Do I need landlord insurance for a buy-to-let property?

While not legally required in the UK, it's highly recommended. Standard home insurance typically doesn't cover rental activities, so landlord insurance is essential to protect your property investment and rental income.

If I’m letting my buy-to-let property out as furnished, will my furniture be covered?

No, however, if you’re letting your rental property furnished, you have the option to take out buy-to-let contents insurance to protect everything from the furniture to electrical items that you provide for your tenants. Your tenants are responsible for arranging their own contents insurance to cover their belongings.

Why do I need buy-to-let insurance instead of home insurance?

Standard home insurance is designed for owner-occupied properties, not rentals. Specialist landlord buy-to-let insurance is required because renting a property involves different risks, including tenant damage or legal liability. It's also often a requirement of buy-to-let mortgages.

Does my buy-to-let insurance cover loss of rent?

AXA offers loss of rental income cover as an optional extra. This can help protect your income if your property becomes uninhabitable for tenants due to events like fire, flood, or storm damage. Your lost rent will be covered while repairs are carried out and tenants are temporarily rehoused.

How does landlord insurance compare with buy-to-let insurance?

In practice, both terms refer to the same type of policy – specialist cover for individuals who rent out property to tenants. Insurers, brokers, and comparison sites often use the terms interchangeably, with no difference in coverage. The main distinction is in the terminology, not the protection offered.

What cover is available for buy-to-let insurance?

Buy-to-let insurance typically includes buildings cover, property owners’ liability, and landlord contents insurance (if your property is furnished). Optional extras include loss of rental income, glass replacement service, and the ability to insure up to 10 properties under one policy.

What information do I need for a buy-to-let insurance quote?

To get a quote, you’ll need your property's full address, rebuild cost, build date, and tenant type (e.g., professionals, students). You’ll also be asked about your claims history and the types of cover you want, like buildings or contents insurance.

Buy-to-let insurance

Flexible cover to help protect your rental income and property

Choose the cover that suits your property, including buildings insurance, landlord contents cover
Property owners’ liability included as standard and additional options depending on your needs.
Make admin easier by covering up to 10 properties in one policy
Cover to re-house your tenants in alternative accommodation if the premises are uninhabitable following a successful claim

Get a landlord insurance quote

What is landlord buy-to-let insurance?

As a landlord, protecting your investment property is a high priority since renting out your flat or house can be a risky business and if something were to happen your property, this would have detrimental impact your future and livelihood.

And remember - standard home insurance may not cover landlords who rent oout their properties to tenants.

Landlord Insurance is designed to protect you against any unforeseen events such as storms, floods, fires etc. You’re also covered for up to £5,000 in vandalism damage caused by your tenants.

Some of the main differences between home insurance and landlord insurance are:

Purpose: Home insurance protects a homeowner's personal residence; landlord insurance is for property owners renting out their property.
Personal Property: Home insurance covers personal belongings in the home; landlord insurance does not cover tenant's personal property.

With AXA’s buy-to-let insurance, your policy can be tailored to suit your property portfolio, whether you’re letting one, or multiple, properties at once.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BUY-TO-LET INSURANCE

What does landlord buy-to-let insurance cover?

With AXA’s buy to let insurance, you can tailor your policy to suit the type of property you rent out and the risks you want to protect against.

This includes:

Buildings
Essential cover that helps pay to rebuild or repair your rental property if it's damaged by fire, flood, storm, escape of water etc. This usually includes the structure of the property itself and permanent fixtures like kitchens and bathrooms.

Property owners' liability
Provides protection in cases where negligence has resulted in injury or property damage at your property. For example, if a tenant trips over a broken step or a falling tile causes damage to someone else’s property. This coverage helps cover compensation and legal expenses. You can select coverage amounts ranging from £1 million to £10 million.

How much does buy-to-let insurance cost?

AXA’s landlord insurance policies start from £14* per month for a single property, but the actual price you’ll pay will differ based on your specific circumstances.

*10% of our customers paid this or less between January and March 2026.

Factors that influence the cost of your insurance include:

Property details: The age, type, and location of your property.
Number of properties: You can insure up to 10 with our standard policy.
Level of cover: Additional options including accidental damage, contents insurance or loss of rental income will increase the premium.
Claims history: Any previous insurance claims related to the property can impact the cost.

Do I need buildings insurance for my buy-to-let property?

Yes – although not legally required, and a standard home insurance policy won’t cover you and local councils or authorities might require you to have cover in place.

If you own a property that you rent out, buy-to-let buildings insurance is essential to protect yourself against damage – it’s also something that may be a requirement of your buy-to-let mortgage.

Optional extras include:

Loss of rental income
If your property becomes uninhabitable for tenants due to an unavoidable event (like a fire or flood), you can be compensated for the rent lost whilst repairs are being carried out and the premises is uninhabitable.

Landlord contents insurance
Cover that protects any furnishings, including your furniture, white goods, electrical equipment, and fixtures provided for tenants to use while living there.

Glass replacement service
Broken glass? Not to worry, Landlord Insurance offers a 24-hour replacement service to quickly fix windows, doors, or partitions – minimising disruption for you and your tenants. Please note: we will cover the costs if your claim is successful; if not, then you will be responsible for covering the costs.

Multi-property buy-to-let cover
Manage your property portfolio with ease by insuring up to 10 rental properties under a single policy.

Is landlord insurance required by law for buy-to-let properties in the UK?

No, there is no legal requirement for buy-to-let owners to get landlord insurance though it might be a requirement from the local council in your area. You can typically find your local council's landlord insurance requirements by visiting your local authority’s website.

However, most mortgage providers will require buildings insurance as a condition of your mortgage, especially if the property is under a buy-to-let mortgage agreement.

What details do I need to get a buy-to-let insurance quote online?

Getting a buy-to-let insurance quote is simple, and to help you get started, here are a few key details we’ll need from you:

Your property’s build date and the type of building
When you bought the property
The property’s full postal address
Your property’s rebuild cost (bearing in mind the cost won’t be the same as the market value of your property – find out more about calculating rebuild costs in our guide to underinsurance)
History of past insurance claims or incidents related to the specific property you want to insure (within the last five years)
Insurance needs and the type of cover you require, such as buildings insurance, contents insurance, or additional options like loss of rental income

Got everything you need? Click below to get a quote started.

GET A BUY-TO-LET LANDLORD INSURANCE QUOTE

How do I insure the fixtures and fittings in my buy-to-let property?

Fixtures and fittings, such as built-in kitchen units, bathroom suites, and white goods or appliances, can be covered through two types of insurance available from AXA.

Choose from:

Buildings insurance

This protects the structural elements of your rental property, including the kitchen and bathroom. This will include things like kitchen units, cookers, ovens that are built-in.

Landlord contents insurance

If you rent out your property furnished (for example, beds, sofas, any white goods.)

PLEASE NOTE

Your landlord insurance doesn’t cover your tenants’ possessions, and it’s better for the tenant to arrange their own contents insurance.

PLEASE NOTE
Your landlord insurance doesn’t cover your tenants’ possessions, and it’s better for the tenant to arrange their own contents insurance.

Buy-to-let insurance FAQs

Home insurance is designed for properties you live in and use yourself, while buy-to-let insurance is designed for properties that are rented out to tenants.

Buy-to-let insurance typically includes cover tailored to landlords, such as property owners’ liability and optional loss of rental income if the property becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event.

If you would like to learn more, check out our guide to home insurance vs landlord insurance.