Property insurance
Block of Flats Insurance
one buildings policy for a whole block, covering the structure, common parts and your liability
One buildings policy for a whole residential block and its shared areas. An accurate rebuild figure and declaring how the flats are used matter as much as the cover itself.
- Purpose-built blocks and conversions
- Structure and common parts
- Landlords, freeholders and management companies
- FCA authorised and regulated
Quick answerBlock of flats insurance is buildings cover for a residential block containing several flats, on one policy. It insures the structure and common parts, such as the roof, walls, stairs and grounds, for the rebuild figure, with property owners’ liability and help after a loss. It suits landlords who own a whole block, freeholders and management companies. Tell MyMoneyComparison.com about the block once, and specialist UK brokers can come back with quotes.
This page is about insuring a whole block on one policy. The lease duties of a freeholder are covered on our freeholder insurance page, and a single flat you let on landlord insurance.
At a glance
Block Cover, in Brief
Six things that decide how block of flats insurance behaves, before any of the detail.
- One policy for the block
- The whole building, not flat by flat
- Structure and common parts
- Roof, walls, stairs, hallways and grounds
- The rebuild figure
- For the whole block, not the value of the flats
- Property owners’ liability
- Residents, visitors and the public
- Escape of water
- Leaks between flats drive many block claims
- Rent or accommodation
- For landlords or leaseholders after a loss
The basics
What Is Block of Flats Insurance?
Buildings cover for a residential block containing several flats, on one policy. It insures the structure and shared areas, whoever owns or lives in the individual flats.
Buildings
The whole structure, for its rebuild figure.
Common parts
Hallways, stairs, lifts, roof, grounds and bin stores.
Property owners’ liability
Injury or damage to residents and visitors.
Loss of rent
For a landlord letting the flats, after an insured event.
Engineering cover
Lifts, boilers and plant, where included.
Directors’ liability
For management company directors, as an extra.
How it works
How Does Block of Flats Insurance Work?
You describe the block and how the flats are occupied, set a rebuild figure for the whole building, and the insurer sets the cover and any conditions.
You describe the block
Construction, height, age, number of flats and any shops or garages.
You describe the occupancy
Owner-occupiers, tenants, short lets, empty flats and who manages the building.
You set the rebuild figure
For the whole block. The method is in our guide to calculating a rebuild value.
The insurer sets the terms
The price, the excesses and any conditions for fire safety, maintenance or empty flats.
What it covers
What Does Block of Flats Insurance Cover?
The whole building and common parts, liability, and lost rent or alternative accommodation after a loss, with engineering and directors’ cover available on many policies.
| Section | Where it sits | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Buildings and common parts | Core | For the full rebuild figure |
| Property owners’ liability | Core | The limit is set on your schedule |
| Loss of rent or alternative accommodation | Core or optional | Check the limit and period |
| Escape of water | Core | Can carry a higher excess |
| Common parts contents | Optional | Carpets, furniture and fittings |
| Engineering and lift cover | Optional | Breakdown and inspections |
| Employers’ liability | Where you employ staff | Cleaners, porters or caretakers |
Residents insure their own contents. A block policy covers the building, not the belongings inside each flat.
Exclusions
What Block of Flats Insurance Does Not Include
Cover can exclude residents’ contents, wear and tear, undeclared uses or features, and losses where conditions were not kept.
Residents’ contents
Belongings inside each flat.
Wear, tear and gradual damage
Maintenance issues and slow leaks.
Undeclared features
Cladding, a commercial unit or short lets the insurer was not told about.
Repeat leaks
Can bring a higher excess or restrictions.
Undeclared building work
Major works can need declaring or separate cover.
Long-empty flats
Where conditions for vacant units were not met.
Types of block
Which Blocks Can Be Covered?
A wide range of residential blocks, from a converted house to a large managed development. Size, construction and occupancy shape the terms.
Purpose-built blocks
Low-rise and taller blocks.
Converted houses
Houses split into flats.
Flats above shops or garages
Mixed buildings with homes above.
Retirement blocks
Sheltered and retirement developments.
Managed developments
Larger sites with shared facilities.
Blocks with empty flats
Where some units stand vacant.
Shops or offices on the ground floor? See our mixed-use property insurance page.
Who it is for
Who Needs Block of Flats Insurance
Whoever is responsible for insuring the building, whether they let every flat or manage it for leaseholders.
