Renters Insurance
Contents Insurance Quotes for Renters
You could save up to £257* on renters contents insurance in minutes.
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Compare affordable quotes from up to 50 UK tenant insurers, including;
What Is Renters Insurance?
Renters insurance is a type of contents insurance designed for people who rent their home, covering the cost of repairing or replacing personal belongings if they are damaged, destroyed, or stolen.
Your landlord's buildings insurance covers the structure of the property, but it does not protect anything you own inside it. Renters insurance fills that gap, covering items like furniture, electronics, clothing, and jewellery.
Industry research puts the average UK household contents value at around £55,000, and the ABI recommends checking the replacement cost of everything you own. Without a policy, you would need to fund every replacement yourself after a fire, flood, or burglary.
How To Compare Renters Insurance Quotes
You can compare renters insurance quotes in a few minutes by entering your details, choosing your cover level, and reviewing prices from multiple insurers side by side.
Value your belongings
Go room by room and add up the replacement cost of everything you own in the property. Include furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchenware, and personal items.
Enter your details
Provide your address, tenancy type, property security features, and claims history. These details help insurers calculate your risk profile and premium.
Compare quotes side by side
Review cover limits, excess amounts, and pricing from multiple providers. Every insurer on our panel is authorised and regulated by the FCA, so all quotes meet the same consumer protection standards.
Buy your policy online
Choose the policy that matches your needs and budget. Your cover documents arrive by email, so your belongings are protected straight away.
What Does Renters Insurance Cover?
Renters insurance covers your personal possessions inside the property against damage or loss from fire, flood, storm, theft, and vandalism.
Personal belongings inside the home
Furniture, electronics, clothing, shoes, kitchen appliances, and personal items are all covered. This includes anything you would take with you if you moved to a different rental.
Theft and burglary
If someone breaks into your rental and steals your belongings, renters insurance covers the cost of replacing them. You will need a crime reference number from the police to make a claim.
Fire, flood, and storm damage
Your contents are covered if they are damaged or destroyed by fire, flooding, or severe weather. Your landlord's policy covers the building itself, but your belongings inside are your responsibility.
Tenant liability
Many policies include tenant liability cover, which protects you if you accidentally damage something belonging to the landlord. This could include staining a carpet, cracking a basin, or breaking a window.
Alternative accommodation
If your rental becomes uninhabitable after an insured event like a fire or flood, some policies cover the cost of temporary housing while repairs are carried out.
Belongings in outbuildings
Most policies cover items stored in locked garages, sheds, or outbuildings at the property. Cover limits for outbuildings are usually lower than for items inside the main home.
What Is Not Covered By Renters Insurance?
Standard renters insurance excludes general wear and tear, deliberate damage, items left unattended outside the home, and losses caused by negligence or poor security.
General wear and tear
Worn-out shoes, faded curtains, and ageing electronics are not insured events. Renters insurance only covers sudden, unexpected damage or loss.
Negligence and unsecured property
Claims may be refused if you leave doors or windows unlocked and a theft occurs. Insurers expect you to take reasonable steps to secure the property.
High-value items over the single-item limit
Most policies cap individual items at £1,000 to £2,500. Jewellery, watches, or electronics worth more than this need to be listed as specified items on your policy.
Business equipment
Laptops, tools, and stock used for business purposes are usually excluded. You would need separate business equipment cover or a home business extension.
Unoccupied properties
Most policies exclude claims on rentals left empty for more than 30 consecutive days. If you are away for an extended period, tell your insurer.
Items belonging to other people
Belongings owned by lodgers, guests, or flatmates not named on the policy are usually excluded. Each person in a house share may need their own contents policy.
How Much Does Renters Insurance Cost?
The average cost of renters insurance in the UK is around £8–£13 per month, but prices vary depending on the value of your contents, your location, and the level of cover you choose.
| Contents Value | Typical Monthly Premium |
| Up to £10,000 | £4–£7 |
| £10,001–£25,000 | £6–£12 |
| £25,001–£40,000 | £10–£16 |
| £40,001–£60,000 | £14–£22 |
| Over £60,000 | £20–£30+ |
What affects the price?
Your premium depends on the total value of your contents, the area you live in, the type of property, how secure it is, and whether you have made previous claims. Rentals in higher-crime areas typically attract higher premiums.
Does paying monthly cost more?
Monthly payments usually include interest charges that add 10–15% to the total annual cost. Paying upfront for the full year avoids this extra charge if your budget allows it.
*51% of consumers could save £257.05 on their Home Building & Contents Insurance. The saving was calculated by comparing the cheapest price found with the average of the next fourteen cheapest prices quoted by insurance providers on Seopa Ltd’s insurance comparison website. This is based on representative cost savings from April 2026. The savings you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances.
Who Needs Renters Insurance?
Anyone who rents their home and owns belongings they could not afford to replace out of pocket should have renters insurance.
