Landlord insurance that protects your properties
Landlord insurance from a panel of trusted UK insurers
A new way to insure as a landlord
Whether you let a single residential property or manage a growing portfolio, landlord insurance protects your investment in ways that standard home insurance simply cannot. Tenant-related risks, loss of rental income, property damage, and your liability as a property owner all require specialist cover that goes beyond what a personal home policy provides.
At insurd, we’re an FCA-regulated specialist insurance broker with over 50 years of experience arranging landlord insurance across the UK. We work with a panel of leading UK insurers to find the right policy for your property — whether you own one property or twenty.
24/7 claims service
We’re here for you round the clock when you need us most.
Fairer prices for all
As a specialist insurance broker, we search our panel of leading UK insurers to find the right landlord policy for your property and your budget.
World-class support
You’ll get your own UK-based human to look after you for the duration of your policy.
We use a combination of technology and a wealth of experience to give you unrivalled cover and more affordable landlord insurance prices.
What does landlord insurance cover?
Damage to your property
Covers damage from events like fire, storms, and vandalism. It may also include accidental damage by tenants.
Uninhabitable property
If your property becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event, it can cover the lost rent, helping maintain your cash flow.
If your things get stolen
Cover if your property is furnished, this insurance can cover damage or theft to your furnishings and appliances.
Legal expenses
Some policies include cover for legal costs, such as
eviction proceedings or recovering unpaid rent.
If a visitor is injured
If a tenant or visitor is injured on your property and you’re
found liable, it can cover legal fees and compensation costs.
* Subject to your chosen level of policy cover and the prevailing policy excess.
What is landlord insurance?
Landlord insurance is a specialist policy designed for property owners who rent out one or more properties to tenants. Unlike standard home insurance, which is designed for owner-occupied properties, landlord insurance covers the specific risks of letting, including damage caused by tenants, loss of rental income when a property is uninhabitable, and your legal liability as a landlord.
The right level of cover depends on your property type, the nature of your tenants, and whether you let a single property or manage a portfolio. A basic policy typically covers buildings insurance and property owners’ liability. A more comprehensive policy adds contents cover, loss of rent, legal expenses, and accidental damage protection.
For a full breakdown of what landlord insurance covers, read our complete guide to landlord insurance cover.
Types of cover
Investing in rental property can be profitable, but it also comes with risks that standard home insurance may not cover. Here’s why landlord insurance is important:
- Building insurance: Covers the structure of your property against fire, storms, flooding, subsidence, and vandalism. If your property becomes uninhabitable as a result of an insured event, your policy can also cover the loss of rental income until it’s habitable again.
- Contents insurance: If you provide furnishings, white goods, or appliances to tenants, contents insurance covers these against damage or theft. Accidental damage cover can be added to extend protection to unintentional damage caused by tenants.
- Rent guarantee and loss of rent: Covers your rental income if a tenant fails to pay or the property is uninhabitable following an insured event. Tenant default cover and rent guarantee cover work slightly differently — our team can advise which is right for your situation.
- Landlord liability insurance: Covers your legal liability as a landlord if a tenant or visitor is injured at your property and holds you responsible. Legal fees and compensation costs in these cases can be substantial — this cover is included as standard in most of our landlord policies.
- Legal expenses: Covers the cost of legal proceedings such as eviction, rent recovery, and disputes with tenants or contractors. An essential addition for any landlord who wants protection against the growing complexity of landlord-tenant law.
- Emergency cover: Provides assistance for urgent situations such as a boiler breakdown, burst pipe, or loss of heating. Keeps your property habitable and your tenants looked after when something goes wrong unexpectedly.
When choosing a policy, make sure you assess your needs first. Determine the level of cover you need and consider optional extras, weighing up the benefits of additional cover like accidental damage or legal expenses.
Landlord insurance for every property type
Landlord insurance is essential for anyone who owns property. For different types of property, there can be different policies including, but not limited to:
HMO insurance
HMO insurance is for landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation, covering higher risks from multiple tenants that standard policies don’t.
Unoccupied property insurance
Unoccupied property insurance covers your home when left empty beyond the 30–60 days allowed by standard policies.
Property owners liability insurance
Property owners liability insurance protects landlords from risks that standard home insurance doesn’t cover.
How much does landlord insurance cost?
The cost of landlord insurance varies widely depending on several factors. Here’s what typically influences the premium:
Level of cover
The cover level of your policy directly affects cost. Basic buildings and liability cover costs significantly less than a comprehensive policy including contents, loss of rent, legal expenses, and accidental damage.
