Why you need landlord buildings and contents cover

Your rental property can be a great asset. But as a landlord, if you’re unprepared or just plain unlucky, it can fast become a financial burden.

With our buildings and contents insurance, developed for landlords and buy-to-let investors, you can rest assured your rental property is in safe hands.  Give us a call or request a callback now for:

  • Buildings and Contents Insurance
  • Buildings Insurance only
  • Contents Insurance only

Key benefits of cover

  • the building up to the sum insured
  • garages, domestic outbuildings
  • car parks, roads, pavements, terraces, patios, drives and footpaths
  • walls, fences, gates, canopies, TV aerials, satellite dishes, external lighting,lamp posts, fixed signs, CCTV
  • drains, sewers and septic tanks
  • fire, storm, flood
  • public liability up to £2 million (option to increase to £5 million)
  • landlords’ contents up to the sum insured on the policy

Our polices have been developed especially for residential landlords and buy-to-let investors. Choose from Buildings, Contents or a combined Buildings & Contents policy for better value. The combined policy includes all the benefits listed in our standard Buildings and standard Contents policies.

Highlights of cover*
A full summary of the cover or the full policy terms and conditions are available on request.

  • Theft & attempted theft
  • Riot, civil commotion, strikes, labour or political disturbances
  • Malicious damage
  • Malicious damage by tenants Up to £10,000 per claim
  • Escape of water or oil from any fixed domestic appliance or system
  • Frost damage to fixed water or heating systems
  • Accidental damage to buildings
  • Falling trees & branches
  • Property owners liability – Up to £5 million
  • Standard subsidence excess £1,000
  • Period of cover for unoccupied buildings before terms apply – Up to 60 days
  • Alternative accommodation (% of building sum insured) – Up to 33.33%
  • Loss of rent – residential (% of building sum insured) – Up to 33.33%
  • Trace & access – Up to £10,000 per claim
  • Theft of keys – Up to £2,500 in any one period of insurance
  • Loss of metered water-  Up to £5,000 per claim
  • Unauthorised use of electricity, gas or water – Up to £1,000 per claim
  • Theft of contents from domestic outbuildings/ garages – Up to 5% of the Contents Sum Insured
  • Landlord’s contents based on sum insured (optional) – Up to £30,000
  • Landlord legal expenses (optional) – Up to £50,000

For a copy of our guide to Residential Landlord insurance, the cover provided under a standard policy* and examples of how the cover could benefit you, click here.

* For full terms and conditions please refer to the policy wording available on request. As with all insurance policies, the policy is subject to limits, conditions and exclusions. For more information please contact us to discuss further, or request a full summary of the cover or the full policy terms and conditions. The opinions and views expressed in the above article are those of the author only and are for guidance purposes only. The authors disclaim any liability for reliance upon those opinions and would encourage readers to rely upon more than one source before making a decision based on the information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need landlord insurance?

If you let a flat, you usually need a specific landlord insurance policy, which can include cover for landlords’ contents, loss of rent or alternative accommodation and property owners’ liability insurance.  You could be putting yourself at risk of serious financial loss if you do not protect yourself adequately.

Who arranges the buildings insurance for a let property?

It will depend often on the type of property. If it is a flat then it is normally the freeholder (which may be you) but for individual dwellings it is normally the landlord’s responsibility.

What insurances do I need for a let property?

There are a range of insurance products for residential landlords and buy-to-let investors. They can be purchased as part of a combined buildings and contents policy, or as individual buildings or contents policies based on your precise requirements. They also should cover your liability as property owner.

What is legal insurance for landlords?

This is usually an optional cover that can be added to your landlords’ content policy.  It can help in the recovery of rent arrears and provide legal support in the event that you have a legal dispute with a tenant, neighbours or contractors.

Do I need buildings insurance if I have landlord insurance?

Many landlord products are sold as combined buildings and contents insurance policies.  However, if you let a flat, the buildings insurance will usually be arranged by the landlord who owns the freehold of the property (the freeholder).

Do I need contents insurance for a let property?

If you let a flat furnished or partly furnished then landlords’ contents insurance can provide cover for theft and damage. It is the tenants’ responsibility to arrange insurance cover for their own contents.

Is it a legal requirement to have landlord insurance?

It’s not a legal requirement to have landlord insurance here in the UK, however, there are many reasons why you may want it.  Not least, if you’re a buy-to-let investor it may be a requirement of your lender to have this cover in place.

Can’t find an answer to your question?  Simply email your question to us at UKinfo@ajg.ampology.co.uk

Need any help?

If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for in this section please contact us.

For blocks of flats insurance enquiries:

08000 92 93 94

9am - 5:00pm Monday to Friday ukinfo@ajg.com