Landlords owning a whole block
Letting every flat to tenants.
Freeholders
Insuring a leasehold block. See our freeholder insurance page.
Resident management companies
Run by the leaseholders.
Right-to-manage companies
Where the arrangement gives them the insuring duty.
Managing agents
Arranging cover on behalf of owners.
Portfolio landlords
Blocks alongside other let property. See our property portfolio insurance page.
One policy or several
One Block Policy vs Separate Flat Policies
Insuring flat by flat can leave the roof, walls and shared areas uncovered or disputed. One block policy insures the whole building together.
| One block policy | Separate flat policies | |
|---|---|---|
| What it insures | The whole building | Each flat separately |
| Common parts | Included | Can fall between policies |
| Rebuild figure | One figure for the block | Separate figures |
| Renewals | One | Several |
Letting one flat in someone else’s block? See our buy-to-let landlord insurance page.
Cost
What Block of Flats Insurance Is Priced On
The rebuild figure, construction and cladding, the number of flats, how they are occupied, any commercial use, the location and the claims history. We do not print average premiums.
Why the building leads
The rebuild figure, height, construction and any cladding set the base for the whole block.
Why the occupancy matters too
Tenants, short lets, empty flats and shops below can each change the risk, and repeat leaks shape the excess.
What the quote is rated on
The main factors
- Rebuild figureThe whole blockBase
- ConstructionHeight, walls and claddingRate
- OccupancyOwners, tenants and empty flatsRate
- LocationCrime and flood exposureRate
- HistoryPast claims, especially leaksAdjust
Leak prevention
Plumbing checks can help with escape of water terms.
Fire safety
Alarms, fire doors and clear escape routes.
Security
Door entry systems and lighting in common parts.
The details
The Block Details That Decide a Claim
Block claims can turn on whether the policy matches the building and how it is used. Four details come up again and again.
Keep the rebuild figure current
One figure covers the whole block, so review it regularly, as under-insurance can lead to a reduced claim.
Tackle leaks quickly
Find and fix the source of escape of water, and keep records, as repeat leaks can change the terms.
Declare every use in the block
Tenants, short lets, empty flats and commercial units can each change the cover.
Keep fire safety and maintenance records
Fire risk assessments, alarm and lift checks, and roof and gutter work, with dates.
Flats standing empty? See our unoccupied property insurance page.
Quote checklist
What You Will Be Asked for a Block of Flats Quote
Six things shape the quote: the block, the flats and who lives in them, any commercial use, the rebuild figure, fire safety, and the claims history.
The block
Construction, height, age and any cladding.
The flats
How many, and who lives in them.
Any commercial use
Shops, garages or offices in the building.
A rebuild figure
For the whole block.
Fire safety
Alarms, fire doors and risk assessments.
Claims history
Recent claims, especially escape of water.
Comparing
Checking Block of Flats Quotes Side by Side
Four areas decide whether a policy suits the block: the cover, occupancy, the extras, and cost terms. The price is only one of them.
The cover
- Buildings and common parts
- Loss of rent or alternative accommodation
- Property owners’ liability
Occupancy
- Tenant types accepted
- Short lets and empty flats
- Commercial units
Extras
- Engineering and lift cover
- Directors’ liability
- Common parts contents
Cost terms
- The standard excess
- Escape of water excess
- Paying monthly or upfront
Check the escape of water excess. In a block it can be the excess that matters most. Unfamiliar terms are explained in our plain English jargon guide.
Cutting costs
How to Reduce the Cost of Block of Flats Insurance
The levers are an accurate rebuild figure, leak prevention, good maintenance, and the excess. We publish no savings figures.
Get the rebuild figure right
Too high can waste premium; too low can lead to a reduced claim.
Prevent leaks
Plumbing checks and leak detection can help the terms.
Keep up maintenance
Roofs, gutters and common parts in good order.
Keep fire safety current
Alarms, fire doors and risk assessments.
Improve the security
Door entry and lighting in common parts.
Choose the excess deliberately
A higher excess is a lever, worth using only at a level you could absorb.
Glossary
Block of Flats Insurance Terms Explained
The words that come up most on a block of flats schedule.
- Block policy
- One policy insuring a whole building of flats.
- Common parts
- Shared areas such as hallways, stairs, the roof and grounds.
- Rebuild figure
- The cost of rebuilding the property, not its sale price.
- Escape of water
- Damage from leaking pipes, tanks or appliances.
