Do I need different insurance for a short let?

Why doesn't standard landlord insurance work?

Because it's priced for a different risk. A long term tenant is one person (or one household) staying for a year, known to you, with references. A short let is a steady stream of strangers, some with luggage, some with expectations, occasionally one with too much wine and poor aim. Insurers know this, so their standard landlord policies either exclude short letting or won't pay out on claims that happen during one.

The nasty version of this story is a landlord who thought they were covered, had a guest flood the bathroom, and got a letter saying the policy didn't apply because the property was being let short term. That's the letter you never want.

What does specialist short let insurance cover?

Policies vary, but specialist short let and holiday let insurance is typically built around guest related risks. Look for:

• Buildings and contents cover while paying guests are staying
• Accidental and malicious damage by guests
• Public liability for guests, which standard policies often restrict
• Loss of earnings if the property can't be let after damage
• Cover for theft by guests
• Legal expenses and alternative accommodation

My honest opinion: read the damage section twice before you buy anything. That's where the differences between policies really show up, and it's the claim you're statistically most likely to make.

What about Airbnb's own cover?

Platforms offer host protection of various kinds, and it's genuinely useful. But it's not insurance in the normal sense, it has conditions and exclusions, and it doesn't replace your own buildings cover. Treat platform protection as a safety net, never as the net itself. We've covered how deposits, waivers and platform protection fit together in our guide on guest damage and parties.

How much does it cost?

I won't give you figures, because they move and depend on your property. What I'll say is that specialist short let cover is usually more than standard landlord insurance, for the obvious reason that the risk is different. Budget for it honestly when you work out whether short letting stacks up. Our guide on how much more you can earn on Airbnb helps with the other side of that sums test.

What should you do?

Three things. Tell your current insurer exactly how the property is being let and get their answer in writing. Get quotes from at least two short let specialists. And check that any management company you use has its own arrangements for guest damage and liability, because that reduces what you're exposed to in the first place. When we manage a property, guest damage is charged to the guest straight away rather than becoming the landlord's problem to chase.

And the usual sensible caveat: insurance is specialist territory, and policy wordings change. Confirm the detail with a broker or the insurer directly rather than relying on any guide, including this one.