Frequently asked questions

General Questions

What are contents?

The best way to explain what contents are is as follows: If it was possible to turn your house upside down, then anything that fell out would be classed as contents. It is worth noting that kitchen fitments including built-in appliances should be covered under the buildings policy, as is the case for bathroom fixtures and fittings, however, free standing cookers, fridges etc. that are not built-in should be included under contents. Carpets and laminate floors should be covered under contents, except where the laminate flooring (or real wood flooring) is actually nailed to the floor. In that case it should be covered under buildings insurance.

What is landlords liability cover?

This policy provides £5 million of landlord's liability cover. As a landlord it is essential that your policy includes this type of cover. Take the scenario where your tenant is seriously injured because of a defect in the buildings or contents, it is most likely that he would hold you responsible for his injuries and possibly want to sue you for damages. Without landlord's liability cover you could face substantial losses.

What is a policy excess?

Almost all insurance policies carry an excess. The excess is the amount you pay in the event that you have to make a claim. The standard excess on this policy is £100.00. However, you can significantly reduce the annual premium that you have been quoted by increasing the excess. We offer excesses of £100.00 (standard), £250.00, £500.00, £750.00 and £1,000.00.

What is loss of rent cover?

This policy covers loss of rent up to 30% of the sum insured. If you take out this policy and the building or contents become so badly damaged because of an insured peril, and the tenants have to be moved out because of this, then the insurance company will pay you the rent that the tenants would have paid you, up to 30% of the total sum insured. This does not include cover for loss of rent while the property is unoccupied or between lets.

Policy Questions

What is the minimum sum insured?

The minimum sum insured for this policy is £35,000. You cannot insure your property for less than that amount even though it may cost less than that to rebuild. The maximum sum insured on this policy is £500,000. However, we have other insurance companies that can give competitive quotes for properties up to £5 million. Please telephone 0800 311 2023.

Who issues this policy?

This policy is issued by RGA Underwriting Ltd, Grove House, 551 London Road, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 4DS and is underwritten by leading UK insurers.

Who are the underwriters?

Rentguard policies are underwritten by leading UK insurance companies such as AXA, Zurich Insurance and various underwriters at Lloyds.

How much is the policy excess?

Almost all insurance policies carry an excess. The excess is the amount you pay in the event that you have to make a claim. The standard excess on this policy is £100.00, however you can significantly reduce the annual premium that you have been quoted, by increasing the excess. We offer excesses of £100.00 (standard), £250.00, £500.00, £750.00 and £1,000.00. To get a quotation with an increased excess please contact us.

Does the premium include IPT?

Yes. The premium is calculated including Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) at 6%.

Is landlords liability included?

Yes. This policy provides £5 million of landlord's liability cover. As a landlord it is essential that your policy includes this type of cover. Take the scenario where your tenant is seriously injured because of a defect in the buildings or contents, it is most likely that he would hold you responsible for his injuries and possibly want to sue you for damages. Without landlord's liability cover you could face substantial losses.

Is accidental damage included?

If you have taken out buildings insurance then accidental damage is covered for breakage of fixed glass, solar panels, sanitary fixtures and fittings and ceramic hobs. Also covered is the cost of repairing accidental damage to oil pipes, underground water supply pipes, sewers, drains, underground gas pipes and electricity cables. If you have taken out contents insurance then accidental damage is not included, however we would recommend that you make it a condition of your tenancy agreement that your tenants arrange contents insurance to cover their personal possessions. The policy we provide gives your tenants legal liability cover up to £5 million and legal liability cover to the landlord. This means that if they damaged any of the landlord's possessions they can make an insurance claim for the cost of the damage. This could also protect the tenant's deposit.

Can I reduce the annual premium?

Yes. You can significantly reduce the annual premium that you have been quoted by increasing the excess. The excess is the amount you pay in the event that you have to make a claim. The standard excess on this policy is £100.00. We offer excesses of £100.00 (standard), £250.00, £500.00, £750.00 and £1,000.00.

I have two (or more) properties insured with you. Do I receive a discount?

We can offer a block scheme if you place five or more policies with us at one time, but not on two policies. If you wish to arrange cover for multiple properties, contact us.

Does 'Loss of Rent' cover me if my tenants fail to pay their rent?

No, 'Loss of Rent' is included as standard with all residential property insurance. It protects you if your property is made uninhabitable, due to one of the insured perils, such as fire or flood. Defaulted rent payments can be covered under our Legal expenses and Rent Guarantee insurance.

What about vacant periods?

This policy will provide cover between lets for up to 45 days, although up to 90 days is available on request and subject to price increase. If the property is vacant for longer than 45 days you must contact Easylet and notify us.

Property questions

How much do I insure my property for?

When it comes to insuring your property you need to know how much to insure it for. This amount should be the re-instatement cost and not the current market value. The Association of British Insurers provide a handy calculator tool that will tell you the re-instatement value for any property, anywhere in the UK. Use these figures for homeowners, let property, holiday homes etc. to get your immediate online quotation from Brokers Direct. Association Of British Insurers Calculator Tool.

How do I calculate the rebuild value?

The Association of British Insurers provide a handy calculator tool that will tell you the re-instatement value for any property, anywhere in the UK. Use these figures for homeowners, let property, holiday homes etc. to get your immediate online quotation from Easylet. Association Of British Insurers Calculator Tool.

How do I work out my contents sum?

The contents sum is the total sum of all of your belongings, including carpets and curtains. Contents cover does not include fixtures and fittings, as these are covered under buildings insurance.

Payment Questions

Is it secure to buy online?

Yes. The proposal forms are processed on a secure server. This will be confirmed to you by the locked padlock on the bottom right hand side of your screen. Barclaycard Merchant Services process all our credit card payments.

How can I pay for this policy?

The options are to pay by credit card, debit card, or by direct debit. The only one that imposes any charges is the Direct Debit payment which adds 10% to the annual premium and this is payable over 10 months, not 12. All other methods do not incur any other charges at all. You can pay by credit / debit card securely online.

Cancellations and Claims

How do I make a claim?

The claims registration number is 0208 587 1060.

What if I want to cancel this policy?

Once you purchase this policy you will receive your policy documents within 7 days. Once received you have a further 14 days to read through the policy wording and also to check that the cover provided meets your requirements. If for any reason you are not happy with the cover provided, please contact us, and we will assist you in providing alternative cover, or instruct you how to cancel the policy and get a full refund. If you want to cancel this policy after the 14 day 'cooling off' period you must phone the insurers direct on 0800 311 2023. You must also provide one month's notice of your intention to cancel, otherwise penalties will be chargeable.