Landlord insurance in Louisiana is the policy built for a home you rent to someone else. If you own a rental house, a duplex, or a small multifamily property anywhere in the state, it's built to cover the building, the rent you'd lose after a covered loss, and your liability as the owner. It works differently from the homeowners policy on the house you live in, and mixing the two up can cost you a claim.
We hear this question a lot, usually from someone who just moved and decided to rent out the old house instead of selling it. We write landlord policies all over Louisiana, from Shreveport to Houma. Here's what a landlord policy covers, what it leaves out, what it costs, and what to check before you buy one.
The Short Answer
Landlord insurance covers a rental property you own but don't live in. Many landlord policies are written on a dwelling fire form, often called a DP-3, with coverage for rentals built in or added on.
A typical landlord policy covers the building, detached structures like a fence or shed, rent you lose while the property is repaired after a covered loss, your liability as the owner, small medical bills for people hurt on the property, and appliances or equipment you keep there. It doesn't cover your tenant's belongings, and it doesn't cover flood.
On price, landlord insurance in Louisiana typically costs 15% to 25% more than a comparable homeowners policy. A typical single-family rental in the Baton Rouge area often falls around $1,500 to $3,000 a year. Your number depends on the property, and prices vary a lot across the state.
Who Landlord Insurance Is For
Landlord insurance is for owners who rent a property to a tenant and don't live there themselves. That usually means one of these:
- A single-family house you rent out
- A duplex, triplex, or four-plex
- The house you moved out of and kept as a rental
- A home you inherited and decided to rent
The third one is where people get caught. A homeowners policy is built for the home you live in. Once you move out and a tenant moves in, the carrier can deny a claim because the house isn't owner-occupied anymore. The time to switch is before the tenant gets the keys, not after a pipe bursts.
This guide is about traditional rentals with a lease. Renting by the night is a different setup, so make sure any agent you talk to knows about it up front.
What Landlord Insurance Covers
The building. The roof, walls, foundation, and attached structures like a porch or built-in garage, against fire, wind, hail, lightning, and other covered perils. This is the core of the policy.
Other structures. A detached garage, a storage shed, a fence. If a storm knocks down the fence or a tree falls on the carport, this coverage can help pay to fix it.
Lost rent. If a covered loss like a fire or storm makes the rental unlivable, this replaces the rent you lose while repairs happen. Most policies can cover up to 12 months. For a lot of landlords, this is the coverage that keeps the mortgage paid after a bad storm, because the note, the taxes, and the insurance don't stop when the rent does.
Liability. If a tenant or visitor is hurt on the property and you're found responsible, liability coverage can pay for legal defense and medical bills. If you own several rentals, an umbrella policy can add $1 million or more of liability on top.
Medical payments. Smaller medical bills for people hurt on the property, regardless of fault. It can help settle minor injuries before they turn into lawsuits.
Your property at the rental. Appliances, tools, and equipment you keep there for the property, like a refrigerator, a washer and dryer, or a lawn mower.
When you compare quotes, check that each of these is actually listed, with the limits you expect. Depending on the carrier and the policy form, some pieces can be optional.
What It Doesn't Cover
Your tenant's belongings. Their furniture, clothes, and electronics are theirs to insure. That's why many landlords require renters insurance in the lease. It protects the tenant and can head off arguments after a loss. It's also inexpensive for them. Louisiana renters paid an average of about $21 a month in 2023, according to NAIC data, and our guide to how much renters insurance costs in Louisiana breaks that down.
Flood. A landlord policy doesn't cover flood damage, and neither does your tenant's renters policy. Covering the building for flooding takes a separate flood policy. Being outside a high-risk zone doesn't take a rental off the hook. According to FEMA's Answers to Questions About the NFIP, roughly 40% of NFIP flood claims come from outside high-risk zones.
We can quote flood coverage for rental properties through both the NFIP and private carriers. Our guide on whether you need flood insurance in Louisiana walks through the decision, and our comparison of NFIP and private flood insurance explains the two options.
A long vacancy. Coverage can shrink when a rental sits empty too long. More on that below.
What Landlord Insurance Costs in Louisiana
Landlord insurance in Louisiana typically costs 15% to 25% more than a comparable homeowners policy, because rental properties carry more risk. For a typical single-family rental in the Baton Rouge area, the premium often falls around $1,500 to $3,000 a year. The exact number depends on the property's age, construction, location, number of units, and claims history.
Prices vary widely across the state. A rental near the coast can price very differently from one in Monroe or Alexandria, and not every carrier writes landlord policies. The ones that do price them very differently depending on the property type, location, and number of units. That's why a quote on your actual property is the only reliable number, and why it pays to compare more than one carrier. For broader context on what drives Louisiana prices, see our guide to home insurance costs in Louisiana.
