Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Next review: April 2027
Landlord insurance is one of the few running costs you can compare and cut every year — but only if you know what a normal price looks like. This guide pulls together the most recent published price data we could find, explains why two landlords with similar properties can pay very different amounts, and shows what you’re actually buying.
We don’t sell insurance and we don’t earn commission from insurers. Every figure below is linked to its source, and we tell you who produced it.
The headline numbers
Two recent, large datasets give a consistent picture of what a typical single-let property costs to insure:
| Source and cover | Cheapest 10% paid | Median (typical) price |
|---|---|---|
| Simply Business customers, Buildings + property owners’ liability (Jun–Aug 2026) | £172.85 a year or less | £253.42 a year |
| Simply Business customers, Buildings + liability + landlord contents (Jun–Aug 2026) | £193.95 a year or less | £288.48 a year |
| Alan Boswell Group quote data, all landlord policies (to March 2026) | — | £284.75 a year |
In monthly terms, that’s roughly £21–£24 a month for a typical policy, with the cheapest tenth of customers paying around £14–£16 a month.
The Simply Business figures are published on MoneySuperMarket; the Alan Boswell figures come from the broker’s own quote database. Both are “what landlords paid or were quoted”, not a guarantee of what you’ll pay.
Cost by property type
Alan Boswell’s 2026 data shows how much the type of building matters:
| Property type | Median annual cost | Share of quotes |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose-built flat | £255.44 | 6.3% |
| Terraced house | £269.47 | 49.1% |
| Semi-detached house | £280.00 | 19.9% |
| Detached house | £364.29 | 6.5% |
| Block of converted flats | £714.07 | 8.5% |
| Block of purpose-built flats | £822.84 | 1.8% |
Single houses and flats sit in a fairly narrow band. Whole blocks cost two to three times as much, reflecting the higher rebuild value and the number of units exposed to a single claim.
Cost by postcode: the biggest variable
Location can make more difference than anything else. For terraced houses, Alan Boswell found:
| Most expensive postcodes | Median annual cost | Cheapest postcodes | Median annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| NW3 (Hampstead, London) | £1,470.31 | HR4 (Hereford) | £73.09 |
| SW11 (London) | £1,210.00 | DE13 (Burton upon Trent) | £78.00 |
| NW6 (London) | £1,157.14 | LN6 (Lincoln) | £92.00 |
That’s a difference of roughly twentyfold between the cheapest and dearest areas for the same type of property. If you’re comparing your premium with a friend’s, check where their property is before assuming you’re overpaying.
Example quotes for a single property
For a sense of individual quotes rather than averages, Simply Business has published example quotes for a standard buy-to-let of £13.25 a month (AXA) and £22.92 a month (Zurich) — around £159 and £275 a year. These sit comfortably within the ranges above, and show that the insurer you choose can shift the price by 70% or more for the same risk.
What drives your premium
Insurers price landlord policies on a mix of the property, the tenancy and you:
- Location — flood risk, subsidence, crime and local rebuild costs.
- Rebuild value and property type — bigger, older or non-standard buildings cost more to rebuild.
- Level of cover — buildings only, buildings plus contents, and optional extras.
- Tenant type — some insurers price students, HMOs or tenants receiving benefits differently. Under the Renters’ Rights Act you can’t refuse tenants because they receive benefits, so check your policy covers every tenant type you may let to.
- Claims history — previous claims on the property or by you.
- Voluntary excess — a higher excess lowers the premium but increases what you pay when you claim.
- Unoccupancy — empty properties are higher risk; most policies limit cover after a set number of days empty.
- Number of properties — portfolio policies can be cheaper per property than insuring each one separately.
What landlord insurance usually covers
MoneySuperMarket lists the core covers and common add-ons:
Core cover
- Landlord buildings insurance — the structure and permanent fixtures.
- Property owners’ liability — if a tenant or visitor is injured because of the property’s condition.
- Landlord contents insurance — furniture and appliances you provide (important for furnished lets).
Common optional extras
- Loss of rent / rental income protection (e.g. after a fire or flood makes the property uninhabitable)
- Rent guarantee insurance (if the tenant doesn’t pay)
- Legal expenses
- Unoccupied property cover
- Landlord emergency cover and boiler breakdown
- Accidental damage
- Lock replacement
Each add-on increases the premium, so it’s worth deciding which risks you’d genuinely struggle to absorb yourself.
Why you can’t just use home insurance
A standard home insurance policy is designed for an owner living in the property. Letting it out usually changes the risk in ways that policy doesn’t cover. We explain the differences, and the common ways landlords invalidate their cover, in our guide to landlord insurance vs home insurance.
How to get a better price without cutting the cover you need
- Compare at every renewal. With such wide variation between insurers, loyalty rarely pays.
- Check the rebuild value. Over-insuring costs money; under-insuring can reduce a claim payout.
