Rent & Legal Protection

We are a market leader in providing quality Rent & Legal Protection Insurance products that are not only value for money, but best of all, they are set prices and each policy will cover up to 5 people per Tenancy Agreement.

We offer three insurance products to protect a landlord if they are faced with problem tenants. Offering these products as part of your service package will give confidence to your landlord to know that they are covered if the tenant defaults, especially in an unpredictable economic climate.

We are able to provide letting agents with a link that can be placed on their websites. This means that anyone who visits your website can click on it and purchase insurance products using your agent number and you will earn commission on each policy sold, as well as if the renewal is taken up.

Key Benefits and Conditions of our LERG products:

The three insurance products we offer are: Legal Expenses & Rent Guarantee for 6 months, Legal Expenses and Rent Guarantee for 12 months and Legal Expenses Only for 12 months.

Our policies are valid per property for up to 5 tenants on one Tenancy Agreement.

There is no administration fee or registration fee to be paid

If the current tenants move out, the policy will still be valid for the new tenants as long as no claim has been made under the policy and the new tenants have been properly referenced according to their status before they move into the property.

On renewal of a LERG or LE policy, as long as there has not been a break in the tenancy or the tenants circumstances have not changed during the period gone or it is still the same tenants referenced at the start of the tenancy and there have not been any payment issues, we do not require the tenants to be re-referenced.

We can cover properties where the tenants have already moved into the property as long as they were referenced before they moved into the property, though a claim can not be put forward for the first 90 days.

Each LERG and LE policy put on cover through us has to be supported by Tenant Referencing. Each person named on the tenancy should meet the Tenant Referencing Requirements.

LERG and LE policies cover:

Monthly rent up to £2,500 – up to £15,000 per claim (LERG policies only).

Advisors costs up to £25,000 – incurred in eviction proceedings (LERG & LE).

Advisors fees for the recovery of dilapidations costs – as long as they are mentioned in the dilapidations inventory (LERG & LE).        

Tenant Referencing Requirements:

Tenant Referencing is a requirement of our Legal Expenses & Rent Guarantee policies.  Using Rentguard’s Tenant Referencing services will help you to ensure that you have met the requirements of your policy.

All types of lets have to be FULLY referenced either by Rentguard or a Referencing company approved by Rentguard – these include DSS/housing benefit tenants, students, self-employed applicants etc.

However, for Full-Time Employed Working Tenant(s) a 4 point check** will suffice. Please note that the details have to be valid from the START of the tenancy agreement.

The RENTGUARD 4 Point Check is:

• Identification from the tenant, containing a clear photograph
• Either a Utility Bill or a Bank Statement
• Credit check; clear of CCJs, bankruptcies & indicating confirmation of residency
• Confirmation of employment – a written employers’ reference on company letter headed paper confirming the Tenant’s permanent and current employment and that their salary is at least a multiple of 2.5 of the Tenant’s rent.

** Please note that if the 4 point check is applied and is in place, there will be no need to do a Full Tenant Reference – though in the event of a claim, the responsibility lies with the insured to produce the appropriate documents. A 4 point check is only applicable if the Tenant(s) have not yet moved into the property before the first continuous policy is incepted.

Residential Landlords Insurance

Overview:

Residential landlord insurance is a comprehensive insurance policy offered at extremely competitive rates. Our products are underwritten by leading UK insurers including RSA (former Royal & Sun Alliance plc), Sterling Insurance, Lloyds and Zurich.

Landlord buildings and contents

Standard residential buy to let property insurance rates for professionals let’s start at just £1.80 per £1,000 sum insured but may be negotiated subject to the volumes of business. We provide landlord insurance quotes to the private rented sector for virtually any type of let including properties let to: professionals/people of independent means, students, DSS and unoccupied properties. In addition, we provide comprehensive cover for UK Holiday and Second Homes.

Policy benefits

Rentguard landlord insurance policy covers all the standard perils as well as providing the following cover for residential buy to let properties of all sizes throughout the UK:

• Cover for houses, bungalows and flats
• Commercial and residential combined
• Loss of rent cover is up to 30% of the buildings sum insured
• Property owner’s liability is up to £5,000,000
• Up to 30 day unoccupancy allowed
• Contents cover up to £40,000
• Insurance cover is ‘new for old’
• Policy excess for professional lets from: £100 for buildings and £50 for contents.
• Policy excess for non-professional lets from: £250 for buildings and £50 for contents.

If you are looking for a competitive insurance quote on ANY residential buy to let property, quote and buy online or give us a call on 0800 002 5487 and our UK based team will do our best to provide you with a suitable landlord insurance policy at extremely competitive rates.

Please note that the above information provides a summary only; full policy terms and conditions are found in the policy wording(s). For the levels of cover, excesses and terms and conditions that apply specifically to your insurance, please read through your insurance certificate & statement of fact and the policy wording.

