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What is landlord contents insurance?
Landlord contents insurance covers the items you own and leave in a rental property for your tenants to use. If those items are damaged or lost because of an insured event, such as a fire, flood or burglary, the policy can pay to repair or replace them, subject to its terms, limits and excess.
It is easy to confuse landlord contents with two other types of cover, so the guidance below should help:
- Landlord buildings insurance covers the structure of the property and its permanent fixtures, such as walls, roof, fitted kitchens and bathrooms.
- Landlord contents insurance covers the moveable items landlords provide, such as sofas, beds, white goods and curtains.
- Tenant contents insurance covers a tenant’s own possessions which they bring with them. Your tenant arranges this cover themselves as your policy will not cover their belongings.
A test commonly used to work out if something is classed as buildings or contents, is to imagine turning the property upside down. Anything that would fall out and belong to you, is usually considered to be contents. Anything fixed in place is usually considered to be buildings. Exact definitions do however vary between insurers, so always check the policy wording.
What does landlord contents insurance cover?
Most landlord contents policies cover the items you provide against insured events such as fire, smoke, storm, flood, escape of water, theft involving forced entry, and vandalism. Typical items include:
- Free-standing furniture, such as beds, sofas, wardrobes, tables and chairs
- White goods, such as fridges, freezers, washing machines and tumble dryers
- Loose floor coverings, such as rugs and, with some insurers, carpets
- Curtains and blinds
- Contents in communal areas, such as furniture in shared hallways or lounges in a house of multiple occupation (HMO)
Extras worth knowing about
Certain covers are included as standard by some insurers and offered as optional add-ons by others. The table below shows how they are commonly treated, but your policy documents will confirm exactly what you have.
| Cover | How it is commonly offered | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Accidental damage | Usually optional | Whether damage caused by tenants is included or excluded |
| Theft by tenants | Usually optional, or excluded | Many policies only cover theft involving forced entry |
| Malicious damage by tenants | Often optional | Any separate excess or claim limit |
| Replacement locks | Often included, with a limit | Whether keys must be stolen rather than lost |
| Alternative accommodation for tenants | Sometimes included, but more often this is under buildings cover | The limit and how long it applies |
We will explain what each option includes before you buy, so you can decide which add-ons suit your let.
What isn't covered by landlord contents insurance?
Landlord contents insurance is designed for sudden, unexpected loss or damage caused by insured events, to your own items. It will not usually cover:
- Your tenant’s possessions, which need their own tenant contents policy
- Wear and tear, such as a sofa that has faded or a mattress that has worn out with normal use
- Deliberate or malicious damage by tenants, unless you have added cover for it
- Theft without forced entry, including by tenants, unless your policy specifically includes it
- Mechanical or electrical breakdown of appliances, unless caused by an insured event
- Loss or damage while the property is unoccupied beyond the period your policy allows
Every policy has its own exclusions, conditions and excess. We will discuss and/or highlight these with you, before you take out cover.
Do landlords need contents insurance?
Landlord contents insurance is not a legal requirement, but if you provide furniture or appliances, it can protect you from paying to replace them yourself. Whether it is worth having, depends mainly on how much you supply and the cost of replacing them:
- Unfurnished lets: you may need little or no contents cover. Some landlords still insure the few items they leave, such as white goods, curtains or carpets not covered under their buildings insurance.
- Part-furnished lets: you typically provide appliances and some furnishings. Contents cover can protect these and the sum insured can be modest.
- Fully furnished lets: you provide most of what is in the property. The value of your contents can be significant, so cover is always worth considering.
Contents cover tends to matter most where you furnish the property and turnover or occupancy is high. This includes HMO insurance for shared houses, student landlord insurance for student lets, and holiday home insurance for furnished holiday lets.
If you have a buy-to-let mortgage, your lender may set its own insurance requirements, so always check your mortgage terms.
How much does landlord contents insurance cost?
The cost of landlord contents insurance depends on your property and the cover you choose, so prices vary from landlord to landlord. Insurers will however usually look at:
- The replacement value of your contents, which sets your sum insured
- How furnished the property is, from a few appliances to a fully furnished let
- Your tenant type, such as professionals, students, benefit recipients or holiday guests
- The property’s location, including local theft and flood risks
- Security, such as the door and window locks and alarms in-situ
- Your claims history
- The excess you choose
- Any add-ons, such as accidental damage or malicious damage by tenants
To find out what cover would cost for your property, please request a quote and one of our team will be in touch.
Why choose Waltons Insurance Brokers Ltd for landlord contents insurance?
We are an independent insurance broker, which means we do not insure your contents ourselves. Instead, we work on your behalf to find cover that suits you from the insurers we deal with.
Founded in 1968, we have spent over 50 years arranging insurance for property owners and businesses from our Liverpool office. We have established relationships with property insurers, so we can compare options for you rather than offering a single product.
Depending on the insurer, we can also arrange contents cover alongside buildings insurance or on its own. If you own several lets, landlord portfolio insurance can bring them under a single policy.
You also have a person to speak to. You deal with our team directly, including if you need to make a claim.
Contents cover is only one part of protecting a rental. If a tenant or visitor is injured at your property, landlord liability insurance can cover the cost of claims made against you.
Frequently Asked Questions - Landlord Contents Insurance
No. Landlord contents insurance only covers items you own and provide in the property. Your tenant is responsible for insuring their own possessions with a tenant contents policy.
You need enough to replace everything you provide with equivalent new items. The simplest way to work this out is to go room by room and list each item with its current replacement cost. If you insure for less than this, an insurer may reduce any claim payment, so please review your sum insured whenever you add or replace items.
Yes, some insurers offer standalone landlord contents cover. This can suit landlords of flats where the freeholder or management company insures the building. Not every insurer offers contents only cover, so please speak to us about the options available for your property.
It depends on the insurer. Fitted carpets are often treated as part of the buildings, while loose rugs and mats are treated as contents. Some insurers class fitted carpets as contents instead, so please check your policy wording to make sure they are covered under one of your policies.
Not always. Accidental damage is usually an optional add-on, and some policies specifically exclude any accidental damage caused by tenants. If this cover is important for you, please ask us to confirm it is in your policy before you proceed.
Our Landlord Insurance Products
Buy-to-Let Landlord Insurance
Buy-to-let landlord insurance is designed to offer protection for your rental property that goes beyond basic home insurance.
HMO Insurance
HMO landlord insurance has been designed to protect landlords who rent out properties to multiple tenants under a HMO arrangement.
Commercial Landlord insurance
Commercial landlord insurance is a type of cover that protects a property owner who rents out their premises to a business.
DSS Landlord Insurance
If you own a property and rent it to a tenant who receives benefits, such as Universal Credit or Housing Benefit, the policy you need is often known as a DSS landlord insurance.
Landlord Portfolio Insurance
Landlord Portfolio insurance is a single insurance policy providing specialist cover for multiple buy-to-let properties.
Student Landlord Insurance
Renting a property to students requires a specific type of insurance. It is a specialist policy designed to cover the unique risks associated with letting properties to students, due to the associated higher risks such as accidental or malicious damage along with the potential for a higher tenant turnover.
Holiday Home Insurance
If you own a second property that you use for leisure or rent out to holidaymakers, it is important to have specialist holiday home insurance.