What insurance does Pikl cover for holiday homes?
Pikl offers buildings and contents cover for holiday homes used for personal stays, holiday lets, or a mix of both.
Up to £5 million public liability
Fire, storm & flood damage
Personal & owner liability
Home emergency cover
Domestic employers’ liability
Theft & malicious damage
Legal expenses cover
Replacement locks
Subsidence, heave & landslip
Bicycle cover
Escape of water & oil
Accidental damage
Lost booking income
Guest-related pest infestation
Personal belongings
Why choose Pikl Insurance for your holiday home?
Get cover through household insurance names such as Allianz, Prestige, AXA, Aviva, and Arkel Insurance
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What insurance do I need if I rent out my house as a holiday let?
Buildings & contents insurance
Buildings insurance covers the physical structure of your property and contents covers the items inside of it. For guest-related claims, Pikl can cover up to £1 million for buildings and £100,000 for contents if you select our guest cover add-on for short-term rentals. The level of buildings and contents cover for personal use of your second home will depend on the insurers providing a quote on our panel. Make sure your level buildings and contents cover is high enough for what you need.
Theft, malicious & accidental damage
Unlike Pikl Insurance, it is common for some providers to exclude theft or malicious damage by a guest that you allowed into your home where there is no forced entry. Accidental damage is also a typical type of claim caused by guests, so make sure this is covered when conducting a holiday let insurance comparison.
Public liability insurance for holiday lets
Parts of the UK such as Scotland now require appropriate public liability insurance as part of its requirements for obtaining a short-let licence, which is mandatory if you are renting out a property to short-term guests. Outside of legal requirements, public liability insurance protects you against significant hassle and costs. A large liability claim due to third-party property damage or guest injury can result in £10,000s in damages against you. Here are some examples of where someone could make a claim against you:
- A guest falls over a trip hazard and injures themselves.
- The neighbour’s house burns down after one of your guests accidentally causes a fire to your property.
- An overseas guest electrocutes themselves on faulty wiring and is repatriated to their home country.
Be sure to check your property for any potential hazards that could cause injuries or result in property damage. If you are found to be legally liable for anything, having the right cover in place can provide you with peace of mind knowing that you are protected.
Disruption and lost income
Disruption and additional costs can often be overlooked when considering short-term holiday let insurance. Typical issues include:
- Lost income and cancellation penalties.
- Legal expenses.
- Pest infestation following a guest stay.
Issues such as pest infestation caused through guest negligence or expensive legal disputes could also take some time to put right and impact future bookings in addition to draining resources.
Lost income and penalties as a result of cancelling bookings are another issue to consider. Protection such as Pikl’s loss of income (covered after the first 14 days of a successful claim under our guest cover add-on that insures you for short-term rentals) can mitigate the impact of these issues.
Which properties does holiday let insurance cover?
Multiple types of properties can be covered for properties rented out to guests. Where underlying insurance for personal use of your holiday home is also needed, cover may be decided on a case by case basis for properties made of non-standard construction. Below are some examples of properties that can be covered by Pikl for guest-related claims.
| ✅ Second homes & cottages | ✅ Holiday homes | ✅ Holiday lets |
| ✅ Holiday lodges | ✅ Log cabins | ✅ Static caravans |
| ✅ Park homes | ✅ Chalets | ✅ Glamping pods |
| ✅ Short-term lets | ✅ Landlord properties | ✅ Airbnb style properties |
Is holiday home insurance mandatory?
Some holiday let regulations in parts of the UK such as Scotland now require appropriate liability and buildings insurance in order to rent out a holiday let to guests. Holiday let insurance also helps cover the extra risks of guests, protecting your property and income if something goes wrong. These costs can be substantial, and insurance is typically the easiest way to protect yourself. Even where you do not rent out your holiday home to guests or where insurance is not legally compulsory, it may be required to obtain a mortgage or as part of a contract.
Will regular home insurance cover my holiday home home?
