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Insurance: Questions to Ask Your Insurer

A practical checklist of questions to ask before you host

Insurance: Questions to Ask Your Insurer

A practical checklist (not insurance advice)

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This is not insurance advice. We cannot give individual insurance advice. This page provides practical questions you may wish to ask your insurer before hosting.

Many hosts find it reassuring to check their insurance position before hosting. We can’t give individual insurance advice, but we can suggest useful questions to ask your insurer.

Tip: When you contact your insurer, describe hosting as having a paying guest staying in a furnished room in your main home (a homestay student/guest). Ask them to confirm the answer in writing (email is fine).

Items in [square brackets] are for you to fill in. Delete anything that does not apply.

Download this checklist (PDF) Edit your own copy (Google Docs)

1) The essentials to confirm

  • Does my home insurance policy allow a paying guest in my main home?
  • Do you treat this as a “lodger”, “paying guest”, or “short-term let” for policy purposes?
  • Will my cover remain valid if the guest is a student staying for [2+ weeks / several months]?
  • Are there any extra steps you require (for example, notifying you in advance, an endorsement, or an additional premium)?

2) Contents, theft, and guest property

  • Does my contents cover change if I have a paying guest? (Some policies add exclusions.)
  • Are there any restrictions on theft cover when a guest is present?
  • Is the guest’s property covered under my policy? (Often it is not — but it’s good to know.)
  • If something goes missing, what evidence would you require for a claim?

3) Accidental damage and liability

  • If a guest accidentally damages something in the home, would that fall under my cover?
  • Do I have public liability cover as part of my home insurance? If yes, what is the limit?
  • Does liability cover still apply if there is a paying guest?
  • Are there any exclusions I should be aware of (for example, injuries related to stairs, bathrooms, or garden areas)?

4) Safety-related questions (simple, practical)

  • Do you require working smoke alarms as a condition of cover?
  • If there are gas appliances in the home, do you require a current Gas Safe certificate?
  • Do you recommend a carbon monoxide detector where gas appliances exist?

5) If you rent or have a leasehold

If you rent your home, it’s worth checking your tenancy/lease terms and speaking to your landlord/agent if needed. Insurance is only one piece of the picture.

  • Will my contents cover remain valid if I host a paying guest in a rented property?
  • Is there anything you need from my landlord (for example, written confirmation)?

6) What to write down for your records

Insurer name[      ]
Policy number[      ]
Date you contacted them[      ]
Who you spoke to[      ]
Summary of what they confirmed[      ]
Any changes made to your policy[      ]
Written confirmation saved (email / letter)[      ]

If your insurer says it isn’t covered: ask what change would make it acceptable (for example, a different product, or an additional premium). If they still can’t cover it, consider speaking to another insurer before you host.

Download this checklist (PDF) Edit your own copy (Google Docs)

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