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Owner's housing insurance

Verified 23 October 2019 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Home insurance is not compulsory for the owner, unless the dwelling is located in a condominium. However, he can take out insurance against the risk of damage to his property. The landlord must require the tenant to purchase home insurance. To protect against rental risks, the landlord can subscribe to insurance unpaid rents or Visal Warranty..

Owner occupying his dwelling

The owner who occupies his dwelling is not obliged to insure his property. But if he doesn't take out insurance, he will have to pay for all the damage he and his property could cause.

Warning  

if the unit is part of a condominium, it must obligatorily be assured, at least as regards the civil liability side.

Home insurance covers, in particular, claims related to fires, explosions, water damage, thefts on:

  • immovable property (detached house, apartment) including interior fittings,
  • movable property and valuables.

It covers, by civil liability, compensation for personal and material damage caused to others by:

  • the owner of the property, the person with whom he lives, his children, those in his care and the persons who are at his service (apprentices, employees for example),
  • his animals and those in his care.

FYI  

the contract may, however, specify exclusions of guarantee, for example for the dog trained in attack or for the practice of a professional activity in the dwelling.

Owner renting his accommodation

The owner who rents his property can be content to insure his civil liability..

It will be covered in case of damage resulting from a defect in construction or a defect in maintenance, by choosing the guarantee:

  • recourse of tenants, if it is a tenant who has suffered the damage,
  • recourse by neighbors and third parties, if one of its neighbors or a third party is the victim.

Please note

before committing to an insurer, verify that the proposed contract does not duplicate the contract entered into by the condominium trustee of your building.

The tenant must give the owner, at the time of the key delivery and then each year, a certificate of insurance.

If he does not, the owner must send him a formal notice reminding him of the obligation to insure. The notice must also inform the tenant that if he does not comply, the landlord will take the insurance and ask for the refund.

If, one month after such notice, the tenant has not sent him the certificate of insurance, the owner may:

  • purchase home insurance on behalf of the tenant, or
  • terminate the lease agreement, if a clause providing for such termination is included in the contract.

In addition, in order to terminate the lease, the owner must have a bailiff issue a command, and wait for that command to remain unsuccessful for 1 month.

The amount of the insurance premium will be paid by the tenant, in addition to the rent, to the landlord monthly.

Warning  

if the dwelling is in a condominium, the owner must ensure that civil liability..

By age, employment status and effort ratio of the tenant, you can as owner subscribe the Visal Warranty.. It aims to facilitate access to housing for certain categories of workers, protecting landlords from certain risks related to renting (e.g. tenant failure).

If the profile of your tenant does not allow you to subscribe to this specific guarantee, you can always choose a contract from those offered by insurance companies to protect landlords against the risk of unpaid rents.

However, these insurance contracts do not apply to seasonal rentals.

FAQ