Landlords
If you are letting an entire property to Short Stay guests and not living there yourself, you need a Landlord policy that is endorsed for Short Stay. Also suitable for Holiday Homes.
Ceneta Insurance Services are insurance brokers, which means that we have access to a range of insurance products that are not available direct to the public. Short stay is a specialized form of Landlord insurance and very few insurers offer it. Most short stay insurance is only available via brokers like Ceneta.
Once we have information about your property, we decide which of our insurers has the most suitable product for your situation. We will then present you with the quote that best covers your needs and offers the best value.
Whether we quote you for a short stay or long-term tenant insurance policy, all quotes are for Landlord insurance which automatically includes Public Liability cover for at least $20 million. In some cases, we may be able to provide Public Liability only cover (we will need to discuss this with you).
Definition of Short Stay
- Stays of less than 3 months
- No formal lease agreement
- Stays usually booked via online platforms such as Airbnb
- Not a registered Bed & Breakfast
- Not providing food service (other than self-serve supplies)
- Not a boarding-house
What kind of landlord are you?
- A property owner who lets an entire place on the short stay market. You do not live onsite at the same time as paying guests
- A property owner who lets their Holiday Home to short stay guests when the family is not using it.
- An owner/occupier who lets their primary residence while they are away (maybe on an extended vacation, you live elsewhere when you get a booking). You do not stay at the property at the same time as paying guests. We call this periodic hosting.
- A property owner with multiple occupancies on the one title. Learn more about multi-occupancy properties.
- If your short stay property is in a commercial building (ie: above a shop or office), you may need commercial insurance. Contact us to discuss.
- Not sure where you fit in? Contact us and tell us about your unique situation
Multi-Occupancy Properties
You own a property that has 2 or more occupancy units or zones:
- This may be a double-storey residence, with separate occupancies on each floor
- It may be 2 dwellings on the same title
- It may be a house + a granny flat on the same title
- It may be a block of units
- One unit may be your primary residence, the other may be let to short stay or long term tenants
- There may be multiple units on the same property, let to short stay, long term, or a mix of both types of tenants
If your property is multi-occupancy, you need to give us more information. Please note that if part of the property is used as your primary residence, we may need to consider a separate policy to cover your personal contents & personal effects which would not be covered under a Landlord policy. We can discuss that with you when quoting.
Please note that all dwellings on the one property would need to be covered by the same insurer. This is to avoid any potential cross-over or overlapping coverage situations in the event of a claim, especially in the case of public liability. An example of this would be: Dwelling 1 is your primary residence, Dwelling 2 is a granny flat on the same title that you let to short stay guests. Both would need to be covered by the same insurer.
Building Type
Freestanding House
Freestanding House with no shared walls.
Townhouse
A residence that is part of a development of similar residences in the same complex, often part of a Strata Plan and can sometimes be referred to as a villa.
Terrace
One of a row of multi-storey residences (usually identical) that all share a wall but with separate house and land titles.
Apartment/Flat/Unit
A residence in a larger building that’s one of a number of similar residences in the same building, often part of a Strata Plan.
Semi Detached
A residence which shares one common wall with a similar residence on separate house and land titles.
Duplex/Triplex/Quadplex
Adjoining residences with common walls and on separate titles. If owner of whole duplex/triplex/quadplex on same title then quote as owner block of flats/units/apartments.
Block of Flats/Units/Apartments
You own a whole block of similar residences that make up an entire building and rent out the individual units to long term tenants with Rental Agreements.
Granny Flat
Self-contained accommodation either part of a house or on the same land title.
Occupancy Type
Rented to tenants (short-term basis)
You own the home but rent it out for periods less than three months.
Rented to tenants (long-term basis)
You own the home but rent it out to tenants and have a rental agreement in place.
Owner-occupied and rented to tenants (short-term basis)
You ordinarily live in your home but rent some or all of your home out for short term periods (less than 3 months)
Owner-occupied and rented to tenants (long-term basis)
You ordinarily live in your home but rent some of your home out to tenants and have a rental agreement in place.
Weekender/Holiday Home and rented to tenants (short-term basis)
I own and use as my own weekender/holiday home but it is rented out for individual periods less than three months
Cover Type
Building & Contents
Usually required if the property is a Freestanding House, or Townhouse/Terrace (where the building is not covered under strata).
Building only
We always recommend that you also include some coverage for Contents, which is defined as including the replacement value of carpets and blinds. We can’t offer Building cover alone if you have Contents insurance with another insurer. Both need to be with the same insurer.
Contents only
We can’t offer Contents cover only on a Freestanding House if you have Building insurance with another insurer. Both need to be with the same insurer.
Apartments usually only require Contents insurance.
Apartments are usually Strata units. This means that the Building will be covered under a Strata policy which is managed by the Body corporate, so you will only need Contents insurance. “Contents” is typically defined as Furnishings (anything portable that you could take with you if you were moving), and the value of carpets and window coverings (curtains & blinds). If you have invested in any improvements of the fit-out that is not covered under the strata policy (ie: you have installed a new kitchen, a floating floor, upgraded the bathroom), the value of these improvements need to be included in the Contents sum insured.
Periodic Hosting
Short stay hosting can take many forms. You may be taking an extended holiday and wish to let out your primary residence while you are away. You may also have alternate accommodation, and move out if you get a worthwhile booking. You may do this occasionally, or frequently.
Ideally, owner/occupiers should have a Home & Contents policy. As it is your primary residence, you need the security of cover for personal effects and temporary accommodation that a Landlord policy does not offer. However, you also need a Landlord policy to cover you for guest-associated risks like Public Liability, Malicious Damage, and other risks. There may be a number of solutions, but it’s complicated so it’s best to contact us to discuss.
Get a quote for insurance for landlords
FAQ
I am purchasing a property. Should I wait until settlement to arrange insurance?
No, you need to commence your insurance as soon as you sign a Contract of Sale. This is because you can’t guarantee that the vendor will have or maintain their insurance and if something happens to the property before settlement, it may not be covered.
Is my property a Bed & Breakfast?
A registered Bed & Breakfast is not the same thing as an Airbnb property. There are council, planning, licencing and registration requirements for Bed & Breakfasts, which by definition usually include a level of food service. Always check with your local council or state authorities to see if there are any licencing requirements in your area. Visit the Business Victoria website for more information.
Can I pay by the month at no extra cost?
That depends on the insurer. Some offer instalment payments at no extra cost, and others don’t. We will always present you with the best value quote, and that may not be from the insurer that offers free monthly instalment payments. We do have an alternative solution: You can pay by the month via our premium funding facility with IQumulate, but charges apply.