What insurance landlords need depends far more on what they let than on how many they own. The same five sections appear everywhere and the mix changes completely between a house, a flat, a shared house, a holiday cottage and a shop. Sorting it by property type answers the question faster than any general list.
A house let on a standard tenancy
Buildings at the rebuild figure, property owners liability above the default, loss of rent, landlord contents for what you supplied, accidental damage by tenants. Optionally rent guarantee and legal expenses. This is the standard landlord package and the one every insurer sells.
A leasehold flat
No buildings section, because the freeholder insures the structure and you pay through the service charge. Landlord contents, property owners liability, loss of rent, tenant damage. Read the demise clause to see where the block policy stops, because it varies on windows and internal fixtures.
An HMO or student house
Everything in the house package, on a specialist HMO wording, with a larger contents figure because the rooms are furnished, a liability limit reflecting the number of occupants, loss of rent sized on total room income, and cover that handles the long vacation void. Licensing and fire precautions will be asked about.
A holiday let or a commercial unit
A holiday let needs guest liability at a higher limit, accidental damage as standard, contents for the furnishings, loss of income rather than loss of rent, and seasonal unoccupancy. A commercial unit needs a property owners policy rated on the tenant's trade, a long loss of rent period and a generous void allowance.
Questions people ask about what insurance do landlords need
Do all landlords need the same cover?
The same five sections appear everywhere and the mix changes completely by property type. A flat needs no buildings section; a holiday let needs guest liability.
What is the minimum for a standard house let?
Buildings at the correct rebuild figure and property owners liability above the default, with loss of rent and accidental damage strongly advisable.
Is an HMO policy really different?
Yes. The occupancy, the fire precautions, the contents figure and the void pattern all differ, and a standard wording misdescribes the property.
What about a flat above a shop?
That is mixed use and is usually rated on the commercial occupancy. Not every insurer writes it, so declare it clearly.