Contents insurance for renters

What does renters’ insurance cover?

Tenants’ contents insurance typically covers your personal belongings, including your:

• Clothes
• Jewellery
• Furniture
• Tech and gadgets
• Collectables
• Musical instruments
• Sporting equipment
• Appliances and white goods.

Many policies also cover cash and even the food in your freezer.

Policies vary, so read yours carefully before buying tenants’ home insurance. And make sure the cover is enough for any expensive items you own, such as a  laptop.

Cover typically includes:

• Theft and vandalism
• Fire and explosions
• Storms and weather damage
• Flooding
• Burst pipes and water leaks – could cover water damage from a burst pipe or another type of leak, as long as it’s not down to poor maintenance.
• Contents of your freezer – could cover the cost of any food in your fridge or freezer that becomes inedible because of a power failure.
• Tenants’ liability cover – covers accidental damage to your landlord’s property, fixtures and fittings. Not all renters’ insurance policies include this. Check your policy to see if this cover is included.
• Alternative accommodation – could pay out for a place to stay while your rented property is being repaired after a fire or flood. Not all renters’ insurance policies include this. Check your policy to see if this cover is included.

You’re typically not covered for:

These are the typical exclusions on more basic policies, but as we say alongside some of them, you may be able to buy an add-on to include that element:

• Wear and tear – contents damaged over time through general wear and tear. Or items that break down due to mechanical or electrical faults.
• Theft and unforced entry – if you’re the victim of a burglary but there are no signs of forced entry to your home, it’s likely that your claim will be rejected.
• High-value items – belongings that exceed your policy’s single-item limit need to be listed separately on your policy to be covered.
• Business contents – if you use your home as a place of work, any equipment used for your business may need to be covered by business contents insurance.
• Homes left unoccupied – if you leave your rental property unoccupied for a long period (usually 30 days or more), standard tenants’ insurance won’t normally cover you.
• Negligence and poor workmanship – your claim may be rejected if it’s found to be caused by a lack of maintenance or shoddy DIY work.
• Possessions outside the home – while some content insurance policies will cover possessions taken outside the home, others don’t. You can typically add personal possessions to your contents insurance for an additional cost.
• Accidental damage – if you damage an accident by accident. You can typically add accidental damage cover to your contents insurance for an additional cost.
• Pet damage – although you can often add accidental damage cover to your policy, it often excludes damage caused by pets.

What optional extras are available with contents insurance for tenants?

Typical optional extras you can add to contents insurance for renters include:

• Accidental damage cover – covers the cost of repairing or replacing an item if it’s damaged by accident. For example, spilling red wine on a sofa.
• Personal possessions – covers items that you take out and about with you, such as your handbag, wallet and watch.
• Legal cover – allows you to get legal advice for a range of common disputes and claims. For example, disagreements with your landlord.
• Bicycle cover away from home – to cover your bike from theft and accidental damage when you’re out and about.

Just be aware that add-ons usually cost extra. Only take out additional cover if you’re sure you need it.

How can I save money on renters’ insurance cover?

Here are a few things you can do to help you get cheaper renters’ insurance:

• Choose a higher excess. Just make sure you can afford to pay it if you need to make a claim.
• Pay annually – if you can afford to, as you’ll typically be charged interest on monthly payments.
• Accurately work out the value of your contents – if you overestimate how much they’re worth, you’ll end up over-paying for your insurance. But be careful not to underestimate, as you won’t be adequately insured.
• Build up your no claims discount – if you don’t claim on your policy for 12 months, it could earn you a discount at renewal. Of course, that’s not always in your control, but is something to bear in mind.
• Compare quotes – when you run a tenants’ insurance comparison with us, we’ll compare quotes from leading insurance providers. That way we can help you search for the right level of cover at a price that works for you.