No, you don’t legally need contents insurance when you rent. But your landlord’s insurance won’t usually cover your own belongings, so without it you pay to replace anything lost, stolen or damaged. In England, your landlord can’t make you buy insurance as part of your tenancy.
Is contents insurance a legal requirement?
No. MoneyHelper says you don’t need home insurance if you rent, but it’s a good idea if you can afford it. It’s up to you whether you get contents insurance.
The question to ask yourself is simple: could you afford to replace everything you own if there were a fire, flood or break-in? MoneyHelper warns that without cover you’d pay for losses yourself, which could run to thousands of pounds.
Your landlord’s insurance doesn’t cover your things
Buildings insurance is your landlord’s responsibility. It covers the structure of the home, not what’s inside that belongs to you. MoneyHelper says your landlord won’t usually cover your own belongings.
Shelter England makes the same point. If your things are damaged by a neighbour, or through crime, your landlord does not have to replace them. Shelter says you can get contents insurance for accidental or criminal damage in a rented home.
As a renter, you only need contents cover. MoneyHelper says you don’t need to list anything that belongs to your landlord, as that’s normally their responsibility.
Can your landlord make you take out insurance?
Not in England. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 guidance on GOV.UK lists contents insurance as one of the products that can help tenants. It then says: “You can choose to use any of these things, but your landlord is not allowed to make you pay for a loan, pay for insurance or start a contract for a service as part of your tenancy.”
So a landlord or agent can suggest a policy, but they can’t make it a condition of renting. If you’re charged for one anyway, you can complain to your local council, which can investigate prohibited payments.
Tenants’ liability cover for the landlord’s items
Your belongings are one risk. Damage to things that belong to your landlord is another. If you break a fitted oven door or stain a carpet, the cost could come out of your deposit. See fair wear and tear for what counts as damage.
MoneyHelper says a good contents policy for tenants should include tenants’ liability. This covers you against any legal responsibility for loss or damage to the landlord’s fixtures and fittings. MoneyHelper suggests £10,000 or more of this cover.
Accidental damage cover is a separate feature. MoneyHelper says it’s often an optional add-on, and gives the example of spilling paint on a carpet. Check what your policy includes before you buy.
How to work out what your belongings are worth
When you get a quote, you’re usually asked how much it would cost to replace the entire contents of your home. MoneyHelper says if your cover isn’t enough to replace your contents on a “new for old” basis, your insurer might not pay the full amount of a claim.
Go room by room and price each thing at what it would cost to buy new today, not what you paid. Don’t forget clothes, which often add up to more than people expect.
Watch the single item limit. MoneyHelper says many policies have one, often around £1,500. Anything worth more usually needs to be listed on the policy.
Worked example (fictional)
Ella rents a one-bedroom furnished flat. The landlord owns the bed, wardrobe and fridge, so she leaves those out. She prices her own things at the cost of buying them new.
| Room | What’s included | Cost to replace new |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Clothes and shoes £2,400, bed linen and towels £250, lamp and small items £150 | £2,800 |
| Living room | TV £450, her own sofa £700, books, games and decor £400 | £1,550 |
| Kitchen | Pans, plates and cutlery £300, small appliances £250, food £100 | £650 |
| Bathroom | Toiletries and hairdryer £150 | £150 |
| Personal items | Laptop £1,600, bike £650, jewellery and watch £500 | £2,750 |
| Total | £7,900 |
£2,800 + £1,550 + £650 + £150 + £2,750 = £7,900. Ella asks for quotes for at least £7,900 of cover. Her laptop is worth £1,600, which is £100 over a £1,500 single item limit, so she lists it on the policy. All figures are fictional.
Fitting insurance into your moving budget
MoneyHelper says prices vary between insurers and even between comparison sites, so get several quotes. If you rent from a council or housing association, check whether it has arranged cheaper cover with an insurer, but compare it with other quotes.
Use the moving house cost calculator to add insurance to your other moving costs. Our guide to bills when renting covers the regular costs, and the moving into a rented home checklist reminds you to set up cover from the day you move in.
Sources
- MoneyHelper: Do I need insurance when renting?, checked 4 October 2026
- MoneyHelper: What is contents insurance?, checked 4 October 2026
- MoneyHelper: What is a good contents insurance policy?, checked 4 October 2026
- MoneyHelper: Contents insurance if you rent and have a low income, checked 4 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Tenant Fees Act 2019 guidance for tenants, checked 4 October 2026
- Shelter England: Damage to your rented home, checked 4 October 2026
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.