Freeholder and Owner Occupied Property Insurance

Owning a building, whether as a freeholder, a leaseholder or part of a resident-owned block, comes with responsibilities. From structural damage to liability claims, you’ll want insurance that’s built for your type of ownership.

At Chubb Thomas, we arrange freeholder insurance, owner occupied property insurance, and leasehold building insurance for flats, maisonettes and converted houses. Whether you’re part of a residents’ management company or own the building outright, we’ll help you find cover that suits your setup.

Contact us for your tailored freeholder or leasehold building insurance quote

What Does Freeholder/ Owner Occupied Insurance Cover?

Every property is different and so is every policy we arrange. Whether you live in the property or let out individual flats, we’ll help you get insurance that reflects your legal and financial responsibilities as a property owner.

Your freeholder or leasehold building insurance can include:

Buildings insurance for the entire structure
Property owner’s liability
Communal areas (stairs, hallways, shared gardens, etc)
Alternative accommodation and/or loss of rent
Employers’ liability
Directors’ and officers’ liability (optional addition)
Optional contents cover for communal furnishings
Terrorism

Whether you’re responsible for a Victorian conversion or a block of purpose-built flats, we’ll arrange cover that fits.

Speak to us about insurance for your freehold or owner occupied property

Who Needs This Type of Cover?

We arrange insurance for a wide range of residential property setups, including:

Freeholders of single buildings split into flats
Resident-owned blocks and management companies
Leaseholders with collective ownership responsibilities
Shared freehold and commonhold properties
Owner-occupied buildings with multiple units

If you’re unsure whether you need freeholder insurance, owner occupied property insurance, or leasehold building insurance, we’ll talk you through your options and help you get the right cover in place.

Contact us for your tailored freeholder or leasehold building insurance quote

Why Choose Chubb Thomas?

Truly independent insurance broker based in Bournemouth, with no corporate ties
Insurance quotes tailored to your needs, across Dorset and surrounding areas
Speak directly to your dedicated contact—no call centres, no waiting
Work with your key person from start to finish
Insurance quotes tailored to your needs, across Dorset and surrounding areas
Fair fees and transparent advice every step of the way
Independent and unbiased—we’re not tied to any insurer, so you always come first
A reputation for excellence, delivering insurance services locally since the early 1980s.

Contact us for your tailormade insurance quote

FAQs

What is freeholder insurance?

It’s buildings insurance arranged by the freeholder to cover the structure and communal parts of a property divided into flats. It’s often required under the lease and it’s the freeholders responsibility to arrange.

Do I need to take out my own building insurance if I’m a leaseholder?

Not usually. The freeholder or managing agent arranges it. But if you share the freehold, you may be jointly responsible for insuring the building.

What’s the difference between owner occupied property insurance and standard home insurance?

If you live in a flat within a building you part-own/ are a leaseholder or manage, standard home insurance won’t cover the structure or shared areas. You’ll likely need a policy that covers your ownership share.

Can we insure the building as a residents’ management company?

Yes. We regularly arrange policies for Right to manage company/ residents associations/ resident’s management companies and similar setups. We advise you to also consider taking out directors’ and officers liability cover in addition to your flats policy.

Is contents insurance included?

It can be, particularly for communal areas like hallways and shared lounges. Personal contents or individual let flat contents will need to be insured separately.

Why choose Chubb Thomas for freeholder insurance in Dorset?

We’re independent and offer clear, personal advice. No call centres—just a named contact who’ll help find the right cover and support you if you need to claim. We’re a truly independent Dorset broker offering real advice, not scripts.

Do I need employers’ liability insurance?

You must get employers’ liability (EL) insurance as soon as you become an employer – your policy must cover you for at least £5 million and come from an authorised insurer.

The definition of an employee is someone who has a contract with you. In the contract, their role, responsibilities and pay are clearly defined. The contract usually states the work hours, obligations, holiday allowance and other employee benefits. In other words, an employee works under your control and direction, and you are contractually obliged to provide them with regular work and pay them a salary. You still need employers ‘ liability insurance, even if your staff are part-time or temporary. If you are unsure, please contact our office and we can discuss in further detail.

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Trusted Dorset Insurance Broker

We’re a truly independent Dorset broker offering real advice, not scripts. offering tailored insurance quotes across Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Dorchester and beyond. Whether you need personal, property or business cover, we deliver clear advice and a personal service every step of the way.