Landlord insurance is a must if you want to protect yourself and your property. And while owning property can be financially rewarding, it also comes with its difficulties and expenses. Landlord insurance is one way of mitigating some of these risks and can help you meet legal or mortgage requirements.
Property insurance is not compulsory, but some mortgage lenders may require it and public liability or property owner’s insurance is a legal requirement.
Many policies include or have optional cover that insures against lost rent and alternative accommodation for tenants as a result of an insured event.
The table below gives a quick comparison of the top UK providers for landlord insurance.
| Company | Maximum Cover | No. of properties | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aviva | No upper limit | Up to 3 | Yes |
| RSA | Not stated | Up to 3 | Yes |
| AXA | Not stated | Up to 10 | Optional |
| Direct Line for Business | Not stated | Up to 15 | Yes |
| Zurich | £5 million per property | Up to 10 | Optional |
| Allianz | Not stated | Up to 20 | Yes |
| Ageas | Not stated | Multiple | Yes |
| LV= | £1 million | Not stated | Yes |
| NFU Mutual | Not stated | Not stated | Optional |
| Lloyds Banking Group | Not stated | Multiple | Optional |
| Covéa | £5 million | Up to 10 | Optional |
| AmTrust Europe | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| CNA Hardy | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Churchill | £10 million | Not stated | Yes |
| UK General Insurance | Not stated | Multiple | Yes |
| ARO Insurance | £5 million | Up to 25 | Yes |
| Modus Insurance | Not stated | Up to 10 | Yes |
| ARAG Insurance | £50,000 | Not stated | No |
* The facts and figures included here come from each company’s website and were accurate at the time of writing but may have since changed. Also, please keep in mind these may not be apples to apples comparisons as each provider offers different solutions. This guide should be used as a starting off point for more research on your part.
Below we profile each of the companies’ services and features in a bit more detail.
Note companies are ranked in no particular order and this no way indicates one solution is better than another. Moreover, SmallBusinessPrices.co.uk is not regulated by the FCA and so we can’t recommend any particular product/company as being better than any other.
Topics
1. Aviva
Some of the features and benefits of Aviva’s landlord insurance.
- Home insurance for landlords
- Covers buildings and contents
- Unlimited contents cover
- Alternative accommodation
- Finding and fixing leaks cover
- Covers fire, subsidence, flooding and much more
- Includes lost rent
- Covers replacement locks
- Liability protection for injuries or damage
- Also offers commercial landlord insurance
Aviva is an insurance provider that offers its policies direct to landlords and will cover individual properties or multiple properties. You can insure up to three properties under their Home Insurance for Landlords with each property having their own policy. For landlords with more than three properties, they offer Commercial Landlord Insurance.
Aviva’s landlord insurance includes buildings and contents in one policy with unlimited contents cover. They will cover the cost of alternative accommodation if a property is unhabitable as well as pay your lost rent. Their cover includes fire, subsidence, flooding, replacement locks when keys are lost or stolen, and liability protection from £5 million.
2. RSA
Some of the features and benefits of RSA’s landlord insurance.
- Offers a range of cover for those investing in residential properties
- Buildings insurance
- Contents insurance
- Loss of rent cover
- Public liability insurance
- Employer’s liability insurance
- A separate policy for blocks of flats
- Excludes student accommodation, holiday lets and social housing
- Only for residential properties
- Available to landlords with over three properties
RSA is an insurance provider that offers their products through brokers or intermediaries. They offer two landlord insurance policies called residential properties and blocks of flats. Their policies target landlords that have multiple properties to insure and that have a minimum of three properties.
RSA’s landlord insurance is only available to residential properties and they exclude properties that are rented to students, social housing and holiday lets. Their cover can combine building and contents cover with loss of rent cover, public liability which is a legal requirement and employer’s liability insurance if you employ anyone to look after the properties.
3. AXA
Some of the features and benefits of AXA’s landlord insurance.
- Cover from just £120 per year
- Building cover
- Alternative accommodation
- Property owners’ liability insurance
- Tailored cover to meet your needs
- Optional extras
- Includes subsidence, cables and underground pipes cover as standard
- 0% interest on monthly instalments
- Can cover up to 10 properties in one policy
- Also offers commercial landlord insurance
AXA offers a wide range of insurance products that include landlord insurance which is available only to residential landlords, or commercial landlord insurance for commercial properties. You can cover up to 10 properties in one policy through their online quote tool and they cover more if you contact them.
