Your guide to landlord insurance
Still have some questions about landlord or block of flats insurance? Find out more on the guide.
Read moreBlock of flats insurance
Blocks of flats come in different shapes and sizes, just like the risks they bring. Whether you’re the freeholder, leaseholder or a management company, we'll help you find insurance shaped around your needs.
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0333 234 0039
What does buildings insurance for flats cover?
We’ll work with a specialist panel of insurers to find the right policy at the right price for your block of flats buildings insurance, helping to keep you protected and prospering. Not only that, but we can protect multiple properties under one policy, saving you hassle on paperwork and ensuring one point of contact should you need to adjust your cover. We can also provide cover for:
Landlord buildings and contents insurance
We can provide comprehensive buildings and contents cover for your block of flats, including cover for theft, accidental and malicious damage
Alternative accommodation
Alternative accommodation cover is provided for up to 25% of the buildings sum insured should the property become uninhabitable.
Up to 120 days unoccupancy
Cover for up to 120 consecutive days during while the property is unoccupied
Pet damage
We work with commercial insurance specialists NIG to provide our Lets with Pets scheme, which covers pet damage to your buildings and contents as standard. Speak to one of our consultants for more information.
What you need to know about buildings insurance for flats
When it comes to renting out blocks of flats you’ll need to make sure that your policy is designed to protect your investment against the risks you could face as a landlord. Find out more about the specific cover you’ll need as part of your flats insurance policy.
What is block of flats insurance?
Block of flats insurance is for landlords that own – unsurprisingly - entire blocks of flats. The policy will provide comprehensive cover for the entire building, factoring in that the flats will either be leased or rented out by the freeholder. Block of flats insurance doesn’t just refer to large residential blocks – cover can be provided for commercial tenants as well as maisonettes or houses that have been converted into flats.
Who needs buildings insurance for flats?
Insurance for blocks of flats can be complex, as there may be a number of parties that could have an insurable interest in the property. Whether or not you need to arrange cover for the buildings will depend on whether you’re the freeholder or the leaseholder, and what legal agreement you have in place. If you own the whole building and all of the flats within it, you are likely to be the freeholder and therefore responsible for arranging buildings insurance cover, or freeholder buildings insurance, for the property. If you own a lease on just one of the flats, you will usually only require cover for any contents you own.
However, there are a number of different types of ownership and circumstances relating to flats that can affect who arranges the insurance. For example, in some cases separate leaseholders will team together to form a residents association or a ‘right to manage’ company. Once they take over the management of the building, the leaseholders will then be responsible for arranging buildings insurance, and the premium will usually be split fairly between all flats in the block. A block of flats can also sometimes have a managing agent who is appointed by the freeholder to manage the property day-to-day, including arranging insurance, so it’s important to check the agreement you have in place and what your responsibilities are before taking out block of flats insurance.
What does buildings insurance cover in flats?
To make sure your investment is protected, you should consider whether you need buildings insurance for your block of flats – it may even be a requirement of your mortgage provider. Block of flats buildings insurance will provide cover for all major risks, such as fire, theft and flood. Consider every option, such as accidental damage, leaks, theft, or fire damage, and make sure you apply this to the flats themselves as well as any other shared areas you’re responsible for.
What insurance do I need for a leasehold flat?
| If you’re the leaseholder of a flat or block of flats, it’s likely that you will be paying a service charge (or management fee) to the freeholder for maintenance services. In this instance, it’s likely that the freeholder is responsible for arranging buildings insurance. However, always check that this is the case with the freeholder. If you’re part of a ‘right to manage’ company or leaseholder association, then it is their responsibility to insure the buildings, rather than the freehold.
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Rules around leaseholders responsibilities are slightly different in Scotland, so we are able to offer buildings insurance for an individual flat on this basis. Please speak to the team to find out more.
What about freeholders building insurance for flats?
As a freeholder of a block of flats, you may be responsible for insuring the buildings as well as the service and maintenance of the building itself and the surrounding grounds. This could include parking areas, pathways, shared corridors, and everything that needs to be maintained in those areas of the building. This general maintenance will not be covered by a block of flats buildings insurance policy, but is usually charged back to the leaseholder in the form of a ‘management fee.’ However, if you’re the freeholder then a specialist block of flats buildings insurance policy should meet your responsibilities to the leaseholders.
How do I arrange block of flats insurance?
Arranging your block of flats insurance doesn’t have to be a long-winded process. With Endsleigh, all you have to do is call our UK based team on 0333 234 0039 or click ‘arrange a call’ to fill out an enquiry form. We’ll then take the time to get to know you and your property or portfolio so we can ensure we’re getting you the right cover, at the right price from our leading panel of insurers. Once you’ve received your quote simply let us know when you want to go ahead and we’ll get you set up.
What optional extras can I add to my block of flats insurance
You may find that the standard covers provided by your block of flats insurance are not sufficient and that you would like to add on additional protection for your building. Endsleigh offer a range of optional extras which can easily be added to your policy, including:
- Employers' liability insurance
- Terrorism cover
- Engineering and inspection cover, including passenger lifts
- Extended legal expenses cover - including tenant disputes
Why Endsleigh for block of flats insurance?
With over 25 years’ experience in the landlord market, we know that great cover and price are important to our clients. With policies designed specifically for blocks of flats and apartments, we work with leading underwriters such as NIG, Allianz, Zurich and more to shape the right insurance solution for you, whether you own single property or large portfolio.
Interested in block of flats insurance? You might also be interested in...
Residential landlord insurance
Buildings and contents cover from Endsleigh, including up to £25,000 malicious damage cover.
Landlord portfolio insurance
A simple insurance solution for complex property portfolios, including both commercial and residential lets.
Non-standard landlord insurance
Comprehensive landlord insurance for more unique homes, including cover for flat roof, flood or subsidence.
Lets with Pets insurance
Renting to tenants with pets isn’t always a walk in the walk. Our NIG policies include pet damage as standard.
Commercial property insurance
Cover for commercial landlords who let properties for business purposes, such as shops, florists and more.
Student landlord insurance
Landlord insurance that provides extended unoccupancy cover for properties let to students.
Need to contact us?
Our friendly team are ready to talk to you:
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Call us on 0333 234 0039