Insurance for renting out our own home

[Susanfinch]

Can any one help? We occasionally rent out our own home when we go away on holiday. Opprox 40 days per year. I am having trouble finding appropriate insurance for buildings and contents. Where do I look?
Thanks

[Interlaken]

You need to use a broker who specialises in such risks - try Ashburnham who regularly writes in this column or I use Highhouse Insurance who will also offer such cover.

[ashburnham]

I think I would need a bit more info regarding this one first.

As the letting period is short, it would be a referal or decline on most landlords insurance policies but a holiday let policy may be the direction to go. These cater for shorter letting periods and higher levels of contents. My concern with this risk is that it is your own house so I would assume your worldly goods are within. Any contents insurance policy for a property being rented out is going to exclude valuables.

As you will probably only want this policy for the 40 day duration it is important to find all costs involved. It is likely you will have to take out an annual policy and suffer the cancellation charges when you want the policy to cease. All these figures should be available before you take out the policy.

Also, if you have a mortgage on the property, you may need to make sure they are happy with this scenario.