Homeowners vs Landlord vs Tenants Cover

Homeowners insurance covers a property you own and live in — the structure and your contents. Landlord insurance covers a property you own and let to tenants, adding loss of rent and landlord liability. Tenants (contents) insurance covers the belongings of someone who rents, since the landlord's policy does not. Mortgage-required cover is a fourth case: fire cover on the structure that your bank insists on while there is a loan outstanding.

As rough guides: tenants/contents cover starts around KSh 4,000 a year; combined homeowners (buildings + contents) from about KSh 12,000 a year; and buildings cover is rated at roughly 0.25% of the rebuild value. Landlord premiums depend on the property value and rental income. All figures are illustrative — the premium depends on the sums insured, location, and level of cover.

No. Your landlord's policy covers the building and any contents the landlord owns. Your own furniture, electronics, and clothing are only protected by your own tenants/contents policy — it is inexpensive and is the only thing that pays out if your belongings are stolen or damaged.

Yes. A standard homeowners policy usually excludes letting, and a claim can be refused if the insurer was not told the property is rented. Landlord insurance is built for letting and adds loss of rent and landlord liability. Switching is straightforward — it is a mid-term endorsement we handle for you.

Yes. Kenyan lenders — HFC, KCB, Equity, Stanbic, NCBA and others — require fire and allied-perils cover on the structure for the life of the loan, with the bank noted as first loss payee. You can usually satisfy this inside your own homeowners policy rather than the bank's in-house cover, which is often more expensive.

Yes — that is exactly what a combined homeowners policy does, and it is usually the best value: one renewal, one excess, and a cleaner claims experience than separate buildings and contents policies. All-risks cover for items you carry outside the home can be added on top.

Short-let hosting is a different risk that many standard home and landlord policies exclude. If you let on Airbnb, Booking.com, or directly to short-stay guests, you need dedicated short-let cover with guest-damage and guest-liability protection — see our Airbnb & short-let page.

Use the rebuild (reinstatement) cost — what it would cost to rebuild the structure, excluding the land — not the market or purchase price. For most Kenyan homes a starting point is KES 35,000–80,000 per square metre, with a professional valuation recommended for higher-value homes. Under-insurance triggers 'average', which scales down any claim.