Dwelling
The building itself, at replacement cost where the carrier offers it.
Personal Insurance
Landlord insurance for property you rent out.
A homeowners policy will not cover a house you rent to someone else. Once tenants move in, the policy has to change with it.
Landlord insurance, sometimes written as a dwelling fire policy, covers residential property held as an investment rather than lived in. The three things it does that a homeowners policy does not are cover the building as a rental, protect the rental income, and provide liability cover for you as an owner rather than an occupant.
Loss of rent and tenant-caused damage
If a covered loss makes the property uninhabitable, loss of rent cover replaces the income while it is repaired. For an owner with a mortgage on the property that is often the most valuable part of the policy.
Tenant-caused damage is treated differently by different carriers. Sudden accidental damage is usually covered; deliberate damage and gradual deterioration usually are not. Requiring renters insurance in the lease is the practical protection, since it gives you something to claim against.
What it covers
The parts of a landlord insurance policy
Loss of rent
Rental income while the property cannot be let after a covered loss.
Owner liability
Claims from tenants or visitors injured at the property.
Owner contents
Appliances and furnishings you supply, which tenant policies do not cover.
Working with us
What we do differently
We are an independent agency, so we place your landlord insurance across several carriers rather than fitting you to one company's product. That means a genuine comparison, and someone to call who is not a call centre.
- Tell your insurer the property is let — a homeowners policy may not respond
- Require renters insurance in the lease and collect proof each year
- Include loss of rent if the mortgage depends on the rental income
Common questions
Landlord Insurance, answered
Can I keep my homeowners policy if I rent the house out?
No. Homeowners cover assumes you occupy the property, and a claim can be declined once it is let. It needs to be rewritten as a landlord or dwelling fire policy.
Does it cover my tenant's belongings?
No. Tenants need their own renters policy for their possessions and liability. Requiring it in the lease is standard and worth enforcing.
What if my tenant damages the property?
Sudden accidental damage is generally covered; deliberate damage and wear are generally not. A renters policy in the tenant's name gives you something to pursue.
Related cover
Often arranged alongside this
Homeowners Insurance
Hail is the peril that defines property insurance in DFW. How your policy settles a roof claim matters more here than almost anywhere else in the country.
Read moreShort-Term Rental Insurance
Platform host protection is not insurance, and your homeowners policy excludes business use. Short-term letting sits in the gap between them.
Read moreApartment Owners Insurance
A multifamily building is a property risk and an income stream at once. Losing the second usually hurts more than repairing the first.
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