Buildings Insurance Explained
Buildings insurance covers the structure of a home — walls, roof, fixed fittings — against damage from fire, flood, and similar events. Here's who needs it.
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of a property: walls, roof, windows, and fixed fittings like a kitchen or bathroom. It pays to repair or rebuild the structure if it's damaged by an insured event — fire, flood, storm, or subsidence, most commonly.
It's the property owner's responsibility, not a tenant's. If you rent, your landlord is the one who holds (and usually must hold, per most tenancy agreements) a buildings policy. If you own your home, most mortgage lenders require buildings cover as a condition of the loan.
Buildings insurance does not cover the contents inside the property — that's a separate, usually cheaper, contents policy.