Holiday let insurance: why the right cover matters

james73515
Jun 27
3 min read

Running a holiday let business can be incredibly rewarding – both financially and personally. But it also comes with serious responsibilities, especially when it comes to protecting your property, your guests, and your business (writes Howard Reuben, Principal, HCH Financial Services).

At HCH Financial Services, we offer full financial support to holiday let owners – from mortgage solutions to insurance strategies tailored to short-term rental properties. In this article, we’ll explain exactly why holiday let insurance matters, what it should include, and how to ensure you're fully protected.

What is holiday let insurance?

Holiday let property insurance is a specialist type of cover designed for properties that are rented out to paying guests on a short-term basis. Unlike standard home insurance, holiday let insurance provides enhanced protection to reflect the additional risks that come with hosting.

Many policies are flexible enough to allow for dual use – meaning the property can be used both as a private holiday home and as a rental for guests.

What should holiday let insurance cover?

A comprehensive holiday let insurance policy should cover far more than just buildings and contents. At HCH Financial Services, we provide access to a wide range of standard and specialist insurers offering protection for:

Buildings insurance – covers structural damage, including accidental damage, subsidence, and landslip.
Contents insurance – covers loss or damage of furnishings, appliances, and personal property, even when caused by guests or third-party contractors.
Public liability insurance – essential protection if a guest suffers injury or property damage and makes a claim against you.
Pet damage cover – a must-have for pet-friendly rentals.
Theft cover – unlike many standard policies, holiday let insurance doesn’t require “forcible entry” to make a claim, which means theft by guests is covered.
Employers’ liability insurance – covers claims made by cleaners, maintenance staff, or other workers you employ.
Key theft and unforced entry cover – still covered if keys are stolen from a key safe or guests fail to secure the property.
Unoccupied property cover – many holiday lets sit empty for weeks at a time; our policies continue to protect you during these periods, as long as you meet basic conditions.

What types of holiday let properties can be insured?

At HCH Financial Services, we understand that holiday let businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Our insurance solutions cover a wide variety of property types including:

Cottages and rural retreats
Coastal apartments
Barn conversions and lodges
Log cabins and glamping units
Multi-property portfolios

Whether you own a single cottage or a collection of city apartments, we can help tailor the right insurance strategy for your needs.

The dangers of inadequate insurance

Buying a policy from a comparison site may seem like a simple, low-cost solution – but standard home insurance often falls short when it comes to short-term rentals.

Too many hosts discover too late that their policy has exclusions, warranties, or conditions that limit their ability to claim. For example, if you don’t meet specific occupancy clauses or fail to notify your insurer of guest usage, your policy may be invalid.

At HCH, our team of specialist holiday let insurance advisers will walk you through the small print and make sure you have no nasty surprises when you need your cover most.

Why work with HCH Financial Services?

We do more than just quote prices – we deliver peace of mind.

As a full financial services firm, HCH Financial Services supports clients with both mortgage advice and insurance strategies, offering a holistic approach to running a profitable, protected holiday let business.

You’ll benefit from:

Access to a huge panel of standard and specialist insurers
Expert, one-to-one advice
A streamlined, simplified insurance process
Ongoing support as your property portfolio grows

Get in touch

Don’t leave your most valuable asset underinsured. Let us help you put the right protections in place – tailored to your specific holiday let strategy.