AXA’s landlord insurance includes the following as standard – building, property owners’ liability insurance up to £10 million, alternative accommodation if the property is inhabitable, cables and underground pipes and subsidence cover. You can tailor the policy to your requirements by including some of their optional extras such as accidental damage, loss of rent, contents and employer’s liability.
4. Direct Line for Business
Some of the features and benefits of Direct Line for Business’ landlord insurance.
- Flexible residential landlord insurance
- Building cover
- Contents insurance
- Repair or replace your boiler
- Glass and locks replacement
- Alternative accommodation cover
- Offers a range of optional extras
- Insure up to 15 properties on one policy
- 10% multi-property discount
- Guarantee to beat renewal price on your first policy with them
Direct Line for Business is an insurance provider offering landlord insurance for up to 15 properties on one policy and they offer a 10% discount for additional properties. Their policy includes buildings or contents cover as standard and if both are required it would be an optional extra.
Direct Line for Business’ landlord insurance includes repair or replacement boiler with their building cover that excludes wear and tear. It also includes alternative accommodation if the property is affected by flood or fire, as well as glass and locks repair. Optional extras include legal expenses, accidental damage, employer’s liability, loss of rent, theft and malicious damage by tenants.
Direct Line for Business website
5. Zurich
Some of the features and benefits of Zurich’s landlord insurance.
- Cover of up to £5 million per property
- Designed to protect against damage and legal action
- Building cover
- Optional contents cover
- Public liability cover
- Optional extras
- Offers residential, commercial and mixed portfolio cover
- UK based properties only
- Available for up to 10 properties
- Only available through a broker
Zurich is an insurance provider that offers property owners insurance through brokers only. They will provide cover for commercial, residential and mixed portfolio clients with one to 10 properties in the UK with a limit set at £5 million per property.
Zurich’s property owner’s insurance has been created to protect owners from damage to their property and any legal action. The cover includes buildings insurance with landlords’ contents up to £50,000 as an optional extra. Other optional extras include loss of rent, legal expenses and employer’s liability. It includes public liability cover which can be extended up to £1 million.
6. Allianz
Some of the features and benefits of Allianz’s landlord insurance.
- Offers Complete Property Owner insurance
- Tailored policies
- Up to 20 properties
- Available for commercial and residential properties
- Property damage
- Property owners’ liability
- Commercial legal expenses
- Optional loss of rent cover
- Offers additional cover options
- UK properties only
Allianz is an insurance provider that offers products through a network of brokers. They offer Complete Property Owners insurance that is a tailored product that can be flexible to meet your needs. The policy can be used for up to 20 properties that can be commercial or residential.
Allianz’s Complete Property Owner insurance includes property damage which covers loss or damage to your buildings and contents. It also includes property owners’ liability up to £2 million which can be extended up to £10 million, and legal expenses up to £1 million with a maximum of £100,000 per event. Optional cover includes loss of rent, employer’s liability and personal accident.
7. Ageas
Some of the features and benefits of Ageas’s landlord insurance.
- Flexible property owner’s insurance
- Property cover
- Loss of rent
- Public liability
- Legal expenses
- Landlord’s legal protection
- Employer’s liability
- Directors and officers’ liability
- Cover for residential, blocks of flats and commercial properties
- Available only through a broker
Ageas is an insurance provider that offers its products through a network of brokers. They offer property owners insurance that is suitable for single or multiple property cover for residential properties/portfolios, commercial properties and blocks of flats.
Ageas’s property owner’s insurance is a flexible product that allows you to build the cover that you require from a list of possible covers so that the policy is right for you. Their policy can include property, loss of rent, legal expenses, accidental damage, public liability, employer’s liability, director and officer’s liability, and landlord’s legal protection up to £50,000 on residential properties.
8. LV=
Some of the features and benefits of LV=’s landlord insurance.
- Up to £1 million building cover
- Includes accidental damage, vandalism and theft
- Buildings and contents
- Damage including fire, storm, flood and subsidence
- Loss of rent
- £5 million legal liability cover
- Replacement locks cover
- 12-month guarantee on repairs using their repair service
- 24-hour legal helpline
- Offers a 25% online discount to new customers
LV= is an insurance provider that offers a variety of property insurance which includes rental properties to give landlords the protection that they need. They offer landlord insurance that offers up to £1 million building cover and they are currently offering a 25% online discount to new customers.