Regular home insurance is not usually suited for homes that may be empty for longer periods of time or dedicated to short guest stays. Below outlines the main differences between insurance for use of your primary residence, personal use of your holiday home holiday home, and holiday let insurance for second homes rented out to guests.
| Regular home insurance | Personal holiday home insurance | Insurance for holiday lets |
| ✅ Covers properties used as primary homes | ✅ Insures properties used as second homes | ✅ Insures properties used as second homes |
| ❌ Does not typically insure second homes | ✅ Insures common second home risks such as burst pipes and longer unoccupied periods | ✅ Insures second homes used as short-term lets |
| ❌ Cover for guests is mixed and is rarely included as standard | ❌ Cover for guests may be mixed or less extensive than holiday let insurance | ✅ Cover for guest claims is more comprehensive |
Pikl Insurance FAQs
Holiday home costs for insurance can be higher than standard home cover because it includes different risks, especially when the property is empty more often. Premiums will vary depending on the insurer and your circumstances.
Costs are influenced by factors such as your excess, cover level, add-ons, no-claims bonus, property type, and location. Buy the cover you need without over or under-insuring. Paying annually for your core holiday home insurance cover is usually cheaper if you can afford it.
Our cover for guest-related claims is fixed and can be applied as an optional add-on to your insurance to give you comprehensive protection.
Some platforms such as Airbnb provide some coverage but this is limited compared to dedicated holiday let insurance in terms of cover and what kind of regulatory protection you get. These types of platforms also typically recommend that you purchase your own insurance as well. With some platforms providing no protection at all, comprehensive holiday let insurance can give you peace of mind. Our Airbnb insurance page discusses the differences between platform protection and Pikl Insurance in more detail.
Holiday homes can typically be left empty at any one time for no more than 60 days as standard through Pikl. This may result in certain requirements being met over the winter period to ensure risks such as burst water pipes are reduced. Homes that are left empty longer than this may need to be considered on a case by case basis. Properties that are likely to be left empty for a significant length of time may require dedicated cover for unoccupied properties.
Distinct from the purchase price of your home, your rebuild cost is the amount it would take to rebuild the property from scratch in addition to clearing the site. When you get a quote, we will estimate your rebuild cost for you. If your property is non-standard, you may need a professional rebuild valuation from a surveyor.
It is important to make sure your rebuild cost is accurate. Undervaluing the rebuild cost could result in your claim not being paid out in full. Overvaluing it could mean that you end up paying more than you need to.
Your contents are the items inside your home that you would take with you if you moved house. This includes typical items such as electrical equipment and furniture in addition to commonly overlooked contents such as carpets and blinds. To work out the value of contents in your home, consider writing a room by room checklist. List the items in each room and estimate their value. You may also want to write a separate list for high value items worth over £1,500. Any high value items may need to be individually specified when getting a quote.
Founded in 2016, Pikl is an insurance company that specialises in cover for holiday lets and short-term rentals. We are an FCA registered company (FCA number: 773457) and are registered with the British Insurance Brokers Association.
Yes. You can purchase holiday let cover through Pikl for guest-related claims only, as long as you have your main buildings and/or contents insurance for personal use of the property with another provider and they are aware of the use of the property. This means you are still covered for major risks (for example, fire and storm damage) elsewhere, as well as protected against issues specifically associated with guests staying in your property through Pikl.
Yes. If you only need cover for personal use of your holiday home, we allow you to select this option when getting a quote.
We only cover holiday homes and holiday lets in the UK at the present time.
Our guides to holiday letting
Check out our selection of in-depth holiday home guides and tips to maximise your income and protect your property. You can find the full index on our holiday let guides page.
The holiday let changeover cleaning checklist guide
We cover the key areas to consider when looking at a holiday let changeover cleaning checklist.
The biggest costs of running a holiday let
Discover the biggest costs of running a holiday let and the hidden ones that may surprise you too.
UK Holiday let profit calculator
Use our holiday let profit calculator to find out how much you could earn as a holiday let owner.
How to start a holiday let business
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An extensive overview of key holiday let regulations for owners
Find out how various UK holiday let rules and regulations impact your business. Read more in this guide from Pikl.
Can you get a mortgage on a holiday home rental?
Discover more about holiday let mortgages and whether you can get a mortgage on a holiday home.
Furnished Holiday Let Tax Rules: A Guide to Tax on Holiday Lets
We discuss furnished holiday let tax rules and more in this comprehensive guide to tax on holiday lets.
The Best Place to Advertise Your Holiday Let
Looking to find the best place to advertise your holiday let? We discuss the best way to market your property.
