Buildings and landlord insurance are usually one policy, not two. A landlord policy is a buildings policy with additional sections written for a property somebody else lives in. Buying a bare buildings policy and calling it landlord insurance leaves out most of what the letting actually needs.
What a landlord policy adds to buildings cover
Property owners liability written for a landlord's exposure. Loss of rent. Landlord contents. Tenant damage options, accidental and malicious. Frequently legal expenses, rent guarantee and home emergency. And an unoccupancy allowance that contemplates voids between tenancies rather than assuming continuous occupation.
When you genuinely need only part of it
On a leasehold flat, where the freeholder insures the structure, you need the landlord sections without a buildings section. That is a real product several insurers sell, and it is the one case where buying less is right rather than a false economy.
When splitting them is worth considering
Rarely, and mainly on portfolios: a property with a difficult claims history can sometimes be placed separately so it does not drag the rest of the book at renewal. Splitting buildings from the landlord sections on a single property is almost never useful and complicates every claim that touches both.
Questions people ask about buildings and landlord insurance
Is a landlord policy just buildings insurance?
No. It is a buildings policy plus liability, loss of rent, landlord contents, tenant damage options and a void allowance written for a let property.
Can I buy landlord cover without buildings?
Yes, and on a leasehold flat you should, because the freeholder insures the structure and recovers the premium through the service charge.
Should I split a portfolio across insurers?
Occasionally, to stop one property with a poor claims history dragging the rest at renewal. Splitting sections on a single property is rarely useful.