- Choose your excess deliberately. Pick a level you could comfortably pay tomorrow.
- Drop add-ons you don’t need, but don’t drop liability cover.
- Keep your compliance in order. Up-to-date gas, electrical and EPC certificates make claims smoother and are sometimes a policy condition.
- Consider a portfolio policy if you have several properties.
- Tell your insurer about changes — a new tenant type, a long empty period or building work.
Is landlord insurance tax-deductible?
Generally, yes. GOV.UK lists insurance among the allowable expenses you can deduct from rental income, as long as it’s wholly and exclusively for the letting business. That reduces the real after-tax cost.
Where it fits in your overall costs
For most single-let landlords, insurance is a modest but unavoidable cost: typically a few hundred pounds a year, compared with thousands for maintenance or mortgage interest. You can see how it compares with every other cost in our guide to the true cost of being a landlord, or plug your own premium into the landlord cost calculator. If you let an HMO, expect specialist cover and higher prices — see our HMO licence cost guide.
Three example landlords
To show how the published figures translate into real budgets, here are three illustrative landlords. The numbers come from the medians and ranges above, not from quotes.
| Landlord | Property | Cover | Likely range | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priya | 2-bed purpose-built flat, Midlands; freeholder insures the building | Landlord contents + liability only | Towards the lower end | Buildings cover is paid through the service charge |
| Tom | 3-bed terraced house, northern England | Buildings + liability + contents | Around the £269 median for terraced houses | Typical single let, no claims |
| Aisha | 3-bed terraced house, north-west London | Buildings + liability + contents + rent guarantee | Well above the median | London postcodes can cost several times more; rent guarantee adds roughly £90–£220 a year |
The lesson: two landlords with the same type of house can pay very different premiums, so your own postcode and cover choices matter more than any national average.
If you own a leasehold flat
In most blocks, the freeholder or management company insures the building and recovers the cost through the service charge. As a landlord of a leasehold flat you usually need:
- landlord contents for anything you supply;
- property owners’ liability, if it isn’t included in the building policy;
- optional loss of rent or rent guarantee cover.
Ask for a copy of the building policy schedule so you know what’s already covered, and don’t pay twice for buildings insurance.
Excess, claims and your premium
The excess is the part of each claim you pay yourself. A higher voluntary excess lowers your premium, but only makes sense if you could pay it comfortably. Some policies set a separate, higher compulsory excess for particular types of claim, such as escape of water (burst pipes and leaking appliances) — check the schedule so you know what you’d actually pay.
Every claim can affect your future premiums, so for small losses it can be cheaper to pay yourself. Keep your maintenance up to date, too: insurers can reduce or refuse claims where damage was caused by wear and tear or poor maintenance rather than a sudden event. Our guide to landlord maintenance costs explains how to budget for upkeep.
What to have ready when you get quotes
- The property’s rebuild cost (not its market value) — your survey or a rebuild calculator can help.
- Year of construction, construction type and number of bedrooms.
- Whether it’s a single let, HMO or flat in a block.
- Tenant type and whether the property is furnished.
- Your claims history for the last five years.
- Any planned periods when the property will be unoccupied, or building work.
Giving accurate answers matters more than getting the lowest price: incorrect information can mean a claim is reduced or refused.
Frequently asked questions
How much is landlord insurance per month? The typical (median) landlord paid about £21–£24 a month in 2026, based on Simply Business and Alan Boswell data. The cheapest tenth paid around £14–£16.
Is landlord insurance a legal requirement? No, but most buy-to-let mortgage lenders require buildings insurance, and liability cover protects you against potentially large claims.
Why is my landlord insurance so expensive? The most common reasons are location (especially London postcodes), the property type (blocks cost more), previous claims, or add-ons you may not need.
Does landlord insurance cover unpaid rent? Not as standard. You need rent guarantee insurance as an add-on or separate policy.
Can I claim landlord insurance against tax? Generally yes, as an allowable expense against rental income.
Sources
- MoneySuperMarket — Compare landlord insurance (Simply Business customer data, June–August 2026)
- Alan Boswell Group — UK landlord insurance statistics 2026 (quote data to 31 March 2026)
- Simply Business — Landlord insurance (example quotes)
- GOV.UK — Income Tax when you rent out a property: working out your rental income
Prices are published averages and examples, not quotes. Always get a current quote for your property. Last checked: 8 October 2026.
Related guides
- Rent Guarantee Insurance in the UK: What It Costs, What It Covers and Whether It’s Worth It
- Landlord Insurance vs Home Insurance: What’s the Difference and Do You Need It?
- Landlord Safety Certificate Costs in 2026: Gas Safety, EICR and EPC
- The True Cost of Being a Landlord in the UK (2026)
- Making Tax Digital for Landlords: Does It Apply to You, and When?
Figures are published examples, estimates and averages, not quotes. Rules change: check the linked official source before you act.