Buy-to-let landlord insurance Buy-to-let landlord insurance

Cover your buy-to-let property against damage and costs you may have to pay if someone is injured. You can also add cover for lost rental income, emergencies and more. Insure up to 10 residential properties in one policy.

Be quote confident. We'll beat the price of any like-for-like quote. T&Cs apply.

Why consider landlord insurance?

Your rental property is a big investment, and landlord insurance is designed to help cover the costs if something goes wrong — from flood and fire damage to tenant-related claims and lost rental income.

Standard home insurance may not always cover properties that are rented out. This is why many landlords choose landlord insurance instead.

Why choose residential landlord insurance bought through Superscript?

Whether you own a single buy-to-let flat or a portfolio of residential properties, choose landlord insurance through Superscript and get two core covers. Then add a range of optional covers that fit your property, tenants and budget — and leave out the ones you don’t need.

  • Property damage and cover if someone is injured included as standard
  • Buildings, landlord’s fixtures and fittings and contents included within property damage
  • Optional cover for loss of rent, employers’ liability, legal protection, rental arrears, home emergency, terrorism and more
  • Save up to 17.5% on residential property premiums when you insure multiple properties online
  • Make changes to your policy with no admin fees

Be quote confident

We're big on fairness. So if you find a lower price for a comparable quote, we won't just match it – we'll go one better and beat it.

So even better than apples to apples, apples to better apples. We're talking Galas to Braeburns. As you'd expect, T&Cs apply.

We insure a wide range of rental properties

From renting out a single flat or managing a larger property portfolio, landlord insurance bought through Superscript is designed to work around the way you let your properties.

We can cover many types of buy-to-let properties, including:

  • Flats and studio apartments
  • Houses and maisonettes
  • Apartment buildings

Not sure if we can cover your property portfolio? Click 'Start your quote' to check.

What does buy-to-let landlord insurance cover?

Residential buy-to-let insurance bought through Superscript comes with two core covers: property damage and property owner’s liability. You can also add optional covers, depending on what you need.

Here are the core covers that we include in every policy:

1

Property damage including fixtures, fittings and contents

Property damage is included as standard. It can cover damage to your building, landlord’s fixtures, fittings and contents caused by things like:

  • Fire, lightning or an explosion
  • Storms or floods
  • Water leaking from pipes, tanks or drains
  • Someone breaking in or trying to break in
  • Someone deliberately damaging the property
  • Riots
  • Vehicles or animals hitting the property

Fixtures and fittings are things that form part of your rental property, like kitchen units or bathroom suites. Contents are items belonging to you as the landlord, like furniture, carpets and white goods. Both can be covered when they're damaged by something included in your policy.

It can also cover other costs. For example, if your rented property can't be lived in because it’s been damaged, some alternative accommodation costs can be covered.

2

Property owners' liability

Property owners’ liability is designed to cover compensation and legal costs if someone is accidentally injured, or their property is damaged, and you’re responsible as the property owner.

It’s included as standard and can cover those costs, up to the maximum amount shown in your policy. It can also include certain legal defence costs, including some costs if you’re prosecuted under health and safety laws.

Optional landlord covers

You can also add extra cover depending on your property, tenants and requirements.

Loss of rent insurance

If damage covered by your policy means your tenants can't use the property and you lose rental income as a result, loss of rent can cover that missing income.

It can also cover lost rent in some other specific situations, including certain cases where damage nearby stops people from accessing your property or damage interrupts its water, gas, electricity or telecommunications supply. Limits and conditions apply.

You can choose to cover your lost rent for between one and five years. This doesn’t cover rent because a tenant doesn’t pay you. If you'd like cover for rent if a tenant stops paying, choose rent guarantee insurance below.

Legal protection and rent guarantee insurance

If your tenant stops paying rent, landlords’ legal protection and rent guarantee insurance can help cover missed rental payments and legal expenses linked to repossessing your property.

Terrorism

You can add terrorism cover for damage or loss to your insured property caused by an act of terrorism.

It can also cover rental income you lose as a result.

Employers' liability

If you employ staff to help manage your properties — such as an administrator, cleaner or maintenance worker — you may be legally required to have employers’ liability insurance.

This cover is designed to help with compensation claims and legal costs if an employee becomes ill or injured because of their work.

Landlords’ home emergency cover

Add landlords’ home emergency cover to your residential landlord insurance for support when something urgent happens at your rental property.

It could help with emergency call-outs, temporary repairs and tenant accommodation after sudden problems like boiler breakdowns, plumbing failures, power issues, roof leaks or pest infestations.

You can’t add this cover online just yet, but our Customer Success Team can help. Give us a call on 0330 058 3473 or drop us an email at hello@gosuperscript.com.

What isn't covered by landlords' insurance?

Buy-to-let insurance doesn't cover every problem that could happen while you're renting out a property. Some important examples are:

  • Wear and tear: Things wearing out or getting worse over time aren't covered. This includes rust, corrosion, damp, wet or dry rot
  • Some damage while the property is empty: Different rules apply when a property has been empty or unused for more than 45 days in a row. Once it's classed as unoccupied, things like storm, flood, theft, deliberate damage and burst pipes aren't covered
  • Poor workmanship or faulty materials: Damage caused by faulty design, poor workmanship or faulty materials isn't covered
  • Asbestos: Property owners’ liability doesn't cover injury or damage caused by exposure to asbestos
  • Cyber risks: Digital and cyber risks aren't covered by the optional terrorism cover

Once you've completed a quote, you'll be able to view a summary of cover. Please always refer to your policy documents for full details around exclusions, terms and limits of your customised cover. Read our guide to understanding your policy documents.