Here's what moves the price on a rental.
| What affects the price | How |
|---|---|
| Location and storm exposure | Coastal and storm-exposed addresses can price higher than inland ones. Being close to a fire station and hydrant helps. |
| Construction and age | Brick and block homes usually cost less to insure than frame. Older roofs, wiring, and plumbing can raise the price. |
| Number of units | A duplex or four-plex usually costs more than a single-family rental. More tenants means more liability exposure. |
| Claims history | Past claims show up on the property's CLUE report and can raise the price, even under a new owner. |
| Liability limits | Higher limits cost more and protect more. |
| Pools and similar features | Anything that adds injury risk can add to the premium. |
| Tenant screening | Some carriers give a discount if you run background and credit checks on tenants. Others require it. |
| Your credit | Louisiana allows carriers to use credit-based insurance scores, so your credit can affect the price. |
If private carriers won't write the property, Louisiana Citizens offers dwelling fire policies for rental and investment properties as the insurer of last resort. You'll need at least one declination from a private carrier to qualify. Our guide to Louisiana Citizens explains how that works.
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Hurricane Deductibles Work Differently on a Rental
Many Louisiana property policies carry a separate named storm or hurricane deductible, usually written as a percentage of the dwelling coverage. A 2% deductible on a rental insured for $200,000 means the first $4,000 of hurricane damage is yours to pay.
Louisiana law adds a protection for homes people live in. Under R.S. 22:1337, a named storm or hurricane deductible on an owner-occupied one- or two-family home applies only once per calendar year. A rental isn't owner-occupied, so that state rule doesn't guarantee the same limit on a landlord policy. Ask how each quote handles a second storm in the same year, and keep enough cash on hand to cover the deductible. Our guide to hurricane deductibles in Louisiana explains the percentages in more detail.
When the Rental Sits Empty
Most landlord policies have a vacancy clause, typically 30 to 60 days. If the property sits empty longer than that, coverage for things like vandalism and water damage can be excluded or limited. A few weeks between tenants is normal. A six-month renovation or a slow rental market is a different story.
If you expect a longer gap, tell your agent before it happens so the policy accounts for it. In some cases, a separate vacant home insurance policy is the better fit until the next tenant moves in. Either way, keep a record of when you last checked on the property. After a loss, the carrier will want to know how long it sat empty.
What We See With Louisiana Landlords
One problem we run into a lot is a homeowners policy left in place after the owner moved out. Everything looks fine on paper until there's a claim. If you've turned your old house into a rental, that's the first thing to fix.
We also see landlords who never compared their rental policy against anything else. Carriers price rentals very differently, so the same property can come back at noticeably different prices from one company to the next. If you own the home you live in plus a rental, we can often bundle your homeowners, auto, and landlord policies together, and multi-policy discounts can add up when you're insuring more than one property.
Get a Quote on Your Rental
Call (225) 395-4000 for a quote on a rental anywhere in Louisiana. We're in the office Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. If it's easier, request a quote online and we'll follow up. It helps to have the property address, the year it was built, the age of the roof, and the number of units handy, plus your current declarations page if the property is already insured. You can also read more on our landlord insurance page.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's insurance for a home you rent to someone else. A landlord policy typically covers the building, other structures on the property, rent you lose after a covered loss, your liability if someone is hurt on the property, and appliances or equipment you keep there. It doesn't cover your tenant's belongings or flood damage.
A homeowners policy is built for the home you live in. If you rent out a house you don't live in and file a claim under a homeowners policy, the carrier can deny it because the property isn't owner-occupied. A landlord policy is designed for rentals and adds coverage like lost rent. If you own a home you live in and a rental, each one gets its own policy.
Landlord insurance in Louisiana typically costs 15% to 25% more than a comparable homeowners policy. A typical single-family rental in the Baton Rouge area often falls around $1,500 to $3,000 a year, depending on the home's age, construction, location, number of units, and claims history. Prices vary widely across the state, especially coastal versus inland, so a quote is the only reliable number.
No. Flood damage needs a separate flood policy on the building, whether the rental is in a high-risk zone or not. According to FEMA, roughly 40% of NFIP flood claims come from outside high-risk zones. We can quote flood coverage for rental properties through the NFIP and private carriers.
No. Your policy covers the building and the property you keep there for the rental, like appliances. Your tenant's furniture, clothes, and electronics are theirs to insure with a renters policy, which is why many landlords require renters insurance in the lease.
Most landlord policies have a vacancy clause, typically 30 to 60 days. If the property sits empty longer than that, coverage for things like vandalism and water damage can be excluded or limited. If you expect a longer gap, tell your agent before it happens. A vacant home policy may be the better fit until the next tenant moves in.
