Landlord insurance
A specialised insurance policy that covers risks specific to renting out residential property, including loss of rent, tenant-caused damage, and liability, in addition to standard building and contents cover.
Landlord insurance is written specifically for owners of residential rental property and typically bundles building cover, contents cover for landlord-owned chattels, and rental-specific sections such as loss of rent following an insured event and cover for malicious or accidental damage by tenants.
Policy wordings vary significantly between insurers and between New Zealand and Australia. Common coverage gaps to check include the definition of “sum insured” for the building, how loss of rent is triggered, exclusions for wear and tear, any deliberate-act exclusions, and whether meth contamination (New Zealand) or specific water-damage events are covered.
Landlord insurance is not mandated by statute in either country, but most mortgage lenders require building insurance as a loan condition, and the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (New Zealand) requires landlords to disclose insurance information to tenants at the start of a tenancy.
Primary source
Consumer NZ — Landlord insurance →Last reviewed 15 April 2026. Rates, thresholds, and deadlines change — always verify against the primary source before making decisions.