Get protected with contents insurance that is designed to pay out when you need it

No, and we don’t pretend it is. It’s consistently one of the strongest policies on the market for cover and claims behaviour, which matters more than a headline price when you actually need to claim.

Your landlord’s insurance covers the building they own. It doesn’t cover anything you’ve brought into the property. If a fire, leak or burglary damages your clothes, electronics, furniture or anything else you own, you’d be replacing it all out of your own pocket. When you add up the cost of restocking a home, even modestly, it’s usually more than people expect.

Tenants liability cover protects you when you accidentally damage your landlord’s property or fixtures. Think a burst pipe because you forgot to turn off a tap, a wine stain on a fitted carpet, or breaking a kitchen worktop. You’re legally responsible for this kind of damage, even if it was a complete accident. Paymentshield’s policy includes up to £10,000 of tenants liability cover as standard.

Standard contents cover handles theft, fire, escape of water and similar events. Accidental damage is an add-on for everyday mishaps like spilling red wine on the sofa, knocking your TV off its stand, or dropping a phone. If you have small children, pets or you’re prone to the occasional bump, it’s usually worth adding.

The rule of thumb is to picture replacing everything you own at today’s prices. Walk through each room and add it up: furniture, electronics, clothes, kitchen kit, bedding, books, sports gear, anything in the loft or shed. People often forget jewellery, food in the freezer and the cost of replacing all their bedding and towels. We’d rather you slightly over-estimate than discover you’re underinsured at claim time.

Most flatmate setups can be covered, though each tenant usually needs their own policy for their own belongings. We’ll talk through your specific arrangement on the call and make sure the right cover is in place for your situation.

Cover can usually start on the day you ask us to put it on risk. Once we know your move-in date, we’ll activate the policy from then. If your circumstances change after that, you can adjust the policy without paying any admin fees.

We’ve negotiated a 5% discount with Paymentshield, so you pay less through us than going to them directly. You also get our help choosing the right level of cover and optional extras, someone to talk to if your circumstances change, and a friendly face if you ever need to make a claim. We don’t charge any fees for arranging or advising on the policy.