What Is Accidental Damage Cover for Landlords?
Accidental damage cover is an optional add-on to landlord insurance that pays for sudden, unintentional damage to your rental property or its fixtures.
Standard landlord buildings insurance covers events like fire, flood, and storm damage. It doesn’t cover a tenant accidentally cracking a bathroom suite, breaking a window, or scorching a kitchen worktop with a hot pan.
That gap is where accidental damage cover sits. It typically adds 10% to 20% to your base landlord insurance premium, while a single claim could save you thousands in repair costs.
Accidental damage is the add-on that covers the one-off mishaps a standard policy leaves out, like a foot through a ceiling or a cracked worktop. It is not the same as malicious damage, and neither covers general wear and tear, so check which of the two your policy actually includes. Confirm it is active for your specific property type, particularly if you let short-term.
Compare landlord insurance quotes with accidental damage included.
What does accidental damage cover include?
Accidental damage cover protects against sudden, one-off incidents caused by you, your tenants, or visitors to the property.
Common covered incidents
Broken windows from impacts, cracked bathroom suites from dropped objects, and kitchen damage from doors pulled off hinges or worktops scorched by hot pans are among the most frequent claims.
Internal walls and doors are also covered, including holes from moving furniture and damage from picture fixings punching through plasterboard.
Fixtures, fittings, and flooring
Burns, deep scratches, or stains from a single incident count as accidental damage to flooring. Gradual wear from foot traffic does not.
Your contents insurance covers moveable items you own, while accidental damage covers permanent fixtures like fitted kitchens, bathroom suites, and built-in wardrobes.
What is not covered?
Accidental damage policies exclude anything that isn’t sudden, unintentional, and caused by a specific incident.
Key exclusions
| Exclusion | Why it’s excluded | Alternative cover |
| Normal wear and tear | Expected deterioration from everyday use | None (budgeted maintenance) |
| Gradual deterioration | Damp, mould, and slow water damage develop over time | Buildings insurance (escape of water) |
| Malicious damage | Deliberate destruction by tenants | Malicious damage add-on |
| Tenant neglect | Damage from ignoring a reported problem | Deposit deductions |
| Pest damage | Rodent or insect damage to wiring or woodwork | Specialist pest cover |
| Pre-existing defects | Damage present before the policy started | None |
Reading the policy wording
Each insurer defines accidental damage slightly differently. If a specific scenario matters to you, ask the insurer to confirm it in writing before you commit.
Your tenancy deposit, protected under the government deposit protection scheme, covers minor damage at the end of a tenancy. Accidental damage insurance covers larger incidents during the tenancy.
How does accidental damage differ from malicious damage?
Accidental damage is unintentional, sudden, and caused by a specific incident. Malicious damage is deliberate.
Why the distinction matters
Your insurer assesses the cause of damage before paying a claim. If you claim for accidental damage but the insurer determines it was deliberate, the claim will be rejected.
The two covers are separate add-ons to your landlord insurance policy. You can buy one without the other, though most landlords with furnished or high-value properties add both.
Grey areas
Negligence sits between the two. A tenant who leaves a bath running and causes water damage may not be covered if the insurer classes it as neglect rather than a genuine accident.
The government’s private renting guidance outlines tenant responsibilities around property care. Your policy wording determines where the line falls between a covered accident and excluded negligence.
Is accidental damage cover worth the cost?
For most landlords, yes. One claim in five years typically makes the cover cost-effective.
Repair costs vs premium
Replacing a cracked bathroom suite costs £500 to £1,500. A damaged fitted kitchen can run from £2,000 to £5,000 or more.
If the additional premium is £100 to £200 per year, one mid-range claim covers several years of premiums. The cost of landlord insurance varies by property type, but accidental damage is one of the cheaper add-ons relative to its payout potential.
When it may not be worth it
New-build properties with standard fittings and professional tenants on long buy-to-let agreements present lower risk. If you have strong cash reserves and a low-risk tenant profile, self-insuring may make sense.
How do you make a claim?
Report the incident to your insurer as soon as possible, provide photographic evidence, and do not carry out permanent repairs before the insurer has assessed the damage.
Step by step
| Step | Action | Detail |
| 1 | Tenant reports the incident | The sooner you know, the sooner you can notify your insurer |
| 2 | Photograph the damage | Multiple angles with close-ups of the affected area |
| 3 | Get two repair quotes | Most insurers require competitive quotes before approving |
| 4 | Notify your insurer | Typically within 30 days, but check your specific terms |
| 5 | Wait for assessment | Claims above £1,000 may require a loss adjuster visit |
Excess and claim impact
The excess on accidental damage claims is typically £250 to £500, separate from your main buildings policy excess. For smaller repairs that barely exceed the excess, consider whether a claim is worth making, because a no-claims history keeps your premiums lower at renewal.
Does cover apply to all property types?
Accidental damage cover is available for most rental properties, but HMOs and holiday lets may face restricted options or higher premiums.
Single-let properties
One household in a standard let property is the easiest to insure and attracts the lowest premiums for accidental damage cover.
HMOs and multi-lets
Multiple unrelated tenants increase accident risk. Your insurer may require specialist cover or charge a higher premium, and your liability insurance should also reflect the higher occupancy.
Holiday lets and short-term rentals
Frequent guest turnover raises the chance of accidental damage. Some home insurance policies aimed at holiday lets include accidental damage as standard, while standard landlord policies may exclude short-term letting.
Always confirm with your insurer that accidental damage is active for your specific property type. Check the ABI’s home insurance guidance for general advice on what policies should include.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, deliberate damage falls under malicious damage cover, which is a separate add-on. Accidental damage cover only applies to genuinely unintentional incidents.
No, your policy protects the property structure, permanent fixtures, and items you own. Tenants need their own contents insurance for personal belongings.
Most insurers charge an excess of £250 to £500 per claim. This is separate from any excess on your main buildings policy.
Yes, multiple claims within a short period will raise your premium at renewal and may make cover harder to obtain.
No, it is an optional add-on. Your mortgage lender may require buildings insurance, but they won’t typically require accidental damage cover as part of your landlord policy.
It depends on the insurer, as some policies cover pet damage as accidental while others exclude it entirely. If you allow pets in your rental property, check the policy wording before you buy.