Landlords buildings insurance
Managing a rental property requires time and effort, from handling tenant inquiries to ensuring legal compliance – not to mention the costs of maintenance issues and repairs.
Whether you rent out one property or several, Hiscox landlords buildings insurance can help safeguard your investment and offer peace of mind without fear of unexpected expenses.
Why choose Hiscox for landlords buildings insurance?
1
Extensive cover
Hiscox buildings insurance offers appropriate protection, covering accidental damage and fitted carpets as standard.
2
Flexible optional extra
Select various optional covers, such as contents insurance and legal expenses cover, so you can be confident you’ve got the protection you need.
3
Dedicated claims process
A dedicated, UK-based Claims Underwriter is assigned to all claims as standard, managing your claim from start to finish for minimum disruption to you and your tenants.
What is buildings insurance for landlords?
Landlords buildings insurance protects the physical structure of your rental property against loss or damage from risks such as fire, flood, or subsidence.
For example, if a flood causes significant structural damage to your property, buildings insurance could cover the cost of repairs to the affected areas.
This ensures you can restore your property and continue renting it out without bearing the full cost of repairs.
What does landlords buildings insurance cover?
Our landlords buildings insurance covers the property’s walls, roof, and any items fixed to its structure, such as drainpipes, against risks like fires, storms, and flooding.
Hiscox landlords buildings insurance covers the following as standard:
- Buildings accidental damage – unintentional or unexpected damage to the main structure of your property
- Subsidence – damage to your property resulting from subsidence, which is the gradual sinking of the ground supporting a building
- Trace and access – locating and repairing water or oil leaks at the source
- Alternative accommodation or loss of rental income – covering the rent you lose if your property becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event or the cost of rehousing tenants during repairs.
In addition, we will pay up to 30% more for elements of your buildings claim if repairs can be made in a more environmentally sustainable way.
Please refer to the policy documents for the full details of inclusions and exclusions of this cover. Policy documents are available when purchasing online. Alternatively, contact our customer services team for more information.
What isn’t included in landlords buildings insurance?
Our landlords insurance does not cover claims, losses, or investigations arising from the following:
- General wear and tear – normal ageing and deterioration of the property
- Negligence – damage resulting from poor maintenance or neglect
- Malicious damage – intentional damages caused by the tenant or landlord
- Gradually operating causes – such as rust or corrosion that occurs slowly over time.
- Rot, fungus, and mould – which can be caused by moisture or other environmental factors.
How much buildings insurance do I need?
How much coverage you need varies depending on your property’s rebuild value. This is called your Buildings Sum Insured (BSI) and helps ensure adequate coverage.
We offer landlords insurance for Buildings Sum Insured up to £1 million.
You can cover up to ten rental properties under one Hiscox landlords insurance policy.
We also offer the following discounts:
- 1 address: no discount
- 2 addresses: 5% discount
- 3 addresses: 10% discount
- 4 addresses: 15% discount
- 5+ addresses: 20% discount
Not sure what you need?
Tell us about your landlord business – we’ll build your landlords insurance quote and help you explore any other insurance needs.
Start your quoteLandlords buildings insurance: FAQs
How can I pay for landlords buildings insurance?
You can pay for Hiscox landlords insurance annually or by direct debit monthly, on your preferred day of the month, at no extra cost.
You can cancel or amend your policy at any time with no administration fees.
Are contents covered in buildings insurance?
Contents are not covered by buildings insurance.
If you want to protect items such as furniture and electronics, you need contents insurance. This can be added to your landlords insurance policy.
Learn more about contents insurance.
Does buildings insurance cover roof repairs?
Whether or not roof repairs are covered depends on why they’re needed.
Buildings insurance typically covers roof repairs if the damage is caused by an insured event. For example, if your roof collapses in a storm, buildings insurance could cover the repair costs.
However, you’re considered responsible for regularly maintaining your property. So, your buildings insurance typically won’t cover general wear and tear or, for instance, replacing broken tiles due to age.
Do I need buildings insurance if I rent out a flat?
If you own a flat in a building block, the land it’s on is typically owned by the property’s freeholder. The freeholder is usually responsible for insuring the block of flats and any communal areas, such as stairwells.
Regardless, landlords buildings insurance can offer additional protections that the block of flat’s insurance might not cover.
You might want extra coverage for things like:
- Accidental damage – covering unexpected damage to the property
- Unoccupied flats (up to 90 days) – coverage for incidents that occur while properties are vacant for extended periods
- Employers’ liability – covering legal liabilities if you employ staff, such as cleaners or maintenance workers
- Loss of rental income or alternative accommodation – protecting against loss of rent if the property becomes uninhabitable or to cover the cost of rehousing tenants during repairs.
Meet our experts
“With 20 years’ experience across home and commercial property insurance, I understand that landlord customers need tailored coverage that is built specifically around the challenges and unique risks of property ownership and rental management.”
- Michael Dear, Head of Property Owners
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