Sharing a home is a popular arrangement with young city-dwellers, due to high rents. But what insurance package is recommended for housemates or flatmates to ensure the best possible cover?

There’s no need for each housemate or flatmate to take out their own policy

A home insurance policy covers the whole building, not just part. So, it’s pointless for each housemate or flatmate to take out the same insurance individually. Home insurance might be compulsory inWallonia and Flanders (and often in Brussels too in practice) but it is the property that has to be covered, not the occupants.

Three options for home insurance when sharing a home

Shared home insurance

This arrangement is often preferred, as it’s simpler to set up: one of the tenants takes out a policy in his or her name and the amount of the premium is divided equally.

Important: remember to inform the insurance company that you are sharing a home. And, if the policyholder moves out, someone else will have to take out anew policy.

Parents’ home insurance

This arrangement applies in particular to students living with their parents, but staying in student lodgings during the week. The parents’ home insurance may also cover the lodgings in which the child stays or his or her accommodation in a shared house or flat.Immoweb Home Protect insurance covers this arrangement.

Important: parents’ home insurance only covers their child, not other tenants.In this case, everyone needs to benefit from the same family cover, for example.

Waiver of recourse clause

In this case, the tenants’ cover is included in the landlord’s policy. The landlord passes on the extra cost of the premium to the tenants.

Important: with this arrangement, the tenants’ property is not covered and they are not covered by public liability insurance often linked to home insurance.

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