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Buildings insurance for landlords

We won't be beaten on price

We guarantee to beat your new quote or renewal premium from any other insurer when you take out a new landlord policy with us.

New policies only. Cover on an equivalent basis to ours. Qualifying criteria apply. Doesn't apply for short term lets or when Rent Guarantee or Landlord Emergency Cover is added. Terms & Conditions.

Terms and conditions

Guarantee to beat

  • Your quote must provide cover on an equivalent basis to ours
  • New policies only
  • Qualifying criteria apply
  • You must send us proof of your valid quote or current renewal documentation detailing cover and premium to either:
  • Direct Line for Business will not return any documentation received in conjunction with this offer
  • Proof required before guarantee can be applied
  • Not applicable to Van Insurance policies, Landlord policies for short term lets, or policies where Landlord Emergency, Rent Guarantee or Home Emergency cover is added.
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Buildings Insurance for Landlords

We offer both buildings and contents insurance for buy-to-let owners. With more than 350,000 properties covered, you can trust us with cover for your rental property..

But if, for example, you're the freeholder renting out an unfurnished property without contents or free-standing white goods, you may be interested in buildings insurance only.

Our Landlord Buildings policy covers:

  • Structural damage to the building - due to an insured event such as:
    • Fire, lighting, explosion or earthquake
    • Riot, civil disturbance
    • Malicious persons/acts
    • Storm
    • Flood
    • Subsidence, landslip and ground heave
    • Impact
    • Theft
    • Escape of water
    • Optional cover: Accidental damage
    • Optional cover: Theft by your employees, tenants, and persons lawfully on the premises.
    • Optional cover: Malicious damage by your employees, tenants, and persons lawfully on the premises.
  • Damage caused by escape of water - including burst pipes, leaking water tanks, or escape of oil from any oil-fired heating installation
  • Boiler Cover - so if your boiler breaks down and it isn't due to normal wear and tear, we'll pay to repair or replace it
  • The cost of rehousing tenants if the property isn't fit to live in due to an insured event - such as flood or fire, up to the building sum insured

The policy also includes public liability, so if you're sued for damage to someone else's property, or injury to your tenants, you're covered. For example, if a burst pipe in your property causes a flood in your neighbour's property, or if your tenants trip over an uneven patio stone, you'll be insured for the legal costs. It also covers any compensation awarded.

Buildings Insurance from Direct Line for Business gives you the choice to increase limits and extend your cover for an additional premium. A standard building and contents insurance policy is unlikely to cover tenant activity in your rented property - you need buildings insurance for rental properties.

Plus, our flexible cover also allows you to add multiple properties to an existing policy at any time, giving you one simple renewal date. We also won't charge you any mid-term adjustment (MTA) fees for changing your policy, such as adding a property to it, or increasing your sums insured.

Check out our Landlord Buildings Insurance

  • Public Liability cover of £2m with the option to increase. So if you're sued for damage to someone else's property, or injury to your tenants as a result of your rental property, you're covered.
  • We'll pay to either repair or replace your boiler if it breaks down. (With Buildings cover, excludes wear and tear.)
  • Alternative Accommodation - we'll pay to re-house your tenants following an insured event such as a flood or fire. (subject to policy limits)
  • Glass and Sanitary Ware following breakage
  • Locks replacement up to £15,000 per claim
  • Legal documents service, business guides and 24/7 legal advice helpline as standard via ARAG Businesslaw. Document services and 24/7 Helpline provided by ARAG Legal Expenses Insurance Limited. For uncommon and certain country-specific areas of law, you'll be referred to specialist advisors available Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, excluding bank holidays.
  • 0% APR if you wish to pay by instalments in the first year to help spread the cost. Subject to credit status and eligibility. Aged 18 and over only.

Optional extras

For an additional premium, you can add any of these covers to your property owner policy:

  • Landlord Emergency - 24-hour access to assistance in the event of an insured emergency at your rented property.
  • Legal Expenses - covers the cost of defending your legal rights. Includes Repossession Cover, Nuisance and Eviction of Squatters Cover, and Tax Protection.
  • Rent Guarantee - If your tenants can't pay, this covers you for the unpaid rent and legal fees until they move out. Eviction notice must have been correctly served before a claim. Purchased as part of legal Expense add-on at new business or renewal. Restricted claims for existing tenants in first 90 days after purchase.
  • Accidental Damage for the building when you've insured it
  • We'll pay for Loss of rent if your property becomes uninhabitable following an insured event such as a fire or a flood
  • Malicious Damage by Tenants cover
  • Theft by Tenant cover
  • Terrorism Cover - You can extend your policy to help protect your rental property against damage caused by acts of terrorism. We'll cover you up to the maximum sum insured on your policy for buildings, contents and/or loss of rental income. Acts of terrorism are defined as damage caused by someone acting on behalf of, or in connection with, any organisation which uses force or violence to overthrow or influence the UK government

    Terrorism cover is not available for properties that are located in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Northern Ireland.
  • Personal Accident - cover pays up to a maximum benefit of £50,000 in respect of death or a weekly benefit of £250 if temporary disabled to insured persons between the ages of 16 -75 if they are unable to work because they've been injured in an accident, whether in a business or personal capacity.

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