Landlord vs tenant obligations: who is responsible for insurance?
As a landlord, you might be wondering what insurance you need to sort and what should be left to your tenants. Whether you’re a new landlord or have been a residential or commercial landlord for a while, you’ll want to get clear on landlord and tenant insurance obligations so you don’t get it wrong and get the right cover sorted.
In this guide, we break down what’s included in landlord insurance and what insurance tenants need to arrange. We’ll also explain how the right landlord insurance policy can help you stay protected and keep your property in check. Read on to find out more.
We create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always check policy documentation for details and seek your own professional advice.
Landlord insurance responsibilities
As a landlord, you carry the responsibility of insuring the structure of your rental property and protecting your income from it. While tenants are usually responsible for insuring their own belongings that they keep inside the property, the actual property itself lies with you.
This type of protection is typically covered in a comprehensive landlord insurance policy, which can include building insurance, loss of rent insurance and landlord’s contents insurance. Let’s take a closer look at these insurance types and what they cover.
For more information on how the Renters Rights Act will impact landlord insurance in 2026, read our helpful guide.
Buildings insurance
In most cases, landlords are responsible for arranging insurance for the physical structure of the property, particularly where required under a mortgage or lease agreement. Buildings insurance is a type of cover specifically designed to help protect the property itself, providing cover if the building is damaged and needs repair.
What does buildings insurance cover?
Landlord buildings insurance usually covers loss or damage caused by:
- Fire, explosion, storms, floods, earthquakes
- Theft, attempted theft and vandalism
- Frozen and burst pipes
- Fallen trees, lampposts, aerials or satellite dishes
- Subsidence
- Vehicle or aircraft collisions.
Your buildings insurance should cover the full cost to rebuild your property from scratch. This could also include the costs of site clearance, labour and architects' fees.
Policies will vary per insurer, and terms and conditions apply, so always check the small print in your policy wording to see what’s included and excluded.
What doesn't buildings insurance cover?
Landlord buildings insurance doesn’t cover claims that arise from poor workmanship or maintenance, or unauthorised or undeclared alterations to the property, such as extensions you haven’t told your insurer about.
Loss of rent insurance
Loss of rent insurance is a type of business insurance specifically designed to help protect landlords if their property becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event, such as a fire or flood, and tenant(s) have to move out. Loss of rent will only apply if you have a valid tenancy agreement in place. If the property is empty and becomes damaged you cannot claim loss of rent, it is just for rental income you would have received because you had a tenant in situ at the time of the loss.
What can loss of rent insurance cover?
Loss of rent insurance can typically include:
- If the tenant finds temporary accommodation whilst the property in uninhabitable, but they continue to pay the rent, loss of rent cover may extend to cover the cost of that temporary accommodation.
- If the tenant stops paying rent and they pay for the alternative accommodation themselves, insurers may pay the landlord the rent they should've been owed whilst the tenant pays for their temporary accommodation.
It's worth noting, you might have both covers on a policy but only one would operate at a time. Policies will vary per insurer, and terms and conditions apply, so always check the small print in your own policy wording to see what’s included and excluded.
What doesn’t loss of rent insurance cover?
While it’s best to check with your insurer exactly what they do and don’t provide cover for, as a general rule, loss of rent insurance doesn’t cover periods where the property is not occupied or if the tenant decides to stop paying the rent.
Landlord contents insurance
If your property is furnished, you should consider landlord contents insurance. This type of cover can help protect your own belongings within the property (not the tenant’s) against damages from an insured event like fire or flood. This type of insurance is useful if you rent out a furnished property as part of the tenancy, where the furniture and fittings are yours.
What does landlord contents insurance cover?
Landlord contents insurance typically covers:
- Repair or replacement costs for damage to contents you own
- Items such as carpets, furnishings and light fittings
- Belongings provided as part of a furnished rental property
Policies will vary per insurer, and terms and conditions apply, so always check the small print in your policy wording to see what’s included and excluded.
What doesn’t landlord contents insurance cover?
Landlord’s contents does not cover the tenant’s personal belongings, such as clothes, electronics and furniture, general wear and tear, maintenance issues and deliberate damage by the tenant. The tenant is responsible for arranging contents insurance.
Tenant insurance responsibilities
Tenants are normally responsible for protecting their own belongings while living in a rented property. While the landlord insures the building and any items or furnishings provided, tenants must arrange cover for their own possessions.
Tenant contents insurance
If a tenant rents a property, they are responsible for arranging insurance for personal belongings, including any business supplies or stock (if applicable). The responsibility applies whether the tenant is living in a residential property or a commercial property.
A tenant living in a residential property (as a home) should look consider contents insurance.
It ensures you’re financially protected if your belongings are damaged, stolen or destroyed, giving you peace of mind that you won’t have to replace everything out of pocket if something goes wrong.
Policies will vary per insurer, and terms and conditions apply, so always check the small print in your policy wording to see what’s included and excluded.
What does contents insurance cover?
Contents insurance typically covers:
- Theft, fire or flood damaging or destroying your belongings or equipment
- Accidental damage to the property you occupy (sometimes called tenant liability cover)
Without this cover, you’d have to pay for replacements or repairs yourself in the event of a fire, floor or other insured event.
What doesn’t contents insurance cover?
Standard contents policies won't cover everything. Common exclusions include:
- Normal wear and tear
- Theft without forced entry
- Items outside the home or not declared on your policy
Comparing business insurance quotes with Bionic
At Bionic, we understand that getting the right cover in place for small business owners and residential and commercial landlords can help provide peace of mind. That’s why our friendly, UK-based team is on hand to talk you through your options and help arrange cover for you, with no hassle. With decades of experience, we can help you compare insurance quotes from regulated providers, so you can choose cover that suits your property business.
Policies vary per insurer, and limits and exclusions apply. Always check your own policy schedule to see what cover is and isn’t included.
Landlord vs tenant FAQs
Who is responsible for buildings insurance on a rental property?
Landlords are normally responsible for arranging buildings insurance to protect their property structure – this includes foundations, brickwork for example, but not the items owned within it.
Do tenants need contents insurance?
Although not a legal requirement, tenants – whether businesses or families should consider contents insurance to help protect their personal belongings in case an expected event.
Who pays if the property becomes uninhabitable after damage?
Landlord loss of rent insurance may cover lost rental income and, where specified in the policy, the cost of alternative accommodation for tenants following a valid claim for an insured event, subject to policy limits and the selected indemnity period.
Who handles damage caused by tenants?
Cover for damage caused by tenants will depend on the policy. Most policies exclude deliberate or malicious damage unless specifically specified, but this is uncommon.
Can I evict a tenant for not having insurance?
You can’t evict a tenant for not having contents insurance in place. But, as a landlord, you can ask them to take out contents' insurance as requirement under the tenancy agreement.
How can I compare landlord insurance quotes in the UK?
You can use a business insurance broker, like Bionic. We are FCA regulated and we can help provide quotes from trusted insurers so you can make an informed decision and protect your property.
