Does Contents Insurance Cover Rented Items?

If you’ve rented a sound system for a party, hired a suit for a wedding, or borrowed expensive equipment for a project, it’s worth knowing whether your contents insurance covers it if something goes wrong. The short answer is that standard contents insurance covers items you own, not items you’ve hired or borrowed. But there are exceptions worth knowing about.

At a glance

• Contents insurance is designed to cover belongings you own. Rented or hired items are not included as standard
• Accidental damage cover may extend to some hired goods, but this varies by insurer and policy
• Some insurers allow high-value rented items to be declared for short-term cover
• Hire companies sometimes include their own protection. Always check before signing a hire agreement
• If you regularly rent expensive items, specialist hire insurance is worth considering

When does contents insurance cover rented items?

Contents insurance protects the belongings you own against risks like fire, theft, flooding, and in some cases accidental damage. Your furniture, electronics, clothes, and other personal possessions are all typically included up to the value stated in your policy.

The key word is ownership. Contents insurance is built around the principle that you’re insuring things that belong to you, which means hired or rented goods are generally excluded unless your policy specifically includes them.

That said, there are some exceptions worth checking:

• Accidental damage cover: If you’ve added accidental damage cover to your contents policy, some hired items may be included. This isn’t guaranteed, so check your policy wording or contact your insurer directly to confirm.
• Declared high-value items: Some insurers allow you to declare specific rented goods for short-term protection, such as a hired outfit for a wedding or AV equipment for an event. This usually requires a conversation with your insurer before the hire period begins.
• Specialist hire add-ons: Some more comprehensive policies include hire protection as an optional extra. Check whether your current policy has this option before assuming it’s not available.

The important thing is not to assume cover exists. If you’re hiring something valuable and can’t afford to replace it out of pocket, check with your insurer before the hire begins, not after something goes wrong.

What happens if a rented item is damaged?

If a hired item is damaged and your contents insurance doesn’t cover it, you’ll typically be responsible for the cost of repair or replacement. Depending on the item, that can be a significant amount.

A few things to check before hiring anything valuable:

• Does the hire company include their own protection? Many hire companies offer damage waivers or insurance as part of the hire agreement. Check what’s included, what’s excluded, and what excess applies before signing.
• Does your credit card offer any protection? Some credit cards include purchase or hire protection as a benefit. Check your card’s terms if you’ve paid for the hire that way.
• Is specialist hire insurance available? For high-value or one-off hires, standalone hire insurance is available from specialist providers and is often more cost-effective than you might expect.

How to make sure you’re covered

If you’re hiring something valuable, here’s what to do before the hire period starts:

1. Check your policy documents for references to accidental damage cover or hired goods. The relevant terms are usually in the exclusions section.
2. Contact your insurer directly and ask whether the specific item is covered under your current policy. Get any confirmation in writing.
3. Ask the hire company whether their own protection is included or available, and what it covers.
4. Consider adding accidental damage cover to your contents policy if you don’t already have it. It’s a relatively affordable add-on that covers a wider range of scenarios.
5. Look into specialist hire insurance if you regularly rent expensive equipment, instruments, or other high-value goods.

Before we go

Contents insurance covers what you own, not what you’ve borrowed or hired. If you’re renting something valuable, don’t assume you’re covered. Check your policy, speak to your insurer before the hire begins, and look at what protection the hire company offers. A quick check now is a lot less stressful than an unexpected bill later.

With Lemonade’s contents insurance, you can add accidental damage cover to protect a wider range of scenarios. 

Rented items insurance FAQs