Coverlet Insurance specialise in offering insurance products for properties which are let.

If you are a landlord and require buildings insurance for a property which is let to a tenant, our policies not only cover the buildings but also include Landlords Liability Cover and Loss of Rent.

You can also include Landlords Legal Expenses and Rent Guarantee for an extra premium.

Our policies can be arranged and paid for “on line”. Our online quotes are up to £50.00 lower when purchased through our website.

If you are a tenant and just require contents cover, you can also arrange cover for your contents only.

Click on any Online Quote link to obtain an immediate quote.

Landlords Building Insurance
Arranging the correct landlord’s buildings insurance is essential. If you rent your property to paying guests, it is essential that your insurers are aware that the property is let and the insurers must be aware at all times of the status of the tenant. Status of the tenant means, working professionals, asylum seekers, unemployed, in receipt of DSS Benefits or Retired for example. It is also essential to ensure that the makeup of the property is correctly disclosed. i.e Self contained flat, Maisonette, 1 flat in a block of 5 for example.

How much to insure my buildings for?
When arranging Landlords Buildings Insurance, it is essential that you insure the property for the correct amount. The correct sum insured is the cost of rebuilding the property from scratch, including clearing the site and architects drawings. A professional surveyor can provide you with an accurate sum insured before arranging cover, but if you would like to calculate this sum insured yourself, why not try the abi This web site has been created jointly with the Association of British Insurers in order for property owners to accurately calculate the rebuilding cost of their property based on it’s location, build type and size. If in doubt, we recommend that a surveyor is appointed to give you an accurate rebuilding cost.

What Cover?
Many insurers offer “All Risks” cover as standard. That is to say that you may insure your buildings for the top flight of cover, which includes accidental damage to your property for the same premium as standard cover. Under all risks cover, insurers will usually indemnify you for the following loss types (subject to individual policy terms and conditions).

Fire, Explosion, Lightning and Earthquake, Riot, Civil Commotion, Strikes, Labour or Political Disturbances, Aircraft or Aerial Devices or articles dropped from them, Malicious Acts or Vandalism, Impact by any road vehicle or animal, Storm or Flood, Escape of water or oil from any tank, apparatus or pipe or fixed heating installations, Water freezing in any tank apparatus or pipe or fixed heating installation, Accidental escape of water, earthquake, subterranean fire or heat caused by fire, Falling trees, branches, telegraph poles, lamp-posts or pylons, radio and television receiving aerials (including satellite dishes) their fittings and masts, Accidental breakage of fixed glass and sanitary fixtures including double glazing, glass in solar panel units and fixed baths, shower trays, shower screens, bidets, wash basins, splash backs, pedestals, sinks, lavatory pans and cisterns, Accidental Damage by external means to underground water, gas, sewer and drain pipes, underground electricity and telephone cables which reach from your property to the public supply.

Some insurers provide extra cover as standard for Subsidence and/or heave of the site on which the Building stands and/or landslip. However, under a “Commercial Landlords” insurance policy, most insurers will charge an extra premium for this.

Claims Settlement
The basis of claims settlement under buildings insurance is normally reinstatement. This means that the insurers will rebuild the property, using new materials on the same site, to the same size, specification and standards as the previous building.

Take care with your sum insured - Average (Underinsurance)
Insurers can apply “Average” to the sum insured if you have under insured the property. As an example, of the true rebuilding cost of the property is £100,000 and you insured the property for £50,000 – your insurers have the right to apply “Average” to the loss. The equation in this example is that the buildings were only insured for 50% of the loss, so the insurers may only pay 50% of the sum insured. Under this scenario, the total loss is £100,000, however, the policyholder will only receive £25,000 for their loss. It is essential that as property owner, your buildings are insured for the correct amount.

Landlords Liability Insurance.
This is perhaps the main difference between a traditional household insurance policy and a landlords insurance policy. Under a Landlords Buildings Insurance policy, you policy should include indemnity for the landlord if the tenant becomes injured within the property and holds the landlord responsible. This important cover is usually written into the policy in order to protect the landlord from claims such as “slip and trip”. In today’s litigious world, it is becoming more common for individuals to pass the blame onto others for what appear to be simple accidents.

Property Owners Liability Insurance.
Under a normal home insurance it is common for insurance companies to include Property Owners Liability Insurance. This offers cover to the owner property in the event that someone is injured or someone else’s property is damaged following an incident involving your property.

Employers Liability Insurance.
Ensuring that your policy includes Employers Liability Insurance (if required) can often be overlooked by landlords. As a landlord, if you employ a gardener and they become injured whilst on your property whilst undertaking their duties, they could hold you, the landlord, liable. If you directly employ people to work at your property, ensuring you have the correct cover is essential. (So as not to avoid confusion, this does not necessarily apply to appointing sub contractors as these would not be working directly under your instruction or control).

Contents Cover for Landlords.
If you let your property to a tenant on a furnished basis, it may be wise to include cover for your Landlords Contents. This would normally include items such as freestanding white goods in the kitchen, being, fridge, freezer, cooker and dishwasher. Going beyond the kitchen, this may include living room and front room furniture comprising settees, arm chairs, dining room table and chairs. Of course, bedroom furniture including beds and wardrobes would also be included. Any claims under this section of cover for “personal possessions” are not normally insured.

Loss of Rent.
The Loss of Rent section within a policy will compensate the landlord should a property become uninhabitable following an insured event. This is normally for up to 20% of the buildings sum insured.

Alternative Accommodation.
This section of the landlord’s insurance policy will normally pay the costs of re-housing the tenant following an insured loss at the property – this will again normally be limited to 20% of the sum insured.

A good quality landlord’s insurance policy may also include cover for the costs of re-letting the property following a loss.

Landlords Legal Expenses Insurance.
If you have a dispute with your tenant, this insurance cover will indemnify you against such events as evicting a tenant, criminal prosecution of the landlord by the tenant or pursuing unpaid/owed rent. Sums insured are normally limited to £25,000; however enhanced cover can sometimes be purchased increasing the cover to £50,000.

Rent Guarantee Cover.
If a tenant fails to pay rent, if you have purchased Rent Guarantee Cover, insurers may indemnify you for unpaid rent. Terms and conditions under this insurance are very specific and if you are considering buying this cover, we recommend that you read the cover summaries and policy wordings very carefully so that you are fully aware of the limits of cover, excesses and claim notification periods.

How to arrange cover.
Arranging the correct landlords insurance via Cover-Let couldn’t be easier. The site is designed with landlords in mind. You can select your sum insured for buildings and or contents insurance, study the covers provided by our panel of insurers, select, purchase and arrange cover on your own tailor made landlords insurance policy. All insurance documents are emailed to you at the point of sale.

Buying landlords insurance from our web site couldn’t be easier. www.rented-house-insurance.co.uk and www.cover-let.net is part of GM Insurance Brokers based in Exeter. We are an established insurance brokers specialising in a number of Commercial Insurances, property insurance being one of them. Our team will be happy to assist you with any queries that you may have when arranging, adjusting or renewing a policy.

All of the insurance policies available for purchase from our website have varying levels of cover, restrictions and limitations. If you are in any doubt as to whether a specific cover is included under a prospective purchase, please do not hesitate to contact us for clarification. Purchases made direct from this website are on a “non advised” basis

We are confident that the insurance policies offered via our website are up to or beyond industry standard covers, but if you would like us to tailor make a policy to your requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.