There are two basic types of landlord insurance that it is advisable to take out to protect your property:

Buildings cover.
This protects the basic structure of your property. That is the walls, windows, floors etc. Most policies will protect you against fire, storm, flood and vandalism as standard, but dont forget to check!!!
You can then add accidental damage to your buildings policy which will protect you from accidents such as putting your foot through the ceiling while in the loft). This may be included as standard on some policies .

Contents cover.
Contents Insurance policies cover movable objects inside your home or belongings and possessions that are not part of the fabric of your home such as carpets, curtains, TV and computer. Some also cover freezer contents (often as an extra option). The premium you will pay for home buildings or contents insurance can vary widely depending on how big your home is, what kind of cover you want, the value of your possessions, and the location of the home. Most will cover contents up to around £50k. That sounds like a lot but if you add up the replacement cost of everything in your home, it will add up! Remember not to undervalue your contents. If your home burned down to the ground, you would regret it!!

Household Security tips:
Security marking is a simple and inexpensive way of making your possessions identifiable and will increase the chance of them being returned if they are stolen. The recognised method is by using your postcode, followed by your house number or the first two letters of your house name.

A house which looks occupied will be less likely to attract burglars. Leaving lights switched on is one way to create the impression that you're at home, but timing switches which turn lights on and off automatically while you're out are even more effective. Other household electrical appliances, such as radios, hi-fi systems and televisions, can also be operated in the same way.

Don't leave valuable property in a shed which is either unlocked or so old and run down as to be no obstacle to a thief.

Gardening tools and furniture are very saleable items for a burglar. What's more, tools stolen from your shed can be used to burgle your home as well! Don't make it easy to steal them.

Many insurance companies insist that the installation of alarms is carried out by companies registered with the National Approval Council for Security Systems. The Association of British Insurers recommends fitting outside doors with deadlocks which conform to BS3621.

Flood advice

If your home is in an area which is prone to flooding or subsidence it will probably effect the insurance costs. Unfortunately there isn't a lot you can do about this, apart from moving home and taking appropraite precautions once a flood warning has been issued. Information on high risk areas is available at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
National Flood Warning Centre - 01276 454 725
Or check up on the area
www.homecheck.co.uk

If you receive prior warning of flooding you may be able to take the following action to minimise damage to your home and belongings, but only if it is safe to do so and you have enough time!
Protect external doors, with sandbags if you have them

If possible, move furniture and electrical items upstairs

If you are unable to leave your property, fill a vacuum flask with a hot drink and take items such as a torch, warm clothing, a battery operated radio (tuned to the local radio station for updates) and a mobile telephone (if you have one) upstairs, until the danger has passed, or help arrives

If you have time, seal any delicate items in plastic bags to protect them form water damage

Ensure that your insurance documentation is at hand with helpline numbers

Pack a small selection of dry clothes and toiletry essentials, importantly including any medicines and emergency phone numbers
If your home has been flooded, we advise that you take the following action

Turn off the electricity at the mains

Lift any sodden carpets to allow the floor to dry. For an inexpensive Cooling fan or ventilator fan try cooling-fan-electric-evaporative-portable-industrial.co.uk

Use a low heat to gently dry things out - using a high heat can cause further damage. Safety first - don't use electrical sources of heat near flood water. For an inexpensive infrared heater in the UK, try infrared-heater-radiant-electric-gas-kerosene.co.uk

Once the flood water has gone, take professional advice before you start redecorating. You may need to let brickwork dry out for some months

If you are drying out your building by the central heating system alone, make sure the rooms are ventilated. For an inexpensive dehumidifier, try dehumidifier-humidifier.com

If you are using a dehumidifier, make sure doors and windows are closed. For an inexpensive dehumidifier, try dehumidifier-humidifier.com

Be patient-taking time to dry out your home properly now could save a lot of time later on when it comes to redecorating

If you property suffers severe flooding, you should not attempt to get through flood water to leave - it will probably be safer to move to an upper storey rather than risk wading through deep flood water, where there is a danger you could be swept away by the current.

For a cheap insurance landlord liability in the UK visit Landlord Insurance at happyhomeinsurance.com .

If you are getting an Old-for-New policy, make sure that you value your contents at their replacement value, and not at their actual value.

Don't fall into the trap of getting home contents insurance from a mortgage provider - you are more likely to get a better deal elsewhere.

If you are studying away from home (e.g. at college/university), sometimes your parents home insurance covers your possessions.

For a list of the main Landlord Insurance at happyhomeinsurance.com sites in the UK to see which ones offer an online price.

Top ten tips when taking out landlord property insurance

1. Firstly, go with someone you trust – you will be taking unnecessary risks if you buy home insurance from a company this is not reputable and established. You need someone with a solid history with proper industry accreditation.
   
2. No matter how good the website is, make sure the company has a call centre and sales staff. Your policies will not be properly processed unless the site is set up with the necessary technical know-how.
   
3. Can they support you immediately? – when you on a website trying to fill in a long home insurance quote form and you want to ask a question about the form or check that the insurance policy you have chosen is right for you, you may not want to wait for an email answer. There needs to be someone you can talk to right away.
   
4. Read the content on the site properly. Do they have a broad product range. Is their site a dump of policy mumbo jumbo or is it fully functional and easy to use. You want the cheapest home insurance quotes and the minimum of sites.
   
5. Make sure you can pay online. Paying online is important, you can do it 24 hours a day, and get instant cover when you want to.
   
6. Look for security encryption. This makes a site secure for e-commerce transactions. They could be marked with a proof of security but don’t take it for granted.
   
7. Have all your details ready and answer as many questions as possible. The more questions you answer the more appropriate for you your deal can be. A little time filling in the form could save a large amount off your quote.
   
8. Using the web makes it easy for you to shop around for a good deal. Try brokers, who aren’t just tied to one provider. The large amounts of money spent on marketing and advertising by the large firms doesn’t mean you’ll get the best deal.
   
9. Look out for money back guarantees. E.g. “If you find a cheaper deal elsewhere, we’ll refund the difference”. This can assure you that you’re not being stung.
   
10. Look out for good promotions, like “one month’s insurance free if you pay monthly by direct debit”. These can give good value.

If you are looking for a home insurance landlord , at Landlord Insurance at happyhomeinsurance.com your sure to find most of the sites you would probably want to visit for a cheap online sites for a home insurance landlord .

If you have a mortgage then your lender will usually insist that your property is covered by full buildings insurance. This is to protect themselves, as if your house were completely destroyed they would need to know that you had the means to finance its repair. Also, a homeless borrower will hardly inspire confidence in a company expecting regular mortgage repayments.


Up to a certain amount (usually £50,000), your policy will cover your possessions, either stated by you, or categorised by the insurance company. The insurance policy might ask you to submit a contents list, with individual items over a certain value specifically priced. This varies with different insurance companies. There are two main types of cover:Old-for-New - Items are replaced at their current market value and Indemnity Cover - The Insurance company will take into account general depreciation. Old-for-New is the better option, so don't forget to check which type of cover the Insurance company is offering.

If the value of your contents exceeds £50,000 you may have problems finding an insurer! We recommend you try Direct Choice or Quoteline

Again, you can add accidental damage to your contents policy an example of which would be the dog knocking the TV off the table. This may be included as standard on some policies.
When the two are purchased together, you get one policy called buildings and contents insurance (unsurprisingly). You will often be given a discount if you take out both buildings and contents insurance with the same insurer.

If you are studying away from home (e.g. at college/university), sometimes your parents home insurance covers your possessions. But you can also take out a student possessions policy with Endsleigh

Other options You may be able to choose:

freezer contents
Usually up to £300 or £500

Personal possessions
Usually this means possessions outside the home, such as credit cards and cash. This is nearly always an extra option

legal cover. This generally will cover legal disputes that relate to you personally, such as residence and boundary disputes and personal injury (including medical negligence). This is generally a cheap extra (around £12), a few insurers provide it as standard.

Landlord Insurance at happyhomeinsurance.com is an online resource for people in the UK looking around for the online insurance landlord liability .