Building insurance, UK, while hosting.

[Lawrence31]

I've been hosting for 8 years and still can't get to the bottom of this conundrum.  Has anyone managed to find a clear, concise answer to the question of whether ordinary  buildings insurance for damage completely  unconnected to Airbnb or to guests would be /is invalidated because you're running an Airbnb ( in my case in my own home while I'm resident) ?

Is there a standard home insurance company who anyone can say from experience did or didn't invalidate their claim because they had guests? 

I stopped renewing my house insurance 3 years ago  because it appears evident at least that if a plane crashed into the roof or the water pipes burst they would- wouldnt they,? - refuse to pay out because I hadn't told them I was renting out rooms. However if in the renewal  form I do tell them about Airbnb then they typically say they can't insure you ( even though guest related issues are supposedly covered by Airbnb itself). 

Searches and online advice point to special Airbnb insurance policies....which cost many hundreds of pounds. 

You'd think having laid out the issues, I already have the answer to my question ..but I really don't.  

The reason it's so confounding is that several of the online advice articles say " some" regular insurance providers might invalidate..which implies it's not a given at all and there must be some who  don't!  Can anyone identify them? 

Even more perplexing ...I notice Admiral offer an Airbnb host "bolt on" to their ordinary  building and contents insurance ( while also using the third person "some companies " language about the risks. ) Does this not imply that without this special hosting related add on that their standard insurance does still cover you for ordinary damage and problems unrelated to being a host? 

Can someone , please, once and for all, clarify this issue? 

Is it possible to get ordinary insurance at an ordinary price just to cover you for disasters which have nothing to do with being a host? 

[Elisa]

Hi @Lawrence31  😊, 

Thank you for asking this question here!

How many listings do you currently have?

I'm tagging a few hosts from UK to see what advice they can share with you: @Helen3, @Mike-And-Jane0 and @Tara0.

Thank you in advance, everyone!

Warm regards 🌻,

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Lawrence31 You are never going to get a straight answer to this question. Insurers will always try to avoid paying claims and will likely reject a claim unless you are properly covered. At the end of the day you will be taking a risk that your insurance will be invalid and the ombudsman sides with the insurance company. If I were you I would either continue to take the risk or buy proper insurance - The halfway house is likely to be a waste of money.

[Tara0]

Hi @Lawrence31 You are focussing on damage to the building, and forgetting your potential liability in the event of injury or death of a guest. You need insurance cover for both, and especially the latter - you could easily be bankrupted by an uninsured claim due to a guest injury or death.

[Tara0]

@P.S. @Lawrence31 

make sure you are compliant with the latest UK rules for short let safety, e.g. linked smoke alarms, emergency rechargeable torch, etc. These were flagged up by Airbnb a while ago.

[Helen3 · Accepted solution]

OMG that's so risky to have no building insurance why would you do that @Lawrence31 

1. You need home insurance for short term let's 

2. you need to check with your insurance company about building insurance to see if they cover you if you have STR lets in your home.

maybe you'd find it easier to speak to an insurance broker and ask them to help you find policies that will work for you .

a friend of mine had her building insurance invalidated as a homeshare host because she also does STR.

[Mattew2]

This is such a valid and frustrating question thank you for laying it out so clearly. You're right that many insurers aren't transparent about how hosting affects coverage, and the ambiguity in language like “some providers may invalidate” leaves homeowners in a grey area. From what I’ve seen, the safest route is always to disclose Airbnb activity even if guest-related risks are covered by Airbnb—because non-disclosure can void any claim, even unrelated ones like a burst pipe or storm damage. That said, providers like Admiral offering a “host add-on” suggests their base policy doesn’t fully cover you unless that’s included. I’d recommend speaking directly with underwriters or brokers who specialize in short-term lets—they often know which mainstream insurers will still cover general risks with disclosure. It’s frustrating that honesty results in higher costs, but not disclosing seems to carry a much higher risk in the long run.

[Mattew2]

Absolutely and thanks for the thoughtful response! You're spot on about the importance of disclosure. It's frustrating that transparency can lead to higher premiums, but as you said, the potential consequences of a denied claim make it the safer choice. For anyone navigating short-term let insurance or looking for more guidance on hosting considerations, I’ve shared some useful info and tips on my site: ** feel free to check it out!

**[Link removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines] - Please note that it is not allowed to advertise on the Community Center.