Hiscox Landlord Insurance Review 2026: Cover, Costs & Alternatives

By Ally Cox
2 years ago

Hiscox Landlord Insurance Review 2026: Cover, Costs & Alternatives Quick answer Hiscox landlord insurance is best for landlords who want insurer-backed cover with strong liability protection, rather than the cheapest possible policy, so will suit landlords with one or more UK rental properties who want buildings cover, property owners’ liability, loss of rental income or […]

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Landlord Insurance

Hiscox Landlord Insurance Review 2026: Cover, Costs & Alternatives

By Ally Cox
2 years ago

Hiscox Landlord Insurance Review 2026: Cover, Costs & Alternatives

Quick answer

Hiscox landlord insurance is best for landlords who want insurer-backed cover with strong liability protection, rather than the cheapest possible policy, so will suit landlords with one or more UK rental properties who want buildings cover, property owners’ liability, loss of rental income or alternative accommodation cover, and the option to add landlord contents insurance.

Hiscox says its landlord insurance currently covers landlords with rental properties across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, up to 10 properties under one policy, and properties with a minimum letting period of six months.

However, Hiscox will not be the right fit for every landlord. If you need the cheapest basic landlord insurance, short-term let cover, Airbnb cover, HMO cover or highly specialist portfolio advice, compare Hiscox with direct insurers, brokers and specialist landlord insurance providers before choosing.

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How do we work?

Transparent, impartial, and data‑driven reviews made by a team of expert humans, never AI generated – here’s exactly how Compare Your Business Costs helps you find the best deals from trusted UK providers: click here

Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)

Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)

Last Updated: June 2026

Contents

Benefits of Hiscox Landlord Insurance

Downsides of Hiscox Landlord Insurance

What Does Hiscox Landlord Insurance Offer?

Our Verdict on Hiscox Landlord Insurance

Key Takeaways

Hiscox landlord insurance can cover up to 10 rental properties under one policy.
It is likely to suit landlords who value cover quality, liability protection and claims support over the lowest headline price.
Hiscox includes property owners’ liability as part of its landlord insurance, with up to £5 million in legal and compensation costs as standard.
Landlord contents insurance is available as an optional extra.
Hiscox landlords insurance includes buildings insurance, property owners’ liability and loss of rental income or alternative accommodation cover as standard, according to Hiscox’s own FAQ.
It wiill not suit short-term lets because Hiscox says properties must have a minimum letting period of six months.
Always compare policy wording, exclusions, tenant rules and total premium before buying.

Hiscox Landlord Insurance at a glance

Category	Hiscox landlord insurance review
Best for	Landlords who want robust cover from a specialist insurer
Not ideal for	Landlords wanting the cheapest policy or short-term let cover
Number of properties	Up to 10 properties under one policy
Letting period	Minimum letting period of six months
Standard cover	Buildings, property owners’ liability, loss of rental income / alternative accommodation
Optional cover	Landlord contents insurance
Liability limit	Up to £5 million as standard
Pricing	Quote-based
Good alternatives	Aviva, Direct Line, AXA, Halifax, Simply Business, Superscript, specialist brokers

Who is Hiscox landlord insurance best for?

Landlord type	Is Hiscox a good fit?	Why
First-time landlord	Maybe	Good cover, but may not be the cheapest starting point
Single buy-to-let landlord	Yes	Suitable if the property has a six-month minimum let
Landlord with several properties	Yes	Hiscox can cover up to 10 properties under one policy
Furnished landlord	Yes	Landlord contents can be added
Portfolio landlord with more than 10 properties	Maybe	May need a specialist broker route
Short-term let / Airbnb landlord	Usually no	Hiscox states a six-month minimum letting period
HMO landlord	Check carefully	Do not assume standard cover is suitable
Commercial landlord	Check carefully	May need commercial property owner’s insurance
Landlord wanting cheapest cover	Probably no	Hiscox is usually positioned more around quality than lowest price

What does Hiscox landlord insurance cover?

