16/09/2025
๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐
๐. ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ (โ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐โ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ)
A standard homeownerโs insurance typically wonโt cover letting out your property. Renting changes the risk profile (more people moving in/out, wear & tear, liability, potential for damage by tenants). Many landlords incorrectly assume their home insurance will suffice, and this can lead to claims being rejected.
๐. ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ / ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐
If the โsum insuredโ is too low (i.e. less than what it would cost to rebuild the property or replace contents/fittings), in a serious loss your payout might not cover all costs, leaving you to cover the shortfall. Also any improvements or renovations should be reflected in a higher sum insured.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ / ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Failing to disclose details like whether the property is let, what the type of tenants are, non-standard/unusual construction materials, whether any structural issues exist, modifications made by tenants, or periods of vacancy. If insurers find out later that something material was not declared, they may apply terms, void the policy or reduce claims.
๐. ๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
Every insurance policy has exclusions and conditions (also known as Endorsements). For example, damage due to neglect or lack of maintenance, frost in pipes if not lagged, wear & tear, or a requirement to have flat roofing checked regularly. Landlords often donโt read the fine print, so they assume things are covered when theyโre not.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ
If a tenant, visitor or a neighbour is injured because of something on your property (e.g. a loose bannister, broken paving slab), you can be sued. Landlord insurance normally includes liability cover but sometimes you need a higher limit (if a local council requirement). This is a common source of very high-cost claims.
๐. ๐
๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ / ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ
Letting issues like leaks, cracks, blocked gutters, faulty electrics go unaddressed can cause minor damage to escalate. Most policies have requirements that you maintain the property; failing to do so can lead to repudiation of claims. Also, unreported damage (e.g. after a storm) can make insurers decline a claim.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ
Things like emergency assistance cover, rent guarantee, legal expenses and damage by tenants pets. Many policies donโt include these by default. Landlords assume they are included, only to discover later they arenโt.
๐. ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ซ
If nobody lives in a property for a period of time (under the definition for "unoccupied" in your policy wording) risks increase (vandalism, burst pipes, etc.). All policies require you to inform the insurer when a property becomes vacant; failing to do so can invalidate cover. Also, during vacancies, you may need to take extra precautions (e.g. heating, draining down water, security) and an additional charge may be made by the Insurer and a restriction in cover (or you choose from different limits of cover) whilst the property remains unoccupied.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ /๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ
Circumstances change: you may renovate, let to different kinds of tenants (students vs professionals), add or change security systems, or raise the level of fixtures or contents. If your insurance doesnโt reflect the current reality, you may be underinsured or lacking necessary cover. Letting policies roll on without checking every year is risky.
๐๐. ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ โ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐โ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ / ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ซ & ๐ญ๐๐๐ซ
Some damage is gradual: wear & tear, deterioration over time, damp etc. These are often excluded. Also, accidental damage might be an add-on and might have excesses or limits. Many landlords misunderstand what kind of damage they can claim for.
๐
๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ค๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
