Building insurance for a rented property - who to use?

[Chocolatedays]

Hi
I have a flat we are renting out and I need building insurance - can anyone suggest either a good company to go direct to or a comparison website which includes this kind of home insurance? (couldn't find it on Moneysupermarket.com)
Thanks

Have you tried Paragon - we use them for landlord's contents insurance but I know they do buildings insurance too.

Hi Clucky - Just tried Paragon - but they only do freehold peoperties. Hmmm.

Cheers Ruby - will try Zurich.

Got a quote from Tesco and it was higher than my buildings plus contents for when I lived there - is that to be expected?

Thanks

If it is a leasehold property then the freeholder should pay the buildings insurance and then claim it back from all the leaseholders. You can't insure a leasehold property on your own.

Blimey -really? I've been living there for 9 yrs and always paid for contents and buildings insurance - should I not have been or is it only for let out properties?
Are Tesco wring to quote - I told them it was leasehold - which is pretty normal for London

I don't see how you can pay for buildings insurance for a flat as the whole building has to be insured: you can't, for example, insure 20% of the roof or whatever your share is. It's one of the freeholder's main responsibilities.

Yep - Lala is right. Only the freeholder or joint freeholders can insure the property - as a whole

I was the freeholder of a house with two flats. I lived in one flat and the other was leasehold. I had to insure the property under a commercial insurance policy and then charge it back to the leasholder in the flat above me.

The leaseholder then insures their own contents.

Many, many insurance companies will let you insure your property incorrectly (Tesco & Direct line included) - they don't care - it's all money to them!

A flat cannot be insured (buildings) separately from others in the building. When I sold my flat/feehold house it was a huge struggle trying to get the new owner to understand this - and finally his solicitor explained it all to him and the penny dropped!

I went through a broker who found me a commerical insurer as many companies only do single residential freehold. More than one dwelling in a property is usually considered commercial.
HTH

Norwich Union have a standard building insurance which lets you live or let the property... i have it and you get access to quite a good website with some freebies (but this is insurance so dont get too excited).

Phone up your current insurers and ask them if they will let you let the property, they probably will, and that will save you a load of hastle.

you can however get special lanlords contents insurance which covers things that you want to cover, rather than the tenants stuff. its done by someone called Letsure.