Cover type	Included or optional?	What it means
Buildings insurance	Standard	Protects the structure of the rental property against insured damage
Property owners’ liability	Standard	Helps cover legal and compensation costs if a third party is injured or their property is damaged because of the insured property
Loss of rental income	Standard	Helps protect rental income if an insured event affects the property
Alternative accommodation	Standard	May help if tenants need somewhere else to stay after insured damage
Landlord contents	Optional	Covers landlord-owned items kept in the rental property
Multi-property cover	Available	Up to 10 rental properties under one policy
Legal support / claims support	Policy-dependent	Check exactly what is included and whether legal expenses are separate

Hiscox landlord insurance costs

Hiscox landlord insurance is quote-based, so the final cost depends on your property, tenant profile and level of cover, so your quote will be affected by:

property postcode
rebuild value
number of rental properties
tenant type
furnished or unfurnished status
contents value
claims history
excess
property security
unoccupied periods
whether you need optional contents cover
whether you are insuring one property or several
the property’s letting arrangement

Hiscox says its landlords buildings insurance covers a building sum insured of up to £1 million for each property, and its multi-property landlord insurance can offer up to a 20% discount for multiple properties.

Hiscox landlord insurance pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Strong fit for landlords who value robust cover	Unlikely to be the cheapest option
Up to 10 properties under one policy	Not suitable for every property or letting type
Property owners’ liability included as standard	Short-term lets may not fit the six-month minimum letting rule
Up to £5 million liability cover as standard	Pricing is quote-based
Optional landlord contents cover	Cover for HMOs, listed buildings or unusual risks should be checked carefully
Multi-property discount may be available	May be more cover than some very small landlords need

Hiscox vs other landlord insurance providers

Provider	Best for	Compare if…
Hiscox	Landlords wanting strong liability and insurer-backed cover	You value cover quality and have up to 10 properties
Direct Line	Standard buy-to-let landlords	You want simple direct insurer cover
Aviva	Landlords wanting a large mainstream insurer	You want a major household insurance brand
AXA	Landlords wanting flexible mainstream insurer cover	You want another direct insurer comparison
Halifax	Landlords wanting broker-arranged cover via a high-street brand	You want panel-based quotes
Simply Business	Landlords wanting online broker comparison	You want multiple insurer quotes quickly
Specialist landlord broker	HMOs, short-term lets, commercial property or larger portfolios	Your property is complex or unusual

Is Hiscox suitable for HMOs, Airbnb or short-term lets?

Do not assume Hiscox is suitable for every specialist landlord case.

Property type	What to do
HMO	Check directly and compare specialist HMO landlord insurance
Airbnb / short-term let	Usually compare specialist short-term let insurance because Hiscox states a six-month minimum letting period
Holiday let	Compare holiday let insurance
Commercial property	Compare commercial landlord insurance
Listed building	Check whether the rebuild value and building requirements are suitable
High-value property	Check building sum insured, contents and exclusions
Portfolio over 10 properties	Compare specialist portfolio landlord brokers

Benefits of Hiscox Landlord Insurance

Tailored policies that cover a wide range of risks, including buildings, contents, loss of rent, and legal expenses.
High level of flexibility, allowing landlords to customise policies to suit their specific property needs.
Strong reputation for handling complex risks and providing bespoke insurance solutions.
Excellent customer service with dedicated advisors to assist with policy setup and claims.
Comprehensive coverage for high-value or specialist properties, including HMOs, listed buildings, and unoccupied properties.
Clear, transparent policy terms with no hidden fees.
Available cover for accidental damage and malicious damage by tenants.

Downsides of Hiscox Landlord Insurance

Some customers report slower claims processing for larger, more complex claims.
Limited online self-service options, requiring landlords to interact with advisors for highly customised policy changes.

What Does Hiscox Offer

What to check before choosing Hiscox

Before buying Hiscox landlord insurance, check:

Question	Why it matters
Does your let meet the six-month minimum letting period?	Shorter lets may not be suitable
Are all your properties eligible?	Hiscox states up to 10 properties under one policy
Is your rebuild value within the policy limit?	Hiscox states building sum insured up to £1 million per property
Is landlord contents cover needed?	Contents is optional
Is property owners’ liability enough?	Hiscox includes up to £5 million as standard
Is rent guarantee included?	Do not confuse this with loss of rental income
Are legal expenses included or separate?	Important for tenant disputes
Are HMOs covered?	Check policy wording carefully
Are unoccupied periods covered?	Vacancy rules matter
What is the excess?	A cheaper premium can mean higher claim costs
Are tenant types restricted?	Students, benefits tenants or company lets may affect cover
How are claims handled?	Claims support is part of the value of the policy

Loss of rental income vs rent guarantee

Landlords often confuse these two types of cover.

Cover type	What it usually means	Example
Loss of rental income	Rent lost because an insured event makes the property uninhabitable	A fire means tenants have to move out during repairs
Rent guarantee	Rent unpaid because a tenant defaults	A tenant stops paying rent

Hiscox says its landlord insurance includes loss of rental income or alternative accommodation cover as standard, but that is not the same as rent guarantee for tenant arrears

Customer reviews: what do Hiscox customers say?