LV=’s landlord insurance provides insurance for buildings and contents or contents only for leasehold flat owners. They offer new-for-old contents insurance of £10,000 to £50,000. It includes loss of rent or alternative accommodation cover if the property is unhabitable. Also included is replacement lock cover and public liability cover up to £5 million.
9. NFU Mutual
Some of the features and benefits of NFU Mutual’s landlord insurance.
- Property owners and landlord insurance
- Buildings cover
- Business interruption
- Property owner’s liability
- Optional landlords’ contents cover
- Includes damage from fire, theft, flood, storm or escape of water
- Lock replacements
- A range of additional extra cover available
- Preferred insurance provider for the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA)
- Insurance can be purchased directly from them
NFU Mutual is an insurance provider that is owned and run by its members. They offer insurance directly to businesses which includes property owners and landlord insurance. This insurance product is a versatile policy that can be tailored to meet your needs with a range of optional extras.
NFU Mutual’s property owners and landlord insurance provide cover against damage from fire, theft, storm or escape of water amongst other things. They offer a broad range of cover which can include business interruption, property owners’ liability insurance, contents cover and lock replacement as well as a range of other optional covers.
10. Lloyds Bank
Some of the features and benefits of Lloyds Bank’s landlord insurance.
- Landlord’s building insurance cover
- Covers damage including fire, storm, flood or vandalism
- Only covers buildings but a range of optional extras are available
- Accidental damage
- Landlord’s contents
- Loss of rent
- Subsidence, landslip and heave
- Property owner’s liability
- Employers’ liability cover
- Legal expenses
Lloyds Bank is a banking provider that also offers a range of business insurance products which includes landlord’s building insurance cover. Their insurance cover is for buildings cover only but they offer a range of complementary cover that can enhance the policy to give more comprehensive cover. They provide specialist advice for landlords with more than five properties.
Lloyds Bank’s landlord’s building cover covers damage including fire, storm, flood and vandalism. They have a range of complementary cover that is available as extras such as accidental damage, landlord’s contents, loss of rent, subsidence, landslip and heave, property owner’s liability, employer’s liability and legal expenses.
11. Covea
Some of the features and benefits of Covea’s landlord insurance.
- Property owner’s insurance
- Property damage
- Property owner’s liability
- Equipment breakdown
- Loss of rent on residential
- Additional cover available for contents
- Other optional extras available
- Maximum cover of £5 million
- £5 million property owner’s liability
- Available for residential and commercial property
Covea is an insurance provider that offers a range of insurance products directly to businesses and through brokers. They offer property owner’s insurance that is available for residential and commercial properties with a maximum limit of £5 million cover. They will insure up to 10 properties.
Covea’s property owner’s insurance covers up to £5 million property damage which includes loss of rent on residential properties, £1 million buildings cover that can be increased and £5 million of property owner’s liability cover. Additional cover includes contents insurance up to £250,000 which can be extended further, legal expenses and employer’s liability.
12. AmTrust Europe
Some of the features and benefits of AmTrust Europe’s landlord insurance.
- Residential landlord insurance
- Professional lets
- DSS lets
- Student accommodation
- Asylum seeker lets
- Optional loss of rent cover
- Can add property owner’s liability
- Legal protection can be added
- Extend to include employer’s liability
- Can also include terrorism
AmTrust Europe is an international insurance provider who offers a wide range of business insurance which includes property insurance such as landlord insurance. They offer landlord insurance to a wide variety of residential tenancy types which includes professional tenants, DSS eligible, student accommodation and asylum seekers.
AmTrust Europe’s landlord insurance offers bespoke service and will tailor their insurance products to build a policy that suits your needs. You can add optional cover including loss of rent, property owner’s liability, legal protection, accidental damage, employer’s liability and terrorism cover. They also offer commercial property owners’ insurance which includes the same optional extras.
13. CNA Hardy
Some of the features and benefits of CNA Hardy’s landlord insurance.
- Property owner insurance
- Residential and commercial properties
- Covers all risks
- Including third party liability
- Additional extra cover available
- Will insure SMEs, light industrial, leisure and hospitality
- Local knowledge and expertise
- International provider
- Has offices in the UK
- Available through brokers and intermediaries
CNA Hardy is an international insurance provider that has offices in Singapore, US and across Europe including London. They offer a variety of insurance products to businesses to protect them from damage and legal disputes. Although they are an international provider they believe in the importance of local knowledge and expertise.
