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What insurance do I need?

Answer the questions that apply to you. We’ll flag covers that are legal or lender requirements, ones to strongly consider, and ones worth a look, each with a guide. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.

Photo: Scott Graham on Unsplash

01Where are you based?
02What do you want to insure?
03Your home: do you own, rent or let?
04Is there a mortgage on the property?
05Is the home near a river, the coast or in a known flood zone?
06Do you drive a car you own or keep?
07Would anyone struggle financially if you died?

For example a partner, children or someone sharing a mortgage.

08Do you travel abroad?
09Does the business employ anyone?

Including part-time, temporary or casual staff.

10Do customers visit you, or do you work at clients’ premises?
11Do you give advice, design or professional services?
12Are you a tradesperson or contractor?
13Do you own or lease premises, or hold stock or equipment?
14Do you store customer data or take payments online?
15Business vehicles?
16Is it a limited company with directors?
17Do you run the business from home?

Answer the questions to build your cover list.

Legal or lender requirement

Buildings insurance

Your mortgage lender will almost certainly require it as a condition of the loan.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Buildings insurance

Without a lender insisting, it’s your call, but rebuilding a home is beyond most people’s savings.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Contents insurance

Covers your belongings against theft, fire and water damage. Often combined with buildings cover.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Renters / tenants insurance

Your landlord’s policy doesn’t cover your belongings or your liability. In the US, leases often require it.

Read the guide → Legal or lender requirement

Tenants’ insurance (rental risks)

Some countries require it: in France, tenants must insure against rental risks. Check your lease and national rules.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Landlord insurance

Standard home insurance usually stops covering a property once it’s let. Covers the building, liability and loss of rent.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Flood insurance (NFIP or private)

Standard US homeowners policies exclude flood. Required for federally backed mortgages in high-risk zones. Mind the 30-day wait.

Read the guide → Worth a look

Check flood cover and Flood Re

UK home policies usually include flood; if you struggle to find cover, Flood Re may help eligible homes built before 2009.

Read the guide → Worth a look

Check natural catastrophe cover

Flood cover and national catastrophe schemes vary by country. Check your home policy wording.

Read the guide → Legal or lender requirement

Car insurance

Third-party cover is a legal minimum to drive in the UK, the EU and almost every US state.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Life insurance

Pays a lump sum or income so your family can cover the mortgage and living costs if you die.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Travel insurance

Medical costs abroad can be huge. Consider an annual policy if you travel more than once or twice a year.

Read the guide → Legal or lender requirement

Employers’ liability insurance

A legal requirement for most UK employers: at least £5m cover, with fines of up to £2,500 a day without it.

Read the guide → Legal or lender requirement

Workers’ compensation

Required in almost every state once you have employees (Texas is the main exception).

Read the guide → Legal or lender requirement

Employer accident & liability cover

Many EU countries require employer contributions to statutory accident insurance. Check national rules for your staff.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Public / general liability

Covers injury or damage to customers and the public. Clients, venues and landlords often require it.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Professional indemnity (E&O)

Covers claims that your advice or work caused a client financial loss. Compulsory for some professions.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Tradesperson insurance package

Combines liability, tools and contract works cover. Main contractors often ask for certificates.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Commercial property & stock

Protects premises, equipment and stock. Leases and lenders usually require it.

Read the guide → Worth a look

Business interruption

Replaces lost profit while you recover from insured damage. Pick a long enough indemnity period.

Read the guide → Worth a look

Business owner’s policy (BOP)

Bundles property, general liability and business income for many small US firms, often for less.

Read the guide → Worth a look

Cyber insurance

Pays for incident response, downtime and claims after a data breach or ransomware attack.

Read the guide → Legal or lender requirement

Van insurance (business use)

Vehicles need at least third-party cover, with the right class of business use.

Read the guide → Legal or lender requirement

Fleet insurance

Motor cover is compulsory; with three or more vehicles a fleet policy is often simpler and cheaper.

Read the guide → Worth a look

Directors & officers (D&O)

Protects directors’ personal assets from claims about how they run the company.

Read the guide → Strongly consider

Home business cover

Tell your home insurer about business use; stock, equipment and visitors may need extra cover.

Read the guide →

A starting point, not advice. It flags the covers people in your situation usually look at; your circumstances, contracts and local law decide what you actually need.

How the checker works

The checker matches your answers against common legal requirements and the covers lenders, landlords and clients typically expect. It’s deliberately cautious and general: it can’t see your contracts, your lender’s conditions or your exact location, and it isn’t personal advice. Use it as a shortlist, then read each guide and check the policy wording.

What the labels mean

  • Legal or lender requirement: required by law in your region (such as motor or employers’ cover), or almost always required by a lender.
  • Strongly consider: commonly needed for your situation or demanded by clients, leases or landlords.
  • Worth a look: depends on your risks and budget.

Last updated: 15 October 2026

Frequently asked questions

Do you store my answers?
No. The checker runs in your browser. Your answers appear in the page address so you can bookmark or share the result, but they aren’t sent to us.
Is this financial advice?
No. It’s general information to help you shortlist covers. For complex needs, speak to a regulated broker or adviser.

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