UK Insurance Providers

[David8468]

Hi Community, I have registered my lettings business with Companies House here in the UK. I run it from my residence and have 2 holiday cottages as a result of a recent barn conversion which I rent via Airbnb. Can anyone recommend a good insurance provider for a project like this? It is both business and residential and seems to 'fall between the stools' in terms of which policy I require. I am also wondering whether I need UK Public Liability Insurance. Thanks in advance!

[Mike-And-Jane0 · Accepted solution]

@David8468 We use JL Morris insurance brokers for the holiday apartments attached to our house. We then just get normal domestic insurance from Compare the Market for our house insurance as it is significantly cheaper to do it this way.

[Andrew2559]

@Andrew2559 Hi. 

We've just completed the refurbishment of our detached garage to a one bed appartment for AirBnB purposes. And were are ready to let it for the first time.

But, we have been advised by our existing insurer (Axa) that they will not continue to insure us if we let any part of our property because our policy is for 100% owner occupation only. 

They say that our policy with them will be invalid as soon as we let any portion of it.

And they will not even exclude the AirBnB part from our household insurance.  If they did, we could take cover elsewhere on the AirBnB portion secure in the knowledge that both parts were insured.

We are now using a decent broker but they are struggling too.  Can I ask, please:

1. which insurers have you gone with for the holiday let, and the household insurances?

2.  is the holiday let attached to or within your house?  Or is detached?

Thanks

Andrew

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@David8468 somewhat random question - Why have you registered a business with companies house? We haven't and I wonder if we should have done!!!!

[David8468]

@Mike-And-Jane0 We built the 2 properties from a ruin and spent literally hundreds of thousands doing it. We wanted to reclaim the VAT involved in doing this from suppliers etc. It was literally tens of thousands. We also wanted to set up business accounts with suppliers to take advantage of preferential rates and delivery through COVID and also to employ a person to help run the business once it was set up. It just made sense to do it this way as we have other plans to develop further

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@David8468 Hmm - I think I am ok then not registering. As you are registered for reclaiming VAT don't you need to charge it on your nightly rate?

[James3187]

I have a self contained annexe which is a separate building on my property which used to be stables. Struggling to find insurance for buildings and contents or is it possible to insure main house normally and have a separate policy for the let?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@James3187 Absolutely. our apartments are attached to our house and we have one insurance for the apartments through JL Morris insurance brokers and then we go online to find a cheap house policy.