Home insurance
Find out more
Cover accidental damage to your landlord's property with tenants liability insurance
If you’re living in rented accommodation, there’s a chance you could end up accidentally damaging your landlord’s furniture, or the fixtures and fittings.
And if this happens, it’s likely that you’ll be asked to pay for repairs or replacements.
Tenants’ liability insurance is a type of contents insurance that provides you with financial protection for unexpected costs like these.
With this cover in place, you won’t be left out of pocket or lose your security deposit if you (or one of your guests) accidentally break or damage something that’s part of your rented home.
Typically, tenants’ liability insurance will cover accidental damage to things that come with your rented accommodation, like:
For example, if you spilled red wine on a carpet, tenants’ liability cover would help pay to repair or replace it.
But be aware that it won’t cover any damage that’s caused by wear and tear. Or for anything that was damaged on purpose by you, your housemates, or any guests you might have.
Whether you’ve cracked the bathroom sink or broken a window, if you’re renting your home, tenants’ liability insurance can help to cover the cost.
It’s designed to pay out if you accidentally damage your landlord’s furniture or property - which means it’s particularly useful if you’re renting furnished accommodation.
And you’ll generally be covered for the typical reasons your landlord might deduct money from your deposit - damage that your tenancy agreement says you’re legally responsible for.
Tenants’ liability cover works by covering the cost of repairing or replacing any broken or damaged items. So, you won’t be left out of pocket or find yourself needing to pay more if your security deposit doesn’t cover the damage.
This will largely depend on your tenancy agreement - in some cases, you might find that having tenants' liability insurance is a condition of renting the property. And even if it isn’t, it’s worth considering anyway.
You may already have contents insurance to protect your valuables and belongings. And by law, your landlord must have buildings insurance for the accommodation they’re providing. But it’s likely that neither of these will cover any accidental damage you cause to your landlord’s property and belongings.
Instead, this is something your landlord or their insurer will probably require you to pay for.
Tenants’ liability insurance can help by covering the cost of fixing and repairing any items that you damage by accident.
This means there’s less risk of your security deposit being affected or getting into a formal dispute with your landlord. However, tenants’ liability insurance can also cover legal costs if you did have to go to court over a dispute.
No, it isn’t compulsory to have tenants’ liability insurance if you’re renting in the UK. Although it might be a requirement of your landlord or letting agency, particularly if you’re renting a furnished home.
However, either way, it’s worth considering taking out this cover to protect yourself from any unexpected costs. Especially if you’re relying on getting your full deposit back at the end of your tenancy.
You can make a claim on your tenants’ liability insurance if you’ve accidentally damaged something belonging to your landlord and you’re required to pay for it.
Most insurers will give you a maximum of 30 days after the incident happened to do this - but the timeframe can vary between providers, so check your policy to understand how long you’ve got to make a claim.
Making a claim for an accident soon after it happens can also help avoid any money being deducted from your security deposit at the end of your tenancy.
Find out more
Find out more
Find out more
Find out more
Find out more
Find out more