- Freeholder
- The owner of the building and the land it stands on.
- Leaseholder
- The owner of a flat on a long lease.
- Resident management company
- A company run by leaseholders to manage the building.
- Loss of rent
- Cover for rent lost while flats cannot be let after an insured event.
- Property owners’ liability
- The owner’s liability for injury or damage caused by the property.
- Excess
- The part of each claim you pay yourself.
Why MyMoneyComparison.com
Why Compare Block of Flats Insurance with MyMoneyComparison.com?
MyMoneyComparison.com is an FCA-authorised UK comparison service that introduces property owners to specialist brokers. We do not sell insurance and we do not give advice: the broker you choose arranges the policy. Using us is free.
One form, one property
Describe the property once, instead of repeating yourself to each broker.
Advice given
We are an introducer, not a broker. We do not sell policies and we do not recommend one insurer or product over another. Read our editorial policy.
Authorised and regulated
MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd appears on the FCA register under FRN 916241.
Incorporated
A UK company since 2013. FCA authorisation is separate and later; the register carries its date.
FAQs
Block of Flats Insurance FAQs
Answers on rebuild figures, leaks, empty flats and cladding.
What is block of flats insurance?
Buildings cover for a residential block containing several flats, on one policy. It insures the structure and common parts for the rebuild figure, with property owners’ liability and help after a loss.
Who needs block of flats insurance?
Whoever is responsible for insuring the building. That can be a landlord who owns and lets every flat, a freeholder, a resident management company or a right-to-manage company.
Why insure the whole block on one policy?
Insuring flat by flat can leave the roof, walls and shared areas uncovered or disputed after a loss. One block policy insures the whole building together, with one rebuild figure.
How should the rebuild figure be set?
For the whole block, as the cost of rebuilding it, not the combined value of the flats. A professional assessment helps, and reviewing it regularly helps keep the building properly insured.
Does it cover residents’ belongings?
No. A block policy covers the building and common parts. Residents need their own contents insurance, and leaseholders who let their flats may need landlord cover too.
Is loss of rent included?
Many block policies include loss of rent for landlords, or alternative accommodation for leaseholders, while flats cannot be lived in after an insured event. Check the limit and period.
Why does escape of water matter so much?
Leaks can spread between flats, and repeat claims can raise the price and the excess for the whole block. Finding and fixing the source quickly, and regular plumbing checks, can help.
Does cladding affect cover?
It can. Insurers ask about wall construction and cladding, and some can decline, set conditions or charge more. Any fire safety assessment of the external walls helps.
What if some flats are empty?
Tell the insurer. Empty flats can carry conditions such as inspections, and cover for a unit may change once it has been empty for the period the policy sets.
Can a block with shops be covered?
It often can be, but the shops need to be declared. A commercial unit, such as a takeaway, can change the fire risk and the terms for the whole building.
Do I need cover for the lift?
Lifts can need regular inspection by a competent person, and engineering cover can pay for sudden breakdown. Some insurers offer both together, which can make the checks easier to keep on track.
Is property owners’ liability included?
Many block policies include it, covering injury or damage caused by the building or common parts, such as a fall on the stairs. Check the limit on the schedule.
What about short lets in the block?
Tell the insurer. Flats let to paying guests can change the risk, and some policies restrict short lets. Leases may also limit them, so check before flats are let this way.
Do I need employers’ liability?
If you employ anyone, such as a cleaner, porter or caretaker, employers’ liability is normally needed. Tell the insurer about anyone working at the block.
Can several blocks go on one policy?
Often, yes. Landlords and managing agents with several blocks can arrange them on one schedule, with each block rated on its own details and rebuild figure.
How do I compare block of flats quotes?
Look beyond the price to the buildings and common parts cover, loss of rent or accommodation, liability, occupancy terms, engineering cover and the excesses, especially for escape of water.
Ready when you are
Get Quotes for Your Block
Tell us about the block and who lives there. Specialist UK brokers can then come back with quotes. Free to use, with no obligation to buy.
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About this page
This page explains UK block of flats insurance: what it covers, what it leaves out, and how the rebuild figure and the way the flats are used decide a claim. It is general information rather than advice. Policies differ between insurers, so read your own documents and put the questions raised here to your insurer or broker.
How we approached this page
- Published UK block of flats policy summaries
- Common parts, escape of water and unoccupancy terms
- Financial Ombudsman material on property insurance complaints
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