Does Landlord Insurance Cover Injuries to Tenants in 2026?

Landlord insurance may cover tenant injuries if you are deemed to be legally liable. This usually means the tenant, visitor, or another third party must prove the injury happened because of unsafe conditions, poor maintenance, or a structural issue you should have fixed.

So, does landlord insurance cover injuries? Yes, but not every accident at a rental property is covered.

When Does Landlord Insurance Cover Injuries at a Rental Property?

Landlord insurance may cover injuries when the landlord is legally responsible for the incident. This usually applies when the injury happens because the rental property was unsafe, poorly maintained, or affected by a structural issue that should have been fixed.

Common examples may include:

• A tenant slips, trips or falls because of a known hazard
• A stair, balcony, railing, floorboard or pathway fails
• A poorly maintained gas heater causes injury
• A visitor is injured by unsafe conditions at the property
• The injury happens within the property’s legal boundaries

For landlord insurance to cover an injury claim, the injured person usually needs to prove negligence. This means showing that the landlord owed a duty of care, failed to meet that duty, and that this failure caused the injury.

How Public Liability Works Under a Landlord Insurance Policy

Public liability is one of the most important parts of a landlord insurance Cover. It may help protect you if a tenant, visitor or another third party suffers bodily injury or death at your rental property and you are found to be fully or partially legally responsible.

This cover can help pay for:

• Legal defence costs
• Court costs
• Compensation payouts
• Third-party property damage claims

Some Australian landlord insurance policies may include up to $20 million in legal liability cover, but limits vary between insurers and the level of cover selected.

Always check your insurance policy and Product Disclosure Statement, or ask your insurance company for further details, to confirm what is included, what is excluded and whether any conditions apply; this article provides general advice only, so do not rely on it without checking your own cover.

What Injuries Are Not Covered by Landlord Insurance?

Landlord insurance does not cover every injury at a rental property. Most policies only apply when the landlord is legally liable for the incident.

For example, if a tenant injures themselves because they misused part of the property, the claim may not be covered. However, if they fall because a broken step was reported but not repaired, legal liability cover may apply, while damage caused by poor maintenance or neglect is often excluded unless liability is otherwise established.

Injury or incident type	Why it may not be covered
Uninsured risks	Your Liability arising out of the ownership of any properties not shown on the policy schedule or certificate.
Persons not covered.	Injury to any family member of yours Injury arising to any person out of pregnancy or the transmission of a communicable disease.
Activities within the insured property boundaries	Business activities. In connection with lifts and elevators. In connection with vehicles, air and watercraft.
Uninhabited property incidents	Some policies may limit or exclude cover if the property has been vacant for a period exceeding policy limits, and cover can be denied with very limited exceptions; limited exceptions apply depending on the policy wording.
Common property injuries	Injuries in strata common areas are usually handled by strata insurance, not the landlord’s individual policy.

Does Landlord Insurance Cover Injuries?

Landlord insurance may cover tenant injuries if the landlord is legally liable. This usually applies when unsafe conditions, poor maintenance, or a structural issue caused the injury.

Public liability or legal liability cover may help pay compensation and legal costs.

Landlords should maintain the rental property, act on repair requests, review policy limits and exclusions, and consider optional protections for short-term rentals where relevant.

The right cover can also help reduce financial hardship if major damage or rental disruption occurs. For tailored landlord insurance options, call Duo Insurance on 1300 212 323 or get a quote today.