Landlord insurance for Australian investors
Cover for the building you rent out, plus the risks an owner-occupier policy ignores — loss of rent, liability, and optional tenant-default and tenant-damage cover. Long-term or Airbnb, compared across our panel.
By Andre Lang · Home insurance savings expertLandlord cover, in short
A note on cost: a landlord premium is built on the rebuild cost of the building plus the rental-specific cover you add. The sum-insured figure above is drawn from real quotes across our panel; your price depends on the property, the cover and the rental arrangement. Indicative only.
What landlord insurance covers
At its core it protects the building, then layers on the cover a rented property needs and an owner-occupier policy leaves out.
The building
Repair or rebuild the structure after fire, storm, flood or impact — the core of every landlord policy.
Loss of rent
Rental income while the property is untenantable after an insured event, so a claim doesn't also cost you the rent.
Legal liability
Your liability as a landlord if someone is injured at the property, including legal costs and compensation.
Tenant default (optional)
Unpaid rent and associated costs when a long-term tenant defaults — needs a signed lease to qualify.
Tenant damage (optional)
Malicious or accidental damage caused by tenants, beyond fair wear and tear.
Contents (optional)
Carpets, blinds, appliances and furnishings you provide — add it for furnished or short-term rentals.
Home insurance vs landlord insurance
A standard owner-occupier home policy generally stops responding once you rent the property out. If there's a tenant — long-term or short-stay — you need a landlord policy, not a home one, or a claim can be declined.
Long-term tenants or Airbnb — we cover both
Long-term rentals
Standard residential tenancies. This is where tenant default cover is available — usually conditional on a signed written lease, and often a licensed property manager.
Short-term & holiday letting
Airbnb, Stayz and similar are covered — just pick the short-term option when you quote. We don't cover hotels, motels or boarding houses.
A signed lease and a licensed property manager don't just unlock tenant-default cover — they often improve your terms, because they lower the risk an insurer is pricing.
What drives a landlord premium
The biggest lever is the same one that drives any building premium: the rebuild cost of the structure, and the things that move it — location risk, what the walls and roof are made of, and the age of the home. On top of that sit the rental-specific choices: how much loss-of-rent cover you carry, and whether you add tenant-default or tenant-damage protection.
We've broken down exactly how the building itself moves the price — by wall material, roof, era and sum insured — from real quotes across our panel.
See what drives the building costHow to compare a landlord quote
- 1
Enter the property address
We pre-fill what we can about the property, so there's less for you to type.
- 2
Select “Landlord”
Tell us it's a rental — and whether it's a long-term tenancy or short-term/holiday letting.
- 3
Confirm the rental details
Lease, property manager, building or building-plus-contents, and the optional covers you want.
- 4
Compare across our panel
See competitive prices from a panel of insurers side by side, in minutes — no call required.
Landlord insurance FAQs
Do you offer landlord or investment property insurance?
Yes. Cover Club arranges landlord insurance for investment properties — both long-term rentals and short-term rentals like Airbnb. You can cover the building, contents, or both, and tenancy (rent) default cover is available on long-term rentals. When you start a quote, just select “Landlord” as your customer type.
What's the difference between landlord and home insurance?
Landlord insurance covers a property you rent out, and adds risks an owner-occupier policy doesn't — loss of rent, legal liability as a landlord, and optional cover for tenant default and tenant damage. A standard owner-occupier home policy generally won't respond once a property is tenanted, so a rented property needs landlord cover.
Do I need landlord insurance if my tenant has contents insurance?
Yes. A tenant's contents policy only covers their own belongings and their liability. As the owner you still need cover for the building, your rental income and your liability as a landlord — none of which a tenant's policy protects.
What is rent (tenancy) default cover?
It covers lost rent and associated costs if a tenant stops paying or breaks the lease. It's an optional benefit on long-term rentals and usually requires a signed written lease — and often a licensed property manager — to be eligible. It isn't available on short-term or holiday letting.
Do you cover Airbnb or short-term rentals?
Yes — we cover short-term and holiday letting (Airbnb, Stayz and similar). Choose the short-term rental option when asked. We don't currently cover hotels, motels or boarding houses.
Is landlord insurance compulsory?
It isn't required by law, but if the investment property has a mortgage your lender will almost always require building cover as a condition of the loan. Most investors insure regardless — the building and the rental income are usually too valuable to leave exposed.
Is landlord insurance tax deductible?
Generally, the premium on an investment property is treated as a deductible rental expense — but everyone's situation differs. Confirm how it applies to you with your accountant or the ATO.
Can I cover the building, contents, or both?
Both. Building-only suits unfurnished long-term rentals where the tenant insures their own contents; add contents cover for furnished or short-term rentals. You choose during the quote.
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