What is building insurance?

Building insurance is a cover that can pay to rebuild or repair the structure of your property if it’s damaged or destroyed. It covers parts of your property like the walls, floors and roof if they’re affected by something like fire, storm, flood or vandalism.

What does building insurance cover?

Building insurance can cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your property if it’s hit by a disaster like a storm, fire or flood, or if it’s damaged by something like vandalism or subsistence.

Landlord building insurance is specifically designed to protect your rental property from these risks. Although it’s not a legal requirement, your mortgage provider will usually insist that you have a policy.

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What is the difference between buildings and contents insurance?

The difference between buildings insurance and contents insurance hinges on the difference between the structure of the property and the possessions inside the property.

Buildings insurance covers the permanent, physical structure of your property, including the walls, roof and floors. It usually also includes fixtures and fittings, for example fitted cupboards or a fitted kitchen or bathroom.

Contents insurance covers the things inside the property, for example furniture, appliances, and decorative items. Some types of flooring (carpets, for example) usually count as contents, although it’s worth checking your policy documents to make sure. In the case of landlord contents insurance, only items belonging to the landlord are covered: tenants need to take out their own insurance to cover their possessions.

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