Home Insurance with Lodgers

Many households decide to take in a lodger to gain an extra source of income, and while the law is relatively relaxed about this, your home insurance provider may not be.

Unless a household has had long-term plans to get a lodger, it is unlikely that it was factored into the analysis of home insurance quotes when a policy was taken out. Different insurance companies will take different views, with some even declining to extend cover for home insurance with lodgers. See above for our range of specialist providers which could offer the cover you’re looking for.

It is an important first step to inform the provider of your home insurance about the lodger. Many standard policies carry stipulations that the only people living in the house should be the policyholder and their immediate family.

Lodgers do carry a certain amount of risk in two key areas:

• The policyholder’s liability for providing a safe environment for their family
• An increased risk to the family’s home and belongings

Many insurance providers will offer home insurance quotes for specialist cover that takes lodgers into account. Another strategy is for the lodger in question to arrange their own contents cover. This means that the lodger will have sole responsibility for their own policy and will also be in charge of paying for it, something that can make the homeowner’s job easier.

It is common for insurance companies to offer both buildings and contents cover as stand alone policies so getting home insurance for the lodger should not be too difficult.