How to claim on your landlord insurance

Whenever you own a rental property, there’s always the risk that something will happen to it. Whether it’s through the fault of your tenants or not, renting out your property comes with its own set of risks – some of them unique to landlords and some shared among all homeowners.

The best way to mitigate against the risk of any potential financial or physical loss is by taking out landlord insurance. What your insurance covers will depend on the exact policy you take out, but most policies cover a number of potential incidents. These include contents protection (should you opt for it), damage to the building and loss of rent.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to make a claim on your landlord insurance, here it is what you need to know.

Making a claim on your landlord insurance

Whatever your reason for needing to make a claim on your landlord insurance, it’s best to let your insurance provider know as soon as possible. You should do this once it’s safe to do so, meaning you might need to secure the property or get the occupants to safety first. If your property has been burgled or vandalised, you should also report the incident to the local police department as soon as possible.

Once you have made your insurer aware of what happened, they will need to collect more information from you. This may be done in the form of a claims form, over the phone or through an external agent such as your Broker. During this time, your insurance provider will probably ask for any evidence you might have, so it’s a good idea to take photos if it’s safe to do so. You may also be asked to report the incident number provided by the police if the police have been involved in any way. You can usually find full details on what might be needed in your policy documents, so it’s a good idea to always have these somewhere easily accessible.

At this point in the claims process, your insurance provider might share guidance on how to limit the damage or advise you on the next steps. If a Loss Adjuster has been assigned to your case, they will most likely want to visit the property and ask you more detailed questions, this will inform the ‘Loss Adjusters Report’ they will submit to the insurance company. Once the insurance company and Loss Adjuster have all the information they need, they will make an assessment and offer you the compensation that they believe you are entitled to.

Getting help with your landlord insurance claim

If you would like help navigating the insurance claims process, you have the right to employ the services of a Loss Assessor at any stage. Our team of experienced Loss Assessors can help you throughout the entire claims process – from liaising with the insurance provider to dealing with the Loss Adjuster – to ensure you get the full settlement you are entitled to. You can find more about our Loss Assessor services and how they can help you by visiting our landlord insurance claims page.