Hiscox has strong general review signals, but not every review is specific to landlord insurance. Hiscox’s Trustpilot profile says the company has a long history in specialist home insurance, valuables, collections and business insurance, while Hiscox also publishes customer reviews through Feefo on its own site, so for landlord insurance specifically, check recent feedback on:

claims handling
renewal pricing
property eligibility
policy exclusions
speed of support
online account management
cancellation process
multi-property policy management

Avoid relying on general business insurance reviews alone when choosing landlord cover.

Why compare Hiscox before buying?

Hiscox can be a strong fit, but landlord insurance depends heavily on property type, tenant profile and cover requirements.

Before choosing, compare Hiscox against other providers for:

annual premium
buildings sum insured
contents cover
liability limit
loss of rental income
alternative accommodation
rent guarantee availability
legal expenses
HMO suitability
short-term let exclusions
unoccupied property rules
number of properties
excess
claims process
renewal terms

Compare Hiscox landlord insurance alternatives

Why compare landlord insurance with Compare Your Business Costs?

Compare Your Business Costs helps UK landlords compare landlord insurance options based on property type, tenant profile, cover needs and budget.

You can compare quotes for:

single buy-to-let properties
landlords with multiple properties
landlord buildings insurance
landlord contents cover
property owners’ liability
loss of rent cover
rent guarantee
legal expenses cover
HMO landlords
short-term let landlords
portfolio landlords

There is no obligation to switch, and comparing quotes can help you avoid choosing cover that is either too basic or unnecessarily expensive.

Compare landlord insurance quotes

Verdict: is Hiscox landlord insurance worth it?

Hiscox landlord insurance is worth considering if you want robust insurer-backed cover for one or more standard UK rental properties and value strong liability protection, so could be particularly relevant if you have several properties and want up to 10 rental properties under one policy.

However, Hiscox won’t be the best route if you want the cheapest possible landlord insurance, have more than 10 properties, run short-term lets, or need specialist HMO, holiday let or commercial landlord cover.

Final recommendation: Hiscox is a strong option for suitable landlords, but compare it against direct insurers, brokers and specialist landlord insurance providers before buying or renewing.

FAQs: Hiscox landlord insurance

What does Hiscox landlord insurance cover?

Hiscox landlord insurance includes buildings insurance, property owners’ liability and loss of rental income or alternative accommodation cover as standard. Landlord contents insurance is available as an optional extra.

Is Hiscox landlord insurance good?

Hiscox can be a good option for landlords who want robust insurer-backed cover, property owners’ liability and the ability to cover multiple rental properties. It may not be the cheapest option.

How many rental properties can Hiscox cover?

Hiscox says its landlord insurance can cover up to 10 rental properties under one policy.

Does Hiscox landlord insurance include liability cover?

Yes. Hiscox says property owners’ liability is included as part of its landlord insurance policy, with up to £5 million in legal and compensation costs as standard.

Does Hiscox landlord insurance include contents cover?

Landlord contents insurance is available as an optional extra to the standard Hiscox landlords insurance policy.

Is Hiscox suitable for Airbnb or short-term lets?

Hiscox may not be suitable for short-term lets because it states that covered properties must have a minimum letting period of six months. Short-term let landlords should compare specialist short-term or holiday let insurance.

Does Hiscox cover HMOs?

Do not assume HMO cover is automatically included. HMO landlords should check Hiscox policy terms directly and compare specialist HMO landlord insurance.

How much does Hiscox landlord insurance cost?

Hiscox landlord insurance is quote-based. The cost depends on property postcode, rebuild value, tenant type, number of properties, contents cover, excess, claims history and policy options.

Is Hiscox more expensive than other landlord insurers?

Hiscox may not be the cheapest option because it is generally positioned around robust cover and specialist insurance support. Landlords should compare quotes before choosing.

What are the best Hiscox landlord insurance alternatives?

Alternatives include Direct Line, Aviva, AXA, Halifax, Simply Business, Superscript and specialist landlord insurance brokers.

Visit their website

Via their website here.

Simply Business Landlord Insurance	Superscript Landlord Insurance
AXA Landlord Insurance	Liverpool Victoria Landlord Insurance
Halifax Landlord Insurance	Direct Line Landlord Insurance

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Hiscox Landlord Insurance Review 2026: Cover, Costs & Alternatives

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