks you may have carried out on them

  • Tick

    Cover details

    You will need to provide details about the cover you want. You will need to choose a level of cover as well as any optional extra cover, such as contents insurance

  • Tick

    Claims history

    If you have an existing insurance policy, you will need to provide information about it, including whether you have made any previous claims on your policy

How to make a claim on your landlord insurance

When you sign up to your landlord insurance policy, you should receive a booklet that outlines the detail of your policy, which usually comes with a claims form. You can claim by filling it out and mailing it to your insurer, though they may also be able to handle your claim online or over the phone.

Compare landlord insurance quotes with MoneySuperMarket

Comparing landlord insurance quotes with MoneySuperMarket is the easiest way to find affordable cover tailored to suit you. Here's how it works:

  • It doesn’t take long

    Pop in details like your address, property type, and any extra policies you want and you’ll get a landlord insurance quote

  • We’ll show you our preferred policies

    You’ll be able to see and compare the policies on offer from our preferred landlord insurance providers

  • You’ll get covered

    Once you’ve chosen your policy and received a quote, you can call or apply directly online with the provider to get covered

A standard home insurance policy might not cover you if you rent your property out to tenants and you aren’t living there. This is because tenants present a different, and usually greater, risk to the property – and therefore to the insurer:

  • Tenants aren’t invested in the property, so they may not care as much about its condition

  • They may not notice certain maintenance issues that could grow if left unattended

  • They may cause malicious or accidental damage to the property

  • They may hold you, the landlord, liable if they get hurt in the property 

Landlord insurance caters to these specific situations that won’t usually be covered by standard home insurance.

You might need contents insurance as a landlord if you’re supplying furniture, fixtures and fittings for your tenants. For example, a landlord contents policy can help with freestanding sofas and beds, floor coverings and electrical appliances. You can generally expect the following to be covered either as standard or with an add-on:

  • Furniture such as sofas and cabinets

  • Kitchen appliances like ovens or sinks

  • Curtains

  • Carpets 

  • Paintings and pictures

  • Light fixtures

  • Outbuildings such as sheds or outhouses

  • Gardens and any contents in the garden 

  • Communal areas, if you’re letting your property out to multiple tenants

You might also be able to claim for alternative accommodation for your tenants if any damage to your contents renders the property uninhabitable.

Most insurers offer the option of adding multiple properties to your policy, and you may even be able to get a discount on your premiums as a result. However you may find that you need separate policies for each property, so it’s always better to compare your options before committing to a provider to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Landlords are generally able to claim a tax deduction for the running and maintenance costs of their property, which includes landlord insurance, as well as:

  • General maintenance and repairs

  • Council tax

  • Water, gas and electricity

  • Maintenance services like and gardeners  

  • Letting agent fees

  • Property management fees

  • Accountant fees 

The first £1,000 of your property rental income is your property allowance, and therefore it’s tax free. Your total rental income added together, minus all your allowable expenses (including landlord insurance) will give you your profit or loss. 

  • For profit margins of £1,000 or less, you just need to claim for your allowance. 

  • For profits of between £1,000 and £2,500 you need to contact the HMRC to ensure you’re paying the correct tax

  • For profits of between £2,500 and £9,999 after expenses, or £10,000 or more before expenses, you’ll need to report the income on a self-assessment tax return

If you live in the property and you are renting a room out, you should clarify whether the agreement is that they are a tenant or a lodger. Essentially, if you’ve agreed you cannot enter their room without their permission this would make them a tenant – and therefore you’d need landlord insurance to be properly covered.

If they’re a lodger then you should be able to get an extension on your home insurance policy that will cover you for housing a lodger.

As a landlord there’s always a risk that a tenant might refuse or not be able to pay rent. While this can cause problems, there are things you can do to protect your rental income – you can see what your options are with our guide to rent guarantee insurance.

Rental guarantee insurance usually covers six or 12-month periods, though an excess of one month’s rent is not uncommon.

Loss of rent will protect the income you receive from your tenants if they have to move out due to an insured event. This can include such events as a fire, flood, or robbery. As well as compensating you for the loss of rent, this insurance will also help you cover the cost of alternative accommodation for your tenants.

Finding the right policy for your properties and your own individual needs is crucial. Take a look at our landlord insurance guide to make sure your policy covers all the bases.

When you’ve decided on the level of cover you need, find the best landlord policy for your requirements via our preferred provider. MoneySuperMarket has teamed up with Simply Business, who offers an external landlord insurance comparison service. Simply Business is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reference 313348)

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