Do I need contents insurance if I live in a shared house?

Do I need contents insurance if I live in a shared house?

Living in a shared house can be great, whether you’re moving in with friends or a bunch of random people, the memories you can make can be with you for life. However, with people constantly coming and going, you would want to make sure that nothing of yours gets broken, damaged and/or stolen.

What is tenant’s contents insurance?

It’s designed for those living in rented accommodation, and it could cover most of the things that you have in your room. If you imagine turning it upside down, anything that would fall out is generally covered under tenant’s contents insurance.

Typical items covered under your tenant’s contents policy would include;

• Electronics such as TVS, laptops
• Clothes and shoes
• Jewellery and watches
• Books
• Sports or musical equipment

These would be covered up to the value of your contents cover limit

Your tenant’s contents insurance policy will likely protect you from;

• Theft
• Fire
• Malicious damage
• Flood
• Water damage from leaks
• Storm damage

Can I get tenant’s contents insurance for just my room?

The simple answer is yes! Whilst your landlord’s insurance will only cover the building and anything they own in the property (furniture, tv etc), you can purchase room-only insurance to make sure the things you value most are safe.

How much will tenant’s contents insurance cost me?

It’s important to make sure you have enough cover to protect what you own. As a tenant you should know roughly the value of your contents. If you estimate too low, you could find yourself underinsured. This could see you either being denied a claim or not receiving the full amount for the contents lost if you came to make a claim.

Make a list of everything you own and how much it would cost to replace it all, this will be a rough idea of how much insurance you might need.

What’s NOT covered by my tenant’s contents insurance?

As with a standard contents insurance policy, you will not be covered for general wear and tear or any damage that happens gradually.

Your policy will also not cover you for theft, if there are no signs of forced entry to the house or your room e.g. left open window or door.

The policy may not also cover high-value items that exceed the standard cover limit – these may need to be covered separately.

What’s not covered are policy dependant, so it always worth checking your policy for the full list.

Is there anything else I need to know about tenant’s contents insurance?

When taking out tenant’s contents, there are some things you need to be aware of;

• Being able to lock your door could be a requirement of the policy
• Cover might only apply to items when they are in your room. If you plan on taking them out and about, you might need to look at organising personal possessions cover.
• Any damage to sports equipment while in use may not be covered

Make sure you read your policy to understand what is and isn’t covered. You can always reach out to your insurer if you still need help.

What does Paymentshield’s tenant’s contents insurance cover?

If you take out a Paymentshield policy, cover is based upon your tenancy agreement. For example, if your agreement names only you and your specific room, then our policy will only cover your tenancy. But, if you and your friends are all named on the agreement then the policy will cover everyone and all their belongings.

Paymentshield’s Tenant’s liability insurance comes covered as standard alongside their Tenant’s contents. Tenant’s liability insurance protects you in case of any damage to your landlord’s property. It will cover the cost of repairing or replacing buildings, contents or gardens as a result of any accidental damage.

Visit our website to find out more about Paymentshield and the insurance we can provide.