CNA Hardy’s property insurance is available to all kinds of businesses for a wide variety of properties including residential and commercial properties. They have a particular appetite for residential, SMEs, light industrial, leisure and hospitality. They cover all risks and third-party liability as well as offering a range of additional covers.
14. Churchill
Some of the features and benefits of Churchill’s landlord insurance.
- Offers a range of insurance designed for landlords
- Buy-to-let insurance
- Buildings insurance
- Contents insurance
- Landlord boiler cover
- Loss of rent cover
- Replacement locks
- Buildings cover up to £10 million
- Contents cover up to £500,000
- Offers a 10% discount for existing Churchill policyholders
Churchill is a UK based insurance provider that offers a selection of business insurance products that includes landlord insurance. They offer a range of insurance packages for landlords which includes buy-to-let insurance, buildings insurance, contents insurance and landlord boiler cover.
Churchill’s landlord insurance is designed as flexible packages where you can tailor the cover you need to get the level of cover you require. They offer buildings insurance up to £10 million and contents insurance up to £500,000 as well as optional extras such as loss of rent cover and replacement locks cover. If you are already an existing policyholder, you could get a discount for additional policies.
15. UK General Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of UK General Insurance’s landlord insurance.
- Let property insurance
- Suitable for student lets
- Offers up to 60 days unoccupied cover
- Covers buildings
- Option to include contents cover
- Accidental damage
- Loss of earnings and rehousing costs
- Liability for accidents on the property
- Discounts are available for multiple properties
- Offers separate cover for rent guarantee insurance
UK General Insurance is an insurance provider that offers a variety of insurance products to businesses which includes landlord insurance. They offer two products suitable to landlords which are the let property insurance and rent guarantee insurance. Their rent guarantee insurance offers protection against challenges affecting property income.
UK General Insurance’s let property insurance is suitable for a wide variety of property lets which includes student properties as they offer up to 60 days unoccupied cover. The policy includes accidental damage, loss of earnings and rehousing costs if the property is unhabitable after an insured event, and you can add contents cover if needed.
16. ARO Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of ARO Insurance’s landlord insurance.
- Residential landlord insurance
- Multi-residential landlord insurance
- Commercial property owner’s insurance
- Covers a wide range of tenancies
- Buildings cover
- Contents insurance
- Property owner’s liability insurance
- Loss of rent cover
- Temporary accommodation for tenants
- Option to add accidental damage and employer’s liability
ARO Insurance is an insurance provider and underwriter that offers its products to brokers. Their product range caters for a variety of business needs and in particular property cover. They offer three property owner’s cover which are single property residential landlord insurance, multi-residential landlord insurance and commercial property owner’s insurance.
ARO Insurance’s landlord insurance is available for a wide range of tenancy types and they offer cover for up to 25 properties. Their cover includes buildings cover up to £5 million, contents insurance up to £50,000, property owner’s liability insurance up to £5 million, loss of rental income and temporary accommodation costs for tenants.
17. Modus Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of Modus Insurance’s landlord insurance.
- Specially designed cover for landlords
- Buildings cover
- Contents insurance
- Loss of rent
- Public liability insurance
- Suitable for a range of tenancies
- Will cover holiday and weekend homes
- Multi-property cover up to 10
- Covers unoccupied properties
- Can be purchased directly from them
Modus Insurance is an insurance provider offering business insurance including landlord insurance that is tailored to meet the needs of let properties. They cover a broad range of tenancies and uses which include holiday homes, weekend properties, lodgers, benefits-assisted tenants, students and asylum seekers. They also insure non-standard construction and listed buildings.
Modus Insurance’s landlord insurance covers buildings, contents, loss of rent as a result of an insured event and public liability insurance of up to £1 million. They provide cover for landlords that have up to 10 properties in their portfolio. Their insurance is flexible and can include unoccupied properties and those unoccupied for periods of time.
18. ARAG Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of ARAG Insurance’s landlord insurance.
- Landlord’s legal solutions cover
- Protects against legal disputes with tenants
- Cover up to £50,000 per claim
- 24/7 legal advice helpline
- Repossession
- Property damage, nuisance and trespass
- Recovery of rent arrears
- Help with accommodation or storage costs
- Defence against prosecutions
- Also offers landlord emergency solutions
ARAG Insurance is an insurance provider that offers before the event and after the event legal insurance products which include two landlord insurance products. These products are Landlord’s Legal Solutions and Landlord Emergency Solutions. The Landlord Emergency Solutions provides protection products such as boiler cover, plumbing cover, overnight accommodation and lost keys cover.