Students
Laptops, phones, headphones, and gaming consoles are all high-value targets in shared student accommodation. A basic policy covering £10,000–£15,000 of contents can cost under £8 per month.
Young professionals
Renting a flat with your own furniture, electronics, and clothing adds up quickly. A professional renting a one-bed flat with £20,000–£30,000 of contents might pay £8–£14 per month.
Families in long-term rentals
Families typically own more belongings and need higher cover limits. Combined with home insurance extras like tenant liability and legal expenses, a family policy provides wider protection.
House sharers
Each person in a shared house usually needs their own policy. A joint policy is possible but rare, and one person's claim could affect premiums for everyone on it.
Short-term and rolling tenants
Even on a short let, your belongings are at risk from theft, fire, or flooding. Monthly rolling policies are available if you do not want to commit to an annual contract.
See our guide on what is home insurance for an overview of the different cover types.
What Add-Ons Are Available For Renters Insurance?
Most insurers offer optional extras that extend your renters cover beyond the standard policy, including accidental damage, personal possessions away from home, and bicycle cover.
Accidental damage cover
Covers damage you cause accidentally, such as spilling coffee on a laptop, knocking over a lamp, or staining the landlord's carpet. Without this add-on, only damage from insured events like theft or fire is covered.
Personal possessions away from home
Extends cover to items you carry outside the property, including phones, watches, tablets, and wallets. This protects against loss, theft, and accidental damage while you are out.
Bicycle cover
Covers your bicycle against theft and damage both inside and outside the home. Standard policies usually only cover bikes stored inside the property.
Legal expenses cover
Pays legal costs if you need to pursue or defend a claim, such as a dispute with your landlord over your deposit or responsibility for damage.
Home emergency cover
Covers emergency callouts for problems like burst pipes, boiler breakdowns, or total loss of electricity. This is especially useful if your landlord is slow to arrange repairs.
Contents insurance upgrade
If you want broader cover than a basic renters policy, upgrading to a full contents insurance policy gives you higher cover limits and more flexibility with specified items and add-ons.
How To Save Money On Renters Insurance
The most effective ways to reduce your premium are getting an accurate contents valuation, comparing multiple quotes, increasing your voluntary excess, and improving your home security.
Get an accurate contents valuation
Over-insuring means you pay for cover you do not need. Under-insuring means your claim payout could be reduced proportionally, leaving you out of pocket.
Compare quotes from multiple insurers
Prices for the same level of cover can vary by hundreds of pounds between providers. Comparing side by side takes a few minutes and is the fastest way to find a better deal.
Increase your voluntary excess
Raising the amount you agree to pay towards any claim lowers your monthly premium. Make sure the excess is an amount you could comfortably afford if you needed to claim.
Improve home security
Fitting deadlocks, window locks, and a burglar alarm can lower your premium. Shelter recommends checking with your landlord before installing security features, as some tenancy agreements require written consent.
Only add extras you actually need
Accidental damage and personal possessions cover are useful but not always necessary. If you rarely take valuables outside the home, skip the personal possessions add-on.
Check for existing cover
Some packaged bank accounts include basic contents insurance as a benefit. Check what your account offers before buying a separate policy.
Pay annually if you can
Monthly payments include interest that adds 10–15% to the total cost. Paying the full year upfront avoids this markup.
Check your tenancy rights
The GOV.UK private renting guide explains your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Knowing what your landlord is liable for can help you avoid paying for cover you do not need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Renters insurance is a type of contents insurance for people who rent their home. It covers your personal belongings against damage, loss, or theft, but does not cover the building itself.
Renters insurance is a form of contents insurance designed specifically for tenants. The core cover is the same, but renters policies often include tenant liability as standard.
No. Your landlord's policy covers the building and their own fixtures, but it does not protect anything you own inside the property.
You need enough to replace every item you own in the property at today's prices. Go room by room and add up furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchenware, and personal items.
Yes, but each person usually needs their own policy. Joint policies exist but are rare, and items belonging to people not named on the policy are usually excluded.
Not as standard on most policies. Accidental damage is usually an optional add-on that covers things like spilling drinks on electronics or staining carpets.
Not as standard. You need a personal possessions add-on to cover items like phones, laptops, and watches when you take them outside the property.
Most insurers let you transfer your policy to a new address. Contact your provider before you move to update your details, as the new location may affect your premium.
No, there is no legal requirement for tenants to have renters insurance. However, some landlords may include it as a recommendation in the tenancy agreement.
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of the property, including walls, the roof, and permanent fixtures. Contents insurance covers your personal belongings inside the home, and tenants only need contents cover because the landlord insures the building.
Contact your insurer as soon as possible after the loss or damage. Provide a description of what happened, a list of affected items with values, and any supporting evidence such as receipts, photos, or a police crime reference number.
