Is it worth having Malicious damage cover? Damage caused to your property by a tenant could cost you thousands...

Most landlords insurance policies will include damage to the property caused by tenants. This can even include such things as painting the property with inappropriate colours. However, landlords should be aware that there is usually a significant excess - the amount that they have to pay before the insurance cuts in - and this applies to each event.

Excess for each event

When you have a car accident, it is usually fairly clear that the resulting damage was caused in a single accident. In fact, even when a car collides with one in front and is then bashed in the rear by the following vehicle a few moments later this is likely to be counted as one event, provided the 'second' accident would not have happened without the first one. This means that the excess would only apply once, rather than twice.

Only if the two events were unconnected would two excesses apply. (Of course, any compulsory excess - perhaps one relating to age or inexperience - would be added to any voluntary excess adopted to keep the premium down).