Landlord insurance
Landlord cover, written so you can check it.
Building, landlord contents, and the part that actually matters: loss of rent, tenant damage and malicious damage by a tenant.
A landlord policy is not a home policy with a different name. A standard home and contents policy will decline a tenant damage claim, and most owners only find that out after the tenancy ends.
What is covered
- The building, including fixtures, fences, driveways and outbuildings
- Landlord contents such as carpets, blinds, light fittings and whitegoods
- Loss of rent for up to 52 weeks if the property becomes unliveable
- Loss of rent where the tenant defaults or absconds, up to 15 weeks
- Malicious damage and deliberate damage caused by a tenant or their guests
- Theft by a tenant, where a police report is made
- Legal expenses for tribunal proceedings to recover possession or rent
- Legal liability of $30 million as the owner of the property
What is not covered
- Ordinary wear and tear, including scuffed walls and worn carpet
- Rent lost during a routine vacancy between tenancies
- Damage where no written residential tenancy agreement was in place
- Properties let through short-stay platforms unless declared and rated
- Loss where a bond was never lodged with the relevant state authority
This is a summary. The full list of exclusions, limits and conditions is in theProduct Disclosure Statement.
Excess, in plain figures.
The excess is what you contribute towards a claim. Choosing a higher one lowers your premium. Some claims attract more than one excess, and where they do we say so.
| Excess | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard excess | $500 | Applies to most claims |
| Malicious damage excess | $750 | Tenant caused damage |
| Loss of rent excess | 1 week rent | Deducted from the first payment |
| Chosen excess options | $300 to $2,000 | A higher excess lowers your premium |
All premiums shown are in Australian dollars and include GST and stamp duty, plus the NSW Emergency Services Levy or the Tasmanian Fire Service Contribution where they apply.
Options worth considering
Short-stay letting
Cover for properties listed on short-stay platforms, rated accordingly.
Strata title contents
For apartments where the body corporate insures the building only.
Flood cover exclusion
Removable on properties well outside a flood zone, for a lower premium.
Rent default extension
Extends default cover from 15 to 26 weeks.
Questions about landlord cover
Can I just use a home and contents policy on a rental?
No, and this is the single most common mistake we see. A standard home and contents policy is written for an owner occupier. It will decline a tenant damage claim, it will not pay loss of rent, and it usually excludes the property entirely once it is let. A landlord policy is a different product, not a renamed one.
What counts as malicious damage by a tenant?
Deliberate damage beyond ordinary wear and tear: holes punched in walls, doors kicked in, carpets deliberately burnt or stained, fixtures torn out. It does not include damage that accumulated over a long tenancy through ordinary use, which is a bond and tribunal matter rather than an insurance one.
How does loss of rent work?
There are two kinds. Loss of rent after damage pays while the property is unliveable, for up to 52 weeks. Loss of rent through tenant default pays where a tenant stops paying or absconds, for up to 15 weeks, less the bond and less a one week excess. The default cover only applies where there was a written residential tenancy agreement and the bond was lodged with the state authority.
I own an apartment. Do I need building cover?
Usually not. In a strata scheme the body corporate insures the building, and you insure the landlord contents inside it: carpets, blinds, light fittings, whitegoods, plus loss of rent and liability. Take the strata title contents option rather than the full building policy, and check what your strata insurance actually covers first.
What if I let the property on a short-stay platform?
Tell us. Short-stay letting has a different claims profile and it needs to be declared and rated. A property let on a short-stay platform under a policy written for a standard residential tenancy will not respond, and we would rather price it than decline it.
Other cover
- Home and ContentsBuildings and contents, storm, fire, flood and theft, with make safe called out within 24 hours.
- MotorComprehensive, third party property damage, and fire and theft, with a lifetime repair guarantee.
- TravelOverseas medical, cancellation, luggage and delays, for single trips or an annual multi trip policy.
- BusinessPublic liability, property and stock, business interruption, glass, and tools of trade in one pack.
Get a landlord quote in two minutes.
Eight questions, no phone call, and the premium, excess and exclusions on one screen. This advice is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on it, consider whether it is appropriate for you.
Consider the PDS and TMD before deciding. Premiums include GST and stamp duty.