Expert insight

James Whelton, Superscript Product Manager

“Many landlords in the UK aren’t always sure what cover they need. Start by thinking about what would have the biggest impact on you if something went wrong.

That might be the cost of repairing your property, losing rental income while repairs are made or a claim being made against you. Understanding those risks makes it much easier to decide what you want your insurance to cover.”

Save when you insure multiple properties

You could save up to 17.5% on residential property premiums when you insure multiple properties online.

Your savings depend on the number and type of properties you insure.

Buy-to-let insurance claims examples

Landlord insurance is designed to help with a wide range of risks linked to your property, tenants and rental income. Here are a few examples of how cover could help.

Water damage

If flooding causes major damage to your rental property, landlord insurance can help cover the cost of repairs. Your policy may also help pay for alternative accommodation for your tenants while the property is being repaired.

Injury to a tenant

If a tenant is injured because part of your property is unsafe or damaged, you could be held legally responsible. Property owners’ liability insurance can help cover legal costs and compensation claims linked to tenant injuries.

Lost rental income

If a fire leaves your property uninhabitable, rental income cover can help replace the rent you would have received while repairs are carried out. This can help reduce financial pressure while your property is out of action.

How do claims work?

Here’s a guide to the process and timescales you can expect when you need to make a claim under your policy.

If you’re ever unsure whether you can or should claim, it’s best to get in touch, and we can let you know. Learn more about when and how to make a claim.

1

Notify us of the claim

The quickest way to notify us of a claim is by logging in to your customer portal and submitting a form. Alternatively, you can contact us by email at claims@gosuperscript.com or by 24/7 freephone on 0800 772 3059.

Ideally, you should notify us of a claim as soon as possible and within 30 days of you becoming aware of anything which you think may be covered by your insurance.

2

We'll get on the case

We'll acknowledge your claim within 24 hours, if not sooner. This means you'll receive an email confirming your claim reference number and our contact information should you need to speak to us.

You’ll hear from us again if we need any extra information to progress your claim.

As your claim progresses, we'll keep you updated on the next steps.

3

A decision is made

We'll let you know if your claim is successful or not. If your claim isn't covered, we will always try to point you in the right direction and support you as best we can in getting back to normal.

Read about the most common reasons claims aren't paid.

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Landlord insurance FAQs

How much does landlord insurance cost for buy-to-let properties?

The cost of your landlord insurance policy will depend on several things, like:

  • The number of properties you own
  • Where the properties are located
  • The type of tenants you have
  • The rebuild value of the property
  • The covers you choose

Learn more in our guide to what affects landlord insurance costs.

The quickest way to find out how much landlord insurance could cost you is by starting a quote.

Is landlord insurance required for buy-to-let properties?

Landlord insurance is not a legal requirement in the UK.

However, if you have a buy-to-let mortgage, your lender might require you to have buildings insurance in place before you complete the purchase.

The level of cover required can vary between mortgage providers, so it’s worth checking your mortgage agreement if you’re unsure.

What types of buy-to-let properties does landlord insurance cover?

Landlord insurance bought through Superscript can cover a range of rental property types, including:

  • Flats and studio apartments
  • Houses
  • Apartment blocks

At the moment, landlord insurance bought through Superscript can’t cover:

  • Properties let to local authorities with unknown occupants
  • Mansion blocks and flats within them
  • Properties left unoccupied for more than six months each year

If you’re unsure whether your property is eligible, start a quote to check what cover is available.

If you are looking to insure a house in multiple occupation (HMO), commercial properties or mixed-use buildings, you’ll need to speak to one of our friendly Customer Success Team who can help. Just give us a call on 0330 058 3473 or drop us an email at hello@gosuperscript.com.

What happens if my buy-to-let property is empty?

If your residential property is empty or doesn’t have a tenant for more than 45 days, we’ll treat it as unoccupied.

In this case, you’ll need to let us know. Your cover may change while the property is unoccupied, and you’ll need to take some extra steps, like checking it every week and keeping it secure.

If you already have a signed tenancy or lease when your policy starts, different rules can apply. Check your policy documents for the full details.

What excess will I need to pay?

Excess is what you have to pay, or what is deducted, before a claim you make can be paid out. Most policies have a compulsory excess, which will be due on every claim you make.

Your exact excess will depend on the policy you’ve taken out and will be shown in your policy documents.

Can I insure multiple buy-to-let properties?

Yes. You can insure up to 10 properties under one residential landlord insurance policy and save up to 17.5% when you buy cover online.

This can make managing your landlord insurance simpler if you own multiple residential rental properties. Insure up to 10 properties when you buy your cover online, and your multi-property saving will be applied automatically. The savings vary depending on the number and type of properties you insure.

What if I need to change or cancel my policy?

You can make changes to your policy at any time without admin fees. Cancellations don’t require notice but are subject to fees.

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Individual cover purchased online is offered on a standardised, non-advised basis and is not bespoke. Terms, conditions and coverage limits are predetermined by the Underwriter. If you require bespoke coverage offered on an advised basis, please contact our in-house broking team.

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