Insurance is the bit of being a landlord nobody gets excited about, right up until a pipe bursts above a tenant's flat or a claim is declined over a technicality. With the rules for renting changing and many landlords reviewing their portfolios, autumn is a sensible time to check your policy still does its job. Here are the questions landlords ask us most often, answered straight.
Can I just use my normal home insurance?
No. A standard home policy assumes you live in the property. Once it is let, the risk changes, and an insurer who finds out you have tenants can refuse a claim or cancel the policy. You need a policy written for let properties, usually called landlord insurance. If you are a buy-to-let owner with a mortgage, your lender will almost certainly insist on it as a condition of the loan, so it is worth reading your mortgage terms too.
What does landlord insurance usually include?
Policies are built from blocks, and the mix varies by provider. The core ones to look at are:
- Buildings cover: protects the structure against fire, flood, storms, subsidence and similar damage. It is usually the one your lender requires. Our glossary explains how house insurance works.
- Landlord contents cover: covers items you provide, such as carpets, curtains, white goods and furniture in a furnished let. It does not cover your tenant's belongings, which are their responsibility.
- Property owner's liability: pays out if a tenant or visitor is injured or has their property damaged because of something you are responsible for, for example a loose stair rail or faulty wiring. Treat this as essential rather than optional.
- Loss of rent: pays rent you lose while the home is uninhabitable after an insured event, such as a fire or flood.
- Rent guarantee: pays your rent if a tenant stops paying, usually alongside legal expenses cover for pursuing possession. More on this below.
- Legal expenses: helps with the cost of disputes and possession proceedings, which matters more now that landlords need to use a court route to end most tenancies.
- Accidental damage and malicious damage by tenants: often an add-on, and worth a look because normal wear and tear is never covered.
Is rent guarantee insurance worth it?
It can be, particularly if your mortgage is tight or you rely on the rent. It is not a magic shield though. Insurers usually require thorough tenant referencing before they will cover a let, so if a tenant has not been properly checked, your claim may fail. Policies also tend to cap the monthly amount and how many months they will pay, and many only start paying after a short excess period. Read those limits before you assume you are fully protected.
It is also worth asking how your insurer treats the new rules. Since the Renters' Rights Act took effect on 1st May 2026, tenancies are periodic and landlords can no longer use Section 21. Ask your provider how it handles claims under the Section 8 route, including how long it will keep paying while a possession case is going through the courts. Our Renters' Rights Act landlord guide and our Section 8 explainer show what that process looks like.
What small print catches landlords out?
Most declined claims come down to a handful of conditions. Check yours for these:
- Unoccupied property clauses: many policies stop paying for certain events if the home is empty for more than 30 or 60 days. Void periods between tenants are exactly when you are exposed, so ask about the limit and how to extend it.
- Tenant type restrictions: some policies exclude students, benefit recipients, or multi-occupancy lets. Tell your insurer who actually lives there. An HMO normally needs a specialist policy.
- Compliance conditions: insurers can ask for evidence of a valid gas safety certificate, electrical report and working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. If you cannot show them, a claim could be affected. Our guide to the gas safety certificate covers what you need to hold.
- Excesses: a cheap premium with a high excess can cost more in the end. Add up what you would pay on a typical claim.
- Under-insuring: buildings cover is based on rebuild cost, not market value. Getting it too low can reduce a payout.
Do I need to tell my insurer when things change?
Yes, and it is the point most landlords forget. Material changes include a new type of tenant, switching to a short-term or holiday let, converting to an HMO, leaving the property empty for a long stretch, or starting major building works. Failing to disclose can give an insurer grounds to reduce or refuse a claim. A quick email or call is far cheaper than a rejected one.
Does a managing agent change anything?
It can help. A good agent will carry out referencing, keep safety certificates in date and log repairs, which is the paper trail insurers like to see. It also makes claims easier, because someone is on hand to document damage quickly. That is part of what our fully managed service is built around, and our glossary entry on property management explains the wider role. If you only need a tenant found and checked, our tenant find service includes referencing, which supports any rent guarantee policy you take out.
A quick policy health check
- Find your policy documents and check the property is listed as let, with the right tenant type.
- Confirm that buildings cover reflects the current rebuild cost.
- Check the unoccupied period and what happens when you hit it.
- Ask how rent guarantee and legal cover work for Section 8 possession claims.
- Make sure your safety certificates are in date and easy to produce.
- Compare at renewal, rather than letting it roll over automatically. Judge on cover and limits, not price alone.
The short version
Landlord insurance is not just a box to tick for your lender. The right mix of buildings, liability and rent protection can save you thousands, but only if the policy matches how your property is actually let. Spend twenty minutes on the small print this month, and you will thank yourself if you ever need to make a claim.
