How Much Cover Do You Need for Commercial Landlord Property Insurance?
Owning property, whether it’s a retail shop, salon, warehouse, or a block of flats, is a major investment. Choosing the right level of commercial landlord property insurance ensures your asset is properly protected against the unexpected.
At MyMoneyComparison.com, we’ve helped thousands of UK landlords and property owners find the right protection since 2013. From small independent landlords to portfolio investors and commercial property owners, we make comparing insurance straightforward and transparent.
🔎 Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance — Compare Now
What Is Commercial Landlord Property Insurance?
Commercial landlord insurance is a specialist policy designed to protect property owners who rent out buildings used for business or mixed purposes.
Unlike residential landlord insurance, which covers homes or flats let to tenants, commercial landlord insurance can protect a wide range of properties, including:
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Retail shops and high street units
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Hair salons and beauty studios
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Offices and co-working spaces
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Warehouses and distribution centres
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Workshops and light industrial units
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Restaurants, cafés and takeaways
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Public houses or licensed premises
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Mixed-use buildings with commercial and residential tenants
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Blocks of flats or apartment buildings
Each property type carries different risks, and that’s why the level and type of cover required can vary significantly.
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🏢 Protect your investment today. Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
What Does Commercial Landlord Insurance Cover?
A comprehensive policy will usually include a combination of the following:
🏗 Buildings Insurance
Covers the physical structure of your property — walls, roof, floors, and permanent fixtures — against damage from fire, flood, storm, explosion, vandalism, or vehicle impact.
This is often based on the rebuild cost, not market value.
🪑 Contents or Fixtures & Fittings Cover
Protects items you own within the property, such as communal furniture, signage, carpets, or fixed equipment you’ve installed (e.g., shop counters or fitted units).
💷 Loss of Rent
Reimburses you for rent lost if the property becomes uninhabitable after an insured event (like a fire or flood).
You can usually choose between 12, 24, or 36 months’ rent indemnity periods.
👥 Property Owners’ Liability
Covers you if a tenant, visitor, or contractor suffers injury or damage to their belongings on your premises.
Standard cover starts from £2 million, with higher limits available for larger premises.
🏚 Unoccupied Property Cover
If your building is vacant between tenants or under renovation, a short-term unoccupied property policy ensures it remains protected, though certain conditions like weekly inspections may apply.
💡 Find out how much your policy might cost. Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
How It Works
1️⃣ Complete one simple form – Tell us about your property and tenants.
2️⃣ We match you with FCA-regulated brokers – Trusted experts who specialise in landlord and commercial insurance.
3️⃣ Compare and choose – Review multiple quotes side by side and select what suits you best.
🧭 Start here: Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
How to Work Out the Correct Level of Cover
Step 1: Determine the Rebuild Cost
This is the amount it would cost to completely rebuild your property from the ground up.
It includes materials, labour, professional fees, demolition, and site clearance.
You can estimate the rebuild cost using a RICS surveyor or an online BCIS calculator.
Avoid insuring for market value — it’s often higher or lower than the true rebuild figure.
Step 2: Consider the Property Type
Different property types bring unique risk factors:
| Property Type | Key Risks | Recommended Extras |
|---|---|---|
| Retail shops & salons | Fire, theft, accidental damage, and public access | Contents, business interruption, liability |
| Restaurants, cafés & takeaways | Fire, kitchen hazards, and higher footfall | Liability, fire risk cover, equipment |
| Offices | Accidental damage, burst pipes | Fixtures & fittings, loss of rent |
| Warehouses & storage | Fire, theft, structural damage | Higher rebuild value, liability |
| Industrial units & workshops | Machinery, welding, flammable materials | Fire cover, machinery insurance |
| Blocks of flats/apartments | Escape of water, liability for communal areas | Combined buildings & liability cover |
| Mixed-use buildings | Both business and residential risks | Comprehensive combined policy |
🧭 Related reading:
Public Liability Insurance
Employers’ Liability Insurance
💷 Example Costings for Commercial Landlord Insurance
The cost of commercial landlord property insurance varies depending on the size, location, tenant activity, and cover level.
To provide a guide, here are average annual premium ranges based on typical UK market data:
| Property Type | Typical Annual Premium | Example Details |
|---|---|---|
| Small retail shop or salon | £250 – £500 | Single high-street unit, £200,000 rebuild value, £2 million liability |
| Office building | £350 – £750 | Two-storey office, £350,000 rebuild value, 12 months’ rent protection |
| Warehouse or light industrial unit | £600 – £1,200 | 5,000 sq ft building, £500,000 rebuild value, higher fire risk |
| Restaurant or café | £700 – £1,500 | Ground floor unit, cooking equipment, £5 million liability |
| Block of flats (5–10 units) | £800 – £1,600 | Brick construction, £750,000 rebuild value, communal areas |
| Mixed-use property (shop with flats above) | £900 – £2,000 | £800,000 rebuild value, residential and commercial tenants |
💡 Figures are for guidance only — premiums vary depending on rebuild cost, location, tenant risk, and security measures.
🧭 See what your building might cost to insure: Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
Additional Options to Strengthen Your Policy
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Terrorism cover – often required for high-value commercial centres or city properties.
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Legal expenses cover – for disputes with tenants or contractors.
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Rent guarantee insurance – to protect against non-payment of rent.
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Accidental damage cover – especially useful for retail or salon units.
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Glass and signage cover – for shops and premises with large frontages.
🧭 Compare optional add-ons: Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
What About Residential and Mixed-Use Buildings?
Many landlords own both commercial and residential property.
If your property contains flats above a shop, you may need a mixed-use policy, which protects both the retail unit and the residential space under one plan.
Residential Landlord Policies typically include:
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Buildings insurance
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Loss of rent or alternative accommodation
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Liability cover for tenants or visitors
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Optional contents cover for furnished lets
🧭 Related page: Landlord Insurance
For blocks of flats, consider block insurance or residential building cover, which protects shared areas, lifts, corridors, roofs, and common services.
This is ideal for freeholders or property management companies.
Manage several properties? Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance or explore Landlord Portfolio Insurance.
Managing Unoccupied or Vacant Buildings
Unoccupied properties face increased risks of vandalism, burst pipes, or squatters.
Insurers may require:
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Weekly inspections
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Heating turned off or drained
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Doors and windows secured
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Utilities disconnected
🧭 Protect your empty building: Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
Why Compare with MyMoneyComparison.com?
Since 2013, MyMoneyComparison.com has helped thousands of UK landlords find the right property insurance.
We are 100% independent and FCA-authorised and regulated, meaning we always act in your best interests — not those of insurers or advertisers.
We connect landlords with trusted, FCA-regulated brokers who can tailor cover for:
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Single or multiple commercial units
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Retail shops, salons, and offices
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Mixed-use and residential blocks
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Industrial or warehouse properties
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Portfolios and property management companies
🎯 Ready to protect your investment? Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right level of cover for your commercial or mixed-use property isn’t just about cost, it’s about long-term protection.
By comparing through MyMoneyComparison.com, a 100% independent, FCA-authorised company established in 2013, you’ll gain access to experienced brokers who understand the complexities of property ownership — from retail shops and offices to blocks of flats and industrial estates.
🏢 Start your comparison today – Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property Insurance
Last Updated | 10th November 2025
Page updated and reviewed by Sarah Hampton – Insurance specialist
