Landlord emergency cover insurance is an add on rather than a policy, and the decision about it is a small one made badly by most landlords, who either take it without thinking because it was pre ticked or decline it without thinking because it looked like an upsell. It is worth a minute of arithmetic, because for some landlords it pays for itself on one call out and for others it never will.
What it costs relative to the policy
It is typically a modest annual addition to a landlord premium, in the region of a fraction of the base cost. That is the number to compare against the price of one out of hours call out from a local tradesperson, which for a plumber on a Sunday is frequently more than the annual premium. On that comparison alone it breaks even on a single use.
What it saves beyond money
The call. A tenant with a number to ring that is not yours at eleven at night is worth something real to a landlord who works, travels or has more than a couple of properties. It also produces a documented response, which matters if the tenant later complains to the local authority that a disrepair was not dealt with promptly.
When it will never pay
A landlord living near the property with a reliable tradesperson on speed dial will get somebody there faster and cheaper without it. A landlord with a modern, well serviced property and long term tenants who rarely call may go years without using it. Both are reasonable reasons to decline, and both are decisions rather than oversights.
Reading the definitions before deciding
The value turns on what counts as an emergency, which is defined narrowly. Total loss of heating counts; a radiator that is not warming does not. A failed only toilet counts; a second one does not. Read the definition list once, decide whether the things that actually go wrong at your property are on it, and choose on that.
Questions people ask about landlord emergency cover insurance
How much does landlord emergency cover cost?
Typically a modest annual addition to the landlord premium, often comparable to a single out of hours call out from a local tradesperson.
Does it pay for itself?
On one genuine call out, frequently yes. For a landlord living near the property with a reliable tradesperson, often never.
What counts as an emergency?
The definitions are narrow and listed in the wording: total loss of heating, a burst pipe, a blocked or failed only toilet, an electrical fault, or the property left insecure.
Can I add it mid term?
Usually yes, as an endorsement to the existing policy, charged pro rata to the renewal date.