Are you properly insured as a roommate in Belgium?

Living in shared accommodation often means freedom, sharing… and paperwork that we’d rather forget. One of the steps often postponed (unjustifiably so) is insurance. Many people think that the lease contract or the landlord’s insurance is enough to cover all risks. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. In Belgium, taking out liability insurance for tenants is not optional; it’s a legal obligation. In this article, we’ll cover common mistakes, legal obligations, and most importantly, best practices to ensure you’re properly insured as a flatmate, without stress or unexpected costs.

Common mistake: Believing the lease or the landlord’s insurance covers everything

When moving into a shared flat, it’s tempting to think that the landlord or the main flatmate has already taken care of insurance.

However, this belief can be very costly in the event of a claim.

🏚️ What the landlord’s insurance actually covers

The landlord’s insurance (also known as the owner’s fire insurance) only covers the structure of the building and fixed elements.

This includes:

• Walls, roof, windows

• Fixed installations like bathrooms, kitchens, etc.

👉 It does not cover:

• Your personal belongings (furniture, clothes, electronics…)

• Your liability as a cohouser if you cause damage

• Accidental damage caused by negligence in the property you’re occupying

🔥 Real-life Example: who pays in case of an accident?

Let’s imagine: you accidentally knock over a lit candle in your room. A fire starts, damaging your mattress and blackening the wall.

Result:

• Your mattress is not reimbursed by the landlord’s insurance.

• The damage to the wall may be reimbursed to the landlord, but they could later seek compensation from you for the costs.

💡 Without tenant’s insurance, these amounts can quickly escalate into several thousand euros.

📜 What about the waiver clause?

Some leases include a waiver clause.

This means the landlord agrees not to sue you for damage caused accidentally (e.g., fire, explosion, water damage…).

❗ But be cautious:

• This clause means that only the landlord waives the right to take legal action against you — not your roommates or neighbors, who can still seek compensation from you in case of damage.

• It doesn’t protect your personal belongings.

• It does not exempt you from taking out liability insurance: if you cause damage to others (e.g., a leak affecting the apartment below), you are responsible.

Believing that the lease or the landlord’s insurance is sufficient is a common mistake, but one that can have serious consequences.

To be properly protected:

• Check what the landlord’s insurance actually covers.

• Don’t rely solely on the waiver clause.

• Take out tenant’s insurance that covers both your liability and personal belongings.

👉 Want to avoid unpleasant surprises? Discover insurance specifically designed for flatmates.

What does the law say in Belgium?

Tenant’s insurance is not just a precaution: in Belgium, it is legally required.

In shared accommodation, the rules can quickly become unclear if you’re not well-informed.

🔐 A Basic Obligation: tenant’s liability insurance

In Belgium, each tenant is legally responsible for damages they may cause to the property they occupy — even in shared accommodation. This applies to:

• Fires

• Water damage

• Explosions

• Broken windows

👉 As a result, most leases require that you are insured for tenant’s liability, meaning you must be able to compensate for damage to the rented property or any harm caused to others due to your mistake or negligence (e.g., a neighbor affected by water damage or a fire).

Even if your lease doesn’t explicitly mention this, the landlord has the right to claim compensation from you in case of a disaster.

📄 Shared Accommodation: individual Lease vs. joint Lease

In Belgium, there are two main types of leases in shared accommodation, each with its own legal implications:

1. Individual Lease (or Room Lease)

   • Each flatmate has their own rental contract with the landlord.
     ➡️ In this case, you are required to take out insurance in your name.

2. Joint Lease (or Solidary Lease)

   • There is a single contract for all flatmates.

   • All tenants are jointly responsible for the property… and each other’s mistakes.

➡️ Good news: With our Flora insurance, you can take out one contract that covers all the flatmates. No need for multiple individual insurance policies! This joint contract covers both your liability and your personal belongings, while avoiding duplicate coverage or misunderstandings. It simplifies management, while providing comprehensive protection for each flatmate.

What risks are covered by roommate insurance?

Getting insurance when you’re living in shared housing isn’t just a legal obligation — it’s real protection against everyday mishaps.
A good roommate insurance policy covers you for damage you might cause to the home, to neighbors, and also for common incidents like fire, water damage, or electrical faults.

Here are the main protections included:

🏠 Liability insurance

This is one of the core pillars of shared-housing insurance.
It covers you if you accidentally cause damage to the property you’re renting or to neighboring homes.

What it covers:
✅ Damage to the rented property: for example, an accidental fire or water damage in the kitchen — the insurance covers repairs in your shared apartment.
✅ Damage to neighboring properties: if the incident (like a leak or fire) starts in your apartment and affects another, the insurance also covers repairs there.

❌ Important exclusion: intentional damage is not covered. If the damage is caused on purpose, the insurance may refuse to pay.

🔥 Common incidents: fire, water, electricity…
Roommate insurance also covers damage caused by frequent and often unpredictable events.

Here are a few concrete examples:

• Fire: a toaster left on causes a fire. The insurance covers repairs and replacement of damaged items.

• Water damage: a bathroom leak ruins your floor and your downstairs neighbor’s ceiling? The insurance covers both.

• Natural disasters: floods, storms, etc. are generally covered depending on the terms of the contract.

• Electrical issues: in the event of a short circuit or power failure that damages your equipment or installations, the insurance can help.

❗ Important note: each insurer has their own exclusions and conditions. It’s essential to read your contract carefully before signing, to avoid any surprises when a claim arises.

💼 Theft, Vandalism, Protection of Personal Items (depending on options)

Many roommate insurance policies offer optional coverage for your personal belongings, for example in case of theft or vandalism.
This can include:

• Theft in the apartment: If personal items (like a laptop, phone, or jewelry) are stolen, the insurance can cover their replacement.

• Vandalism: If vandalism causes damage to your personal belongings (or common property), you’re protected.

💡 Example of a Common Situation

Let’s consider a concrete example:
Imagine you leave a toaster running in the kitchen, and by chance, it starts a fire.

Luckily, thanks to your flatmate insurance:

• The kitchen repair costs will be covered.

• Damages to your personal belongings (like your phone or laptop, if they are affected by the fire) will also be reimbursed.

• Your neighbors below, who suffer damage from the fire, will be compensated for their losses.

Another example: If a water leak from your bathroom damages the apartment next door, your insurance will cover