Tesco Insurance has launched private landlord insurance, with products for customers who let out homes or own holiday properties through partner Prestige Underwriting and its Open and Direct brand.
Customers can arrange the cover online or over the phone, with Prestige responsible for sales, servicing and claims. The launch builds on an existing relationship between Tesco Insurance and Prestige and widens the range of property cover available to Tesco customers.
A supermarket brand joining a specialist corner of the market gives landlords a familiar high-street route to cover at a point when tighter regulation raises the cost of getting protection wrong. Underinsurance discovered after a claim is an expensive lesson few landlords with mortgages can afford.
What the Tesco deal covers
The products are aimed at customers who privately let out a property or own a second home used for holiday purposes. A Tesco Insurance spokesperson said: “We know that for some customers their insurance needs can extend beyond their main home, whether they own a holiday property or rent out another property.” The spokesperson added that the expanded relationship gives customers access to specialist insurance designed for these types of properties.
A Prestige Underwriting representative said holiday homeowners and private landlords were an important part of the property insurance market with needs that require specialist understanding. Helping them access cover that reflects how their properties are used is central to the partnership, the representative said.
Choice matters as compliance costs climb
New competition in landlord cover is timely. This follows Landlord Knowledge’s report on rent-protection demand jumping 41 percent as landlords braced for the Renters Rights Act, a sign that owners are already spending more to insure against arrears and legal risk. A mainstream entrant should sharpen pricing and force clearer comparisons on exclusions.
Landlords comparing the new Tesco-backed option should read policy wording on unoccupied periods, tenant types and holiday-let usage limits, since standard home cover routinely excludes let property. Details of the underwriting terms sit with Prestige Underwriting, which handles sales and claims for the range.
What this means for landlords
- If you let out one or two homes: add the Tesco-backed range to your next renewal comparison, but check it against specialist brokers on exclusions, not just headline price.
- If you run holiday lets: confirm occupancy and letting-activity limits in writing, since second-home and short-let use can void standard policies.
- Check unoccupied-period clauses: voids between tenancies are when many claims fail, so compare the number of empty days each policy allows.
- Watch for: whether mainstream entry pulls down premiums or simply adds a familiar badge to standard terms, with renewal quotes the real test.
- Bottom line: more choice is welcome, but the value lies in cover that matches how your property is actually used.
Editor’s view
Tesco’s arrival says plenty about where the smart money sees growth: landlords spending to protect income under tougher rules. Welcome the competition, but judge the policy small print harder than the brand name.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 29 October 2026
Sources: Tesco Insurance, Prestige Underwriting
Related reading: Rental insurance demand jumps 41% as landlords brace for RRA
