Contents insurance

whizzing

When moving into a furnished flat, what contents insurance do you need? Only your own possessions eg clothes. What happens if you spill something on the cream carpet?

Quentin

You need contents cover for your own items.


Check the tenancy agreement and see what it says regarding the landlord's property.


If there is no cover provided by the landlord you need to get some (as no doubt you will be responsible!) - though you will probably need a special policy to cover the landlord's property.

InsideInsurance

Most standard Home Contents cover include liability to Landlords, Direct Line for example give you £5,000 of cover

Dont fall for estate/ letting agents claim that you need specialist "tenants contents" which tends to be highly over priced poor quality insurance with very fat referral fees paid back to the agents.

Quentin

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Most standard Home Contents cover include liability to Landlords, Direct Line for example give you £5,000 of cover......

You are mistaken.


Direct Line don't cover the landlord's contents for tenants:


http://www.directline.com/home-insurance/tenants-contents

....Unfortunately Direct Line cannot cover you if you live in a rented property that is furnished by your landlord.

InsideInsurance

Oddly their Q&B site doesnt ask about if a rented property is furnished or unfurnished and there is nothing in the assumptions either, even their live chat people say you can buy their insurance in a furnished flat.

Not sure if the site or their quote and buy system is the right one but certainly the FOS would uphold any complaints against them on the basis that an honest set of answers allows you to buy.

TSx

The cover included with Direct Line does not include accidental damage (other than to sanitary fittings/glass) so would not cover accidental damage to a carpet. The purpose of the 'tenants liability' section is to cover potential damage to the building under a contents policy - they are unusual though in that they also exclude Landlords Fittings & Fixtures under the definition of contents.

I had a quick look at the Saga Policy Wording which under the definition of contents includes "Household Goods" if "You are legally liable for them". That means that any accidental damage to the landlords contents would be covered under the policy. They also have the tenants liability section but as above, this applies to the buildings for standard perils only (not accidental damage).