Students and shared houses: how to insure your belongings

Your laptop, phone and bike are probably worth more than you think. It is worth ten minutes to check they are covered.

The answer in 2 lines. In England, contents insurance is not compulsory for tenants. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, a landlord cannot require you to take out insurance with a third party. The building is normally insured by the landlord, but your belongings are not. In university halls, basic contents cover is often included in the rent: check what it covers. In a shared house, you can take out one joint policy that names everyone, or each take your own. On a joint tenancy, any of you can be asked to pay for damage, whoever caused it.

The 4 steps

Find out what you already have: in halls, look in your accommodation contract or welcome pack for a contents insurance certificate. A parent's home policy may cover some of your things while you are away: ask the insurer, don't assume.
Check your tenancy type: one joint agreement for everyone, or a separate agreement for each room. It changes who pays for what.
In a shared house, decide together: one joint policy with every housemate named, or a policy each that also covers your share of the shared rooms.
Make a list of your valuables with photos and receipts (laptop, phone, bike, instruments) and check the policy's limit for each item.

Which option for which home

Situation	What usually applies	What to check
University halls	Basic contents cover is often included in the rent	The limit per item, the excess, whether your things are covered outside your room, and whether a theft is covered when your door was left unlocked
Private student block	It depends on the provider	Read the contract. A university policy does not always cover privately run blocks
Shared house, one joint policy	One policy naming every housemate	That everyone is named, and what happens when someone moves out
Shared house, one policy each	Each person insures their own room and belongings	Whether your things are covered in the kitchen, living room and hallway
Lodger, or living with family	Possibly the householder's policy	Ask whether you and your things are actually covered

The pitfalls of sharing

Joint tenancy means joint responsibility: on a joint tenancy, each of you can be held responsible for the whole rent, and Shelter explains that the landlord can choose which joint tenant to chase for damage. Insurance does not change that, so read the agreement before you sign. Citizens Advice can go through it with you for free.
The policyholder moves out: if the joint policy is in their name, the others may suddenly have no cover. Arrange the change with the insurer before they leave.
A new housemate: tell the insurer. The premium may change.
Items you carry around: laptops and phones taken to lectures, and bikes left outside, are often only covered with an extra option. Check before you rely on it.

What not to do

Taking out a joint policy that names only one housemate.
Assuming your parents' home insurance covers your things in a shared house: many policies don't.
Leaving your room or front door unlocked: some policies refuse theft claims if there was no forced entry.
Paying a landlord or agent for insurance they say is 'required': in England that is not allowed. You can choose to take out a policy, but nobody can force you.

Good to know

For contents insurance in general, see our guide Do tenants need contents insurance in England?.
Damage at the end of the year usually comes out of the deposit: see Landlord won't return your deposit.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own tenancy and tenant fee rules. Ask Citizens Advice or the advice service for your nation.
Prices depend on where you live, what you own and the excess: compare policies on the same cover and the same item limits.

In Manchester, Chloe, Sam and Priya sign a joint tenancy for a four-bedroom house. They take out one contents policy that names all three of them and split the cost. In January, Sam moves out and Jordan moves in. Before Sam leaves, they ask the insurer to replace Sam's name with Jordan's, so nobody is left without cover even for a day. Priya adds cover for her laptop away from home, because she takes it to the library every day.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 6 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high that a landlord cannot require a tenant to take out insurance with a third party (Tenant Fees Act 2019) and on how joint and sole tenancies work; medium for cover in halls, which varies by university and provider. This guide gives general rules: your policy wording sets your cover, excess and limits. Bobby does not recommend any insurer or policy.