Value of the property
Your premium is based on the property’s rebuild cost, not its market value. An accurate reinstatement valuation ensures you’re neither underinsured nor paying for more cover than you need.
Property location
Properties in high-crime areas, flood plains, or areas with higher subsidence risk carry higher premiums than those in lower-risk locations. Properties in desirable low-crime areas typically attract more competitive rates.
Property security
Five-lever mortise locks, window locks, intruder alarms, CCTV, and smoke detectors all reduce your risk profile. Some insurers require minimum security standards as a policy condition, and meeting them can attract meaningful discounts.
Tenant type
The type of tenants in your property significantly affects your premium. Professional tenants and families are considered lower risk than students or DSS tenants. HMO properties with multiple unrelated tenants carry additional risk.
Your claims history
A clean claims history is your most effective long-term cost reduction tool. Previous claims signal higher risk to insurers and will increase your renewal premium. Active property management and prompt maintenance help prevent claims before they arise.
How to reduce your landlord insurance premium
Beyond the factors above, there are several practical steps that can help lower your landlord insurance costs.
- Vet your tenants thoroughly — Thorough tenant referencing, credit checks, employment verification, and previous landlord references all reduce the risk of rent arrears, damage, and void periods. Insurers view well-managed tenancies as lower risk.
- Maintain the property proactively — Regular property inspections and prompt maintenance reduce the likelihood of escape of water, subsidence, and other common claims. A well-maintained property signals lower risk at underwriting.
- Install security measures — Five-lever mortise locks, window locks, smoke detectors, and intruder alarms all reduce your risk profile and can attract premium discounts. Some insurers require minimum security standards as a policy condition.
- Consider a portfolio policy — If you own multiple properties, insuring them under a single portfolio landlord policy is almost always more cost-effective than individual policies for each property. Portfolio policies also simplify renewals and claims management.
- Choose the right rebuild value — Your buildings insurance premium is based on the declared rebuild cost, not the market value. Having an accurate reinstatement valuation, neither over nor understated, ensures you’re not paying for unnecessary cover. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) provides guidance on rebuild cost assessments.
- Pay annually — Monthly payments include finance interest. Paying your full annual premium upfront avoids that additional cost.
Landlord insurance frequently asked questions
Is landlord insurance a legal requirement?
Landlord insurance isn't a legal requirement in the UK, but it's strongly advisable — and in many cases your mortgage lender will require it as a condition of your buy-to-let mortgage. Standard home insurance won't cover the specific risks of renting out a property, so without it you could be left significantly out of pocket if something goes wrong.
What's the difference between landlord insurance and home insurance?
Home insurance is designed for properties you live in yourself. Landlord insurance is specifically designed for properties you rent out to tenants, covering additional risks such as malicious damage by tenants, loss of rental income, and property owners' liability. Using a standard home insurance policy on a rental property could invalidate any claim you make.
Can I cover multiple properties?
Yes — whether you own a single property or a large portfolio, we can arrange comprehensive cover for all of them under one policy with a single renewal date. This simplifies your administration and can be more cost-effective than insuring each property separately.
What if my property is unoccupied?
The cover available depends on how long the property will be empty and whether you're undertaking refurbishment works. Short-term vacancies between tenancies are typically covered as standard, while longer-term unoccupied properties may need a specialist policy. We also offer dedicated unoccupied property insurance if needed.
Can I get cover for loss of rent?
Yes — we can include rent guarantee cover or tenant default cover as an optional extra. The two are often confused but work differently: tenant default cover pays you rent owed if you begin eviction proceedings, while rent guarantee cover is broader and can include periods of vacancy. Our team can explain which is right for your situation.
What is accidental damage cover?
A standard landlord policy covers against the main perils such as fire, flood, and storm damage. Accidental damage cover extends this to include spillages, breakages, or unintentional damage caused by you, a tenant, or a visitor — such as a carpet ruined by a spilled drink or a broken window. It's well worth adding, particularly for furnished properties.
What is property owners' liability insurance?
Property owners' liability insurance protects you if a tenant or visitor is injured at your property and holds you responsible. Legal fees and compensation costs in these cases can be substantial — so this cover is included as standard in most of our landlord policies.
What does landlord insurance cost?
The cost depends on the level of cover you choose, your property type, location, and tenants. Policies start from £14 a month for basic buildings and liability cover — most landlords pay more depending on their specific needs. The best way to find out is to request a quick quote online, which takes less than two minutes.
Why can I trust insurd?
We've been arranging insurance for over 50 years — now trading as insurd — and we're authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Register Number: 308508), and over a thousand real customers have shared their experiences with us on Trustpilot.
You can verify our status directly on the FCA register.
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