ARAG Insurance’s Landlord’s Legal Solutions provides offers protection for landlords against legal disputes with tenants and defence against prosecutions. Their cover offers up to £50,000 of expenses per claim and covers repossession, property damage, nuisance, trespass and recovery of rent arrears.
Common Questions
What insurance is a landlord responsible for?
Landlords, as building owners, are responsible for insuring their properties. If the home is a semi or fully-furnished property, they are also responsible for insuring its contents – even if tenants will use it.
Usually, landlords take out a specific landlord insurance policy which often includes buildings insurance, landlord liability insurance, landlord contents insurance and property owners liability insurance.
What are landlords not responsible for?
Tenant’s contents. Any possessions that tenants bring with them will need to be covered by their own insurance. However, this isn’t a legal obligation.
Does landlord insurance cover malicious damage?
Landlord insurance typically covers both malicious and accidental damage. This could be damage caused by burglary, vandalism or accidents.
Bear in mind that malicious damage by tenants usually isn’t covered by basic landlord insurance policies. But you could find a specialist to cover for it.
Is property owners’ insurance the same as landlord insurance?
Property owner (or homeowner) insurance is usually included in a landlord insurance policy, so you wouldn’t need to have two different insurance plans. But it’s best to check with your insurance provider.
Here are the main differences between property owners and landlord policies:
Personal property coverage
While homeowners’ insurance usually includes cover for many different kinds of possessions, like furniture, electronics and clothing, landlord insurance mainly covers items used to service or maintain the rental property.
For example, a lawnmower, or an air conditioner.
Liability cover
Typically, landlord insurance covers liabilities related to the premises being rented.
For example, if a tenant is injured on the property and you are legally responsible, your landlord policy should include liability coverage to help you pay for medical bills. Legal expenses cover is also often included.
On the other hand, a normal home insurance policy usually only covers you and your family members living in your home.
What is the difference between landlord insurance and building insurance?
If you rent your home out, you will need landlord insurance. Buildings insurance doesn’t cover the following needs that standard landlord insurance policies do:
Legal cover and liability: Provides you protection in the event that your tenants are harmed inside your property (medical bills and legal bills)
Landlords own contents insurance: Protects your possessions
Rent protection: Guarantees your income if your property is vacant due to major damage from fires or floods, as well as if your tenant fails to pay rent
Alternative housing cover: If your tenant needs to vacate your property while damage repairs are being made.
Is the landlord responsible for tenants’ contents?
No, this should be clear in the tenancy agreement. The tenants are responsible for their own possessions and any accidental damage that may occur to them.
Landlord responsibilities include insuring their property and only their own contents – not the tenants’ belongings.
What are the benefits of landlord insurance?
There are several advantages to being insured as a landlord. You will be covered for the following situations:
Loss of rent: If your property is damaged and becomes uninhabitable for a period of time, you can still receive an income.
Theft and rent default: If your tenants leave your property without paying rent, or steal your furniture, for example – you will be protected.
Malicious damage: You can claim financial loss due to vandalism to your property or your belongings.
Legal costs: You will be covered for legal fees, for example, issuing a letter of demand to your tenant who has unpaid rent.
Repair costs: If there is a burst pipe or perhaps damage to your property from a break-in, you can claim for the costs of repair. This will also avoid any disputes between tenants and landlords when determining who should pay for the repair bills.
Public liability: This will cover you in case of events such as injury or death on your property. If a tenant or visitor gets hurt at your property, you will be covered for any legal fees too.
Is landlord insurance tax deductible?
Always check with an accountant first, but yes, it should be. When working out how much income tax you owe, you can claim certain costs as business expenses, such as landlord insurance.
This includes both the home insurance and the contents cover in your policy. In addition, rent guarantee insurance is also tax-deductible.
Can a tenant insure a landlord’s building?
In short, no – a tenant can’t insure the landlord’s building itself – however, they can insure their own contents that they keep inside the building. This is also known as tenants’ insurance.
As a tenant, your belongings will generally be covered for loss or damage caused by the following events:
fires
water leaks or burst pipes
extreme weather
vandalism
subsidence
burglary.
Although having tenants’ insurance isn’t necessarily a legal requirement, it is definitely advised since landlords’ contents insurance only covers the landlord’s possessions.
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