Tenant's insurance

[ElvinaFrizzell]

We are moving into our new rented home on Friday. The agent wants us to provide our insurance certificate before we get the keys. We were renting up until last November and just had normal contents insurance. We moved into my parents' home just for a few weeks[laughs bitterly]. When this became a couple of months I phoned the insurance company to tell them and was stupidly honest about when we had moved . I was told it was illegal to have insurance on a property where you have no interest. They used this as a reason to charge me for cancelling. Anyway, now wondering if I can get insurance for my contents at an address where we are not yet tenants. We are covered by my parents' insurance at the moment. Probably a stupid question because I presume it's different this way round. The agent's letter says they can arrange insurance through Homelet if we don't have any which I'm sure will be far more expensive.

Also should basic contents insurance be adequate for an unfurnished house if we are covered for the landlord's cooker (built in) and curtains(don't know yet if they will be let)etc?

[finallypregnant]

Any insurance provider should give you a cover note showing cover starting from Friday.

[cameroonmama]

As landlords neither us nor our agents have ever asked to see our tenant's insurance certificate before giving them the keys We also have our own contents insurance covering tenanted properties and it is the tenants business if they want to get their own contents insurance, not ours.

[ElvinaFrizzell]

Thanks for replies. I have now got insurance starting from Friday, bought online and docs will hopefully arrive in time. Have spoken to agent and they have have said policy no. will be enough if cover note hasn't arrived.

cameroonmama: I thought it was a bit too. Never had this before. The agents are not managing the property [fortunately] and this just seems to be a way of making more money.