This question comes up on both sides of the front door. Landlords assume tenants will sort their own belongings. Tenants assume the landlord’s policy stretches further than it does. Somewhere in the middle, things get dropped.
Home and contents insurance protect different risks. Whether you need one, both, or neither depends entirely on whether you own the building, live in it, or rent it out.
If you’re a landlord
Landlords have responsibility for the structure of the property and for anything they provide as part of the let. That shapes what insurance is usually needed.
Buildings insurance is essential. It protects the fabric of the property and is often required by mortgage lenders. Standard home insurance is rarely suitable once a property is rented out.
- Buildings insurance for the structure
- Landlord contents for supplied items
- Property owners’ liability
If the property is furnished or part-furnished, contents cover becomes more important. White goods, carpets, curtains and furniture are the landlord’s responsibility, not the tenant’s.
What landlords often overlook
Many landlords assume contents cover is unnecessary because the tenant lives there. That only holds if nothing is supplied.
Another common oversight is tenant-related damage. Accidental or malicious damage by tenants is not always included unless added explicitly.
Loss of rent is also misunderstood. It usually responds only when insured damage makes the property uninhabitable, not when rent simply isn’t paid.
If you’re a tenant
Tenants are responsible for their own belongings. Full stop.
The landlord’s insurance does not protect a tenant’s clothes, electronics, furniture or personal items. Even when damage comes from the building itself.
Contents-only insurance exists specifically for tenants.
- Furniture and belongings owned by the tenant
- Items damaged by fire, theft or escape of water
- Optional cover for items taken outside the home
It’s often inexpensive, which makes the lack of it harder to justify after a loss.
Where tenants get caught out
Underestimating how much their belongings are worth is the biggest issue. Replacing everything at once is very different from replacing things gradually.
Shared spaces also cause confusion. Items left in communal areas may have lower limits or exclusions.
Accidental damage is another area where assumptions creep in. It may not be included automatically.
When both landlord and tenant have cover
In a well-aligned setup, the landlord insures the building and supplied items. The tenant insures their belongings.
Each policy responds to its own part of the loss. There’s no overlap, but also no gaps.
Problems usually arise when one side assumes the other has taken care of something.
Flats, leaseholds and shared buildings
Leasehold properties add another layer. Buildings insurance is often arranged by the freeholder and recovered through service charges.
In those cases, landlords and tenants still need to think carefully about contents and liability.
Reading the lease matters more than relying on habit.
Cost versus exposure
Home and contents insurance are often discussed as expenses to reduce. In practice, they’re about deciding which risks you’re prepared to carry yourself.
Landlords face structural and liability exposure. Tenants face personal loss. Each needs a different response.
Keeping roles clear
Insurance works best when responsibilities are clear from the start. Who owns what. Who insures what. Where the boundaries sit.
When those lines are understood, home and contents cover becomes a practical tool rather than a source of misunderstanding later on.