Holiday Let Insurance

How much does holiday let insurance cost?

How much your holiday let insurance will cost will depend on your personal situation, the type of policy you’re after, the insurer you’re getting quotes from, and the details you provide.

What type of property is your holiday let? How much is it worth? Where is your property based? How secure is your holiday let? What security measures are in place?

These are all questions an insurer needs answers to in order to be able to give you a quote that reflects everything you’re looking for from a holiday let insurance policy.

The best way to find out how much a policy might cost you is by getting in touch with us here at Howden. Our team will strive to learn more about you and go that extra mile to find you a comprehensive, holiday let policy that not only meets your expectations, but also suits whatever your budget is.

Do I need public liability insurance for a holiday let?

It’s not mandatory that you have public liability insurance when renting out your holiday let, but it is recommended that you do have a policy in place, for your own protection.

As well as that, prospective renters who are diligent may consider this coverage when selecting their holiday rental – they may even insist that you have it. Therefore, in addition to the financial security it provides, having public liability insurance can be a valuable selling point for your property.

Do you pay council tax on a holiday let?

Whether or not you will need to pay council tax on a holiday let depends on whether business rates apply to the property. If business rates (which are charged to more commercial properties, such as some holiday lets, to fund local services) are applied to your property, then no, you will not be expected to pay council tax on the holiday let.

Council taxes are charged to holiday homes used for personal use, as they are deemed to be domestic and residential properties, but as holiday lets aren’t considered to be domestic or residential, they shouldn’t be liable for council tax.

Do you need planning permission for a holiday let?

Yes, typically, you'll need planning permission if there's a transition from a property's current residential use to its use as a holiday let, which constitutes a 'material change of use.'

This question revolves around whether converting a residential home into a holiday rental constitutes a 'material change.' If it does, obtaining permission from the local planning authority is necessary.

Is a holiday let classed as residential?

Whether a holiday let can be classed as residential or not depends on how the property is being used. For instance, when the home serves as a second residence for the owner, their family, and close friends for holiday purposes, it is more likely to retain its classification as a "dwelling house", which are often used by one or more households.

On the other hand, there are situations where the commercial rental of a dwelling house, particularly when it involves letting to multiple unrelated groups, may indeed represent a significant change in use, leading to the understanding that the property had become more aligned with the classification of “holiday let”.

For more clarity on this, it’s worth getting in touch with your local council or planning authority.

Is Airbnb host insurance enough?

Airbnb’s Host Guarantee should not be deemed as adequate insurance to protect your property. We can come to this conclusion based on the following statement from Airbnb:

“The Host Guarantee is not insurance and should not be considered as a replacement or stand-in for home-owners or renters insurance. Hosts may want to consider independent insurance to cover valuable items like jewellery, artwork, or collectibles which are subject to limited protection under the Host Guarantee. See our Host Guarantee terms for more details.

We strongly encourage all hosts to review and understand the terms of their insurance policy and what it covers and does not cover. Not all insurance plans will cover damage or loss to property caused by a guest that books your space.”

This statement highlights that their guarantee does not cover holiday let owners for several risks and isn’t an appropriate alternative to a standard insurance policy.