The terms & conditions set out in the policy wording(s) form the basis of the insurance contract; these should be read and understood prior to taking out the policy. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like more details

Owner Occupier Insurance

Overview

Could you afford to rebuild your home if the worst happens? Your home is a big part of your life, therefore it’s essential to make sure that you have the right home insurance policy to cover your home and its contents. That’s why we’ve made our home insurance comprehensive but also inexpensive and easy to understand.

If you’re looking for comprehensive yet competitively priced home insurance cover, give us a call on  0800 002 5487. You’ll get our best deal and reassurance that your policy is underwritten by a consortium of leading UK insurers RSA (formerly known as Royal & Sun Alliance), Allianz and Groupama. At Rentguard we give you the best price for comprehensive cover.

Policy benefits

• Home contents insurance with the option of personal possessions cover
• Instant online home insurance quote
• Buildings cover available, with or without contents
• Extra discount if you take out buildings and contents insurance combined cover
• Flexible cover to match your needs
• Monthly payment option
• Garden cover available via our home insurance policy
• Legal liability to the public of £2,000,000 as standard
• Optional accidental damage cover
• Alternative accommodation

If you are looking for a competitive quote on your home insurance, quote & buy online or give us a call on 0800 002 5487 and we will do our best to provide you with a suitable policy at extremely competitive rates.

Please note that the above information provides a summary only. For full policy terms and conditions please see the policy wording document. Terms & Conditions should be fully read and understood prior to taking out the policy.

Rent & Legal Protection

There are 6 types of legal expenses products available in this category, 4 of which offer rent guarantee insurance, as follows:

Legal Expenses Insurance

This is a comprehensive Legal Expenses product that will cover the landlord’s costs of any disputes between themselves and their tenant(s). This is a 12-month policy and costs just £39.00 per annum.

Legal Expenses & Rent Guarantee (6 Months)

Comprehensive Legal Expenses and Rent Guarantee product covering the landlords costs for disputes between themselves and their tenant(s), with rent guarantee insurance up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. This is a 6 month policy and costs just £53.00.

Legal Expenses & Rent Guarantee (12 Months)

Comprehensive Legal expenses and Rent Guarantee product covering the landlords costs for disputes between themselves and their tenants, with rent guarantee insurance up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. This is a 12 month policy and costs just £99.00 per annum.

Legal Expenses & Rent Guarantee – No Excess (6 Months)

Comprehensive Legal Expenses and Rent Guarantee product covering the landlords costs for disputes between themselves and their tenant(s), with rent guarantee insurance up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. This is a 6 month policy which carries no excess and costs just £69.00.

Legal Expenses & Rent Guarantee – No Excess (12 Months)

Comprehensive Legal expenses and Rent Guarantee product covering the landlords costs for disputes between themselves and their tenants, with rent guarantee insurance up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. This is a 12 month policy which carries no excess and costs just £124.99 per annum.

Legal Expenses – Property Disputes  – No Excess (12 Months)

A legal Expenses insurance product that also includes land and property disputes cover. This policy will pay for the costs of disputes the property owner may face which relate to: advisor’s costs for evicting trespassers; property boundary issues; defense of prosecution relating to the insured property for Gas and Safety, Furniture and Furnishings and Electrical Equipment Regulations and Identity Fraud. The policy is available for 12 months and costs £15.00 and is available as part of the Buildings Insurance; quote & buy online

Tenant Referencing

It is a requirement of this insurance that the policyholder carries out references before the tenants move into the property. In the event of a claim, the responsibility lies with the insured to present the referencing documents.

All types of tenants have to be fully referenced either by Rentguard or a Referencing company approved by Rentguard – these include DSS, students, self-employed lets, and the like.

However, for full time employed working tenants a 4 point check will suffice* (please note that the details have to be valid from the start of the tenancy agreement.)

The 4 point check is:

• Identification from the tenant, containing a clear verified photograph
• Either a utility bill or a bank statement
• Credit check; clear of CCJ’s, bankruptcies & indicating confirmation of residency
• Confirmation of employment – a written employers’ reference on company letter headed paper confirming the tenant’s permanent and current employment and that their salary is at least a multiple of 2.5 of the tenant’s rent (the documents should be no more than one month old from the start of the tenancy)

*Please note that if the 4-point check is applied & is in place, there will be no need to do a full profile – though in the event of a claim, the responsibility lies with the insured to produce the appropriate documents.

Please note that when a working person does not meet the above requirements or after working out their ratio of income against the rental requirement it proves insufficient: then a full profile reference has to be carried out. This reference can only be carried out either by Rentguard Tenant Referencing or one of our appointed referencing companies (please contact us directly for the list).

Commercial Property Insurance

(includes commercial & residential combined)

Our commercial property insurance policy is specifically designed for the commercial landlord, whether as an individual requirement or as a mixed portfolio of commercial and residential combined and covers a comprehensive range of commercial uses:

• Offices, including taxi offices, travel agents, and estate agents
• Hairdressers and beauticians
• Restaurants, including cafés and high-risk eateries, such as fast food takeaways
• Dental surgeries
• Car accessory stores
• Furniture stores
• Garden centers
• Commercial & residential combined.
• Unoccupied commercial property
• At Rentguard we can also provide unoccupied commercial property insurance.

