Landlord liability insurance is a cover that can protect you from injury or damage claims related to your rental property. For example if a visitor tripped on a loose piece of flooring, your landlord liability insurance would be there to pay the compensation amount and legal fees.

Landlord liability insurance is a type of public liability insurance that protects landlords from compensation claims made by a third party such as a tenant, visitor or a tradesperson.

If someone is injured or their possessions are damaged and they blame your rental property, your landlord liability insurance could step in to pay the compensation costs and legal fees, up to the limit of your policy.

Compensation payouts can take into account things like medical costs and lost income, so they can be really high.

Do landlords need public liability insurance?

It’s up to you to decide whether you need public liability insurance, but it’s included as standard in lots of landlord insurance policies and many landlords decide they need it.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try to keep your rental property in great condition, accidents can happen, and this is where landlord liability insurance comes in.

Remember that accidents can be caused by the simplest things, like a tile that’s out of place or a trailing wire, and that these accidents can be blamed on you as the landlord.

How much liability insurance should a landlord have?

When you’re deciding how much landlord liability insurance you should take out, consider that compensation claims can be very high. Your cover level is the maximum amount that your insurer will pay out for a claim.

Most insurers offer cover levels in the millions. With Simply Business, you can choose between £2 million or £5 million of landlord liability insurance – it all depends on your needs.

Sometimes commercial landlords may be required to have a particular level of landlord liability cover, for example due to local authority specifications.