Flat insurance

Freeholders

If you are a freeholder, you'll usually need buildings insurance. Whether you own your flat outright or have a mortgage, you're responsible for arranging your own cover.

If you own a share of a freehold, you'll need to do this with the other residents in the building.

You're also responsible for your own contents insurance. This may come in handy if you want to protect any high-value items, such as jewellery or your TV.

Leaseholders

If you own the flat on a leasehold basis, the building management company or freeholder will be responsible for buildings insurance.

The cost of this will usually be passed on to you via your service charge.

Leaseholders of flats who have taken over the right to manage a building are responsible for buildings insurance.

When grouped together as part of a Right to Manage company, leaseholders assume all the management duties set out in the lease, such as arranging insurance collectively for the building as a whole.

Whatever your situation, it’s important to check that the insurance policy covers all communal areas. For example, stairwells, landings and communal gardens, not just individual flats.

Read more about leasehold buildings insurance.

As with any property, you don’t have to worry about buildings cover for your flat insurance if you’re renting – that’s your landlord’s responsibility. But it makes sense to think about contents insurance for the possessions you keep in your home.

You can find out more in our guide on insurance for renters.

You don't need to worry about buildings insurance if you're a student living away from home.

If you rent a student flat, your landlord should take care of this, and if you live in halls, it's up to the university to arrange buildings cover.

But you might want to look into contents insurance to protect things like your phone, laptop or any expensive books.

That said, your stuff might already be protected under your parents’ home insurance policy. And if you live in halls, your university might already include contents insurance in your accommodation fees.

Double-check before you take out a new policy, so you don't pay for cover twice.

Find out more about student contents insurance.

If you rent out a flat or a whole block, you’ll need to take out specialist landlord insurance. This covers building structure and contents you own – for example, if you let out a furnished flat.

It may also cover loss of rental income, void periods between tenants, and legal expenses.

Find out more about landlord insurance for houses and flats.