Tenant Contents Insurance

This policy is available for all residential tenants (including students) living in flats, bed-sits, shared accommodation for properties of all sizes throughout the UK. Covers loss or damage as a result of all standard perils including:

• Fire, smoke, explosion, lightning, earthquake
• Storm or flood
• Theft or attempted theft consequent upon violent and forcible entry
• Escape of water
• Malicious damage consequent upon violent and forcible entry
• Riots or civil commotion
• Collision, falling trees or branches
• Lamp-posts, TV aerials or masts.
• Additional benefits include:
• Accidental damage to home entertainment equipment
• Accidental damage to mirrors and glass
• Accidental loss of oil and metered water
• Temporary removal of contents
• Alternative accommodation
• Tenants liability to the public up to £2,000,000.
• Accidental damage to landlords contents
• The policy includes accidental damage cover against Landlords contents for which the tenant has been legally made responsible.

Personal Possessions

We offer additional cover for personal possessions provided that they belong to you or your family and that they are mainly used for private purposes. These include personal effects, valuables and money.

If you are looking for a competitive quote on your tenant contents insurance, quote & buy onlineor give us a call on 0208 587 1060 and we will do our best to provide you with a suitable policy at extremely competitive rates.

Please note that the above information provides a summary only. For full policy terms and conditions please see the policy wording document. Terms & Conditions should be fully read and understood prior to taking out the policy.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

What is it?

Professional Indemnity Insurance (P I Cover) is a form of liability insurance that provides cover for the financial consequences of professional negligence, following a breach of professional duty by way of neglect, error or omission.

In addition, an indemnity is provided in respect of the legal and other costs and expenses incurred in the defense of any claim. The general philosophy in the litigious world that we now live intends to be ‘if something goes wrong, somebody must be to blame, and that somebody has to pay’.

A professional cannot ignore an allegation of professional negligence. The allegation must be defended or admitted, and as a result, there will be cost implications in either case. Professional Indemnity insurance provides the ultimate safety net when all else fails.

Who needs it?

Any professional person providing advice, design, specifications, supervision on a professional basis and who owes a duty of care to their client, and/or third parties.

The duty of care owed is generally the exercise of ‘reasonable skill and care’, in the discharge of the services provided. If a professional fails to exercise this duty (i.e. is negligent) they may be liable for losses incurred by their client, and/or third parties. Taking into account the operation of the current legal system, even proving innocence can be very costly.

Protection for Professionals

A professional purchases P I Cover for their own protection. Rentguard offers specialised cover for Letting Agents, Insurance Brokers and Independent Financial Advisors. In many cases, it is a legal requirement for a business to have P I Cover and a stipulation for companies authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

What can professionals be liable for?

A claim can be lodged against the professional at any time by someone claiming that they have been negligent in their working or business practice.

This can occur when there is an agreement of ‘duty of care’, and the claimant can prove that the professional has breached that duty.

It also often occurs when a plaintiff has suffered financial loss as a direct result of that breach

If an allegation of negligence is upheld the professional is likely to be liable for the losses incurred by the plaintiff which arise as a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the professional’s actions.

The professional will often be responsible for the plaintiff’s legal costs and these can be substantial.

It is often the case that large sums of money are spent simply trying to recover fairly minor losses.

What is the extent of cover?

• All claims and the consequences of claims for professional negligence including the following:
• Civil liability
• Dishonesty or fraudulence (other than by a Director/Partner/Principal)
• Ombudsman awards
• Data protection
• Breach or Loss of documents

What is UNIQUE about it?

Professional Indemnity insurance operates on what is known as a ‘claims made’ basis. This means that it is the policy in force at the time the claim is notified which will operate, irrespective of when the work was actually undertaken or when the alleged act of negligence took place.

The ability of clients or third parties to bring claims many years after services are complete (subject to the relevant limitation periods) emphasizes the importance of maintaining cover into the future.

Limits of Indemnity

The limit of indemnity is the maximum amount that can be claimed from insurers for the professional’s liability to pay claimant damages. Costs incurred to defend the position are usually paid in addition to the limit of indemnity.

It is important to note that disclosing the limit of indemnity to a client does not lead to a limitation of liability, which can only be achieved by negotiating a specific financial cap as part of the professional’s appointment.

The limit of indemnity operates in one of two ways:

Each and every claim cover – this means that the indemnity limit applies separately to each claim that is made under the policy. However, all claims arising from the same occurrence would be regarded by insurers as one claim.

Aggregate cover – the limit of indemnity would apply as one single amount for all claims made in each period of insurance.

If you are looking for a competitive quote on professional indemnity insurance, why not give us a call on 0800 002 5487 and we will do our best to provide you with a suitable policy at extremely competitive rates.

Please use our online quote in 60 seconds on our home page.