Rent guarantee insurance
Rent guarantee insurance is cover for unpaid rent, subject to the policy wording. Rent guarantee insurance is distinct from buildings insurance and home emergency cover. This guide explains which questions to take to a provider or an FCA-authorised broker before buying. The firm list below records regulatory identities and statuses; it does not establish which policy suits your property or select cover for you.
Firms in the register
The checks recorded AXA Insurance UK Plc, FRN 202312, as Authorised. Smart-Cover Direct Limited, FRN 600428, is an appointed representative of City And Commercial Ltd, FRN 314346, which is Authorised. These numbers identify firms, not policy benefits.
3 firms shown
Neutral list: no suitability rankingThe links below lead to the FCA Register. They are not paid purchase links.
| Firm | Register status | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| AXA Insurance UK Plc FRN 202312 |
Authorised.
FCA Register entry and customer protection information Checked on 19 Oct 2026 |
Read the firm's permitted activities and protection information in its register entry. Authorised status is not evidence of cover for your tenancy. |
| Smart-Cover Direct Limited FRN 600428 |
Appointed representative of City And Commercial Ltd, FRN 314346, Authorised.
FCA Register search for FRN 600428 Checked on 18 Oct 2026 |
Check the representative's relationship with its principal and the activities recorded for the service you intend to use. |
| Simply Business, a trading name of Xbridge Limited FRN 313348 |
Authorised.
FCA Register entry and customer protection information Checked on 19 Oct 2026 |
Match the trading name to the legal firm. Check the permissions relevant to the service rather than relying on the trading name alone. |
Read each firm's register entry for Financial Ombudsman Service and Financial Services Compensation Scheme information. Protection depends on the activity and circumstances. Ask the firm to confirm the protection relevant to your transaction in writing.
What is rent guarantee insurance?
Rent guarantee insurance concerns unpaid rent. Payment depends on the contract: read the policy wording before treating the cover as part of your plans for rental income.
Start with the event you want covered. Ask the provider to identify the wording that deals with unpaid rent, then read the conditions attached to that wording. A product title alone does not answer those questions.
Keep legal expenses as a separate question when reading the documents. Ask what the policy says about legal expenses alongside rent guarantee cover, rather than treating the terms as interchangeable.
What does landlord insurance usually mean?
Read the policy wording to check whether it includes the cover you want. Ask specifically about buildings cover, liability or loss of rent rather than relying on the label "landlord insurance".
Home emergency cover is a different class from rent guarantee insurance. If your concern is unpaid rent, ask specifically about rent guarantee cover. If your concern is a home emergency, ask about that class separately.
What to read in a policy
Read the exclusions and limits against the cover you want. Ask the provider or an FCA-authorised broker to explain any condition you cannot apply to your property or tenancy. Request the relevant wording rather than relying on a short description of benefits.
Check the claims provisions before buying. Ask what evidence the policy requires and which steps the wording sets out for a claim. Use the actual contract for deadlines; this guide does not substitute a deadline from another policy.
For cost, request a price for the property and cover under discussion. Keep the date and property description with that price so you can tell what the figure relates to when you return to it.
How we rank
The table is a neutral register list. Its order does not express a judgement about price, claims handling or suitability for a particular landlord.
A suitability ranking requires evidence that connects a stated criterion to the landlord type. Regulatory status alone does not establish that connection. The register checks support the identities and statuses shown here, so the table stops at those facts.
Use the role filter to distinguish the insurer from intermediaries. The filter changes which rows you see; it does not assess your needs.
What should single-let landlords check?
Ask the provider to confirm that the proposed cover applies to your property and tenancy. Then check the unpaid-rent wording against the protection you want, without assuming that buildings cover answers the same question.
Take unresolved questions to the provider or an FCA-authorised broker before buying. This page does not identify a best policy for single-let landlords.
What should HMO landlords check?
HMO conditions vary by policy. Ask for confirmation that the policy accepts your letting arrangement and read the conditions attached to that acceptance.
Do not transfer an answer about another property to your HMO. Ask the provider to point to the relevant policy wording. The firm list does not establish HMO eligibility or rank HMO cover.
We do not advise which policy to buy. Check cover with the provider or an FCA-authorised broker.
General information, not legal advice. Laws and dates change. Check the FCA Register entries above before you act.
The government's roadmap states that PRS Database registration will be mandatory for private landlords in England. Read the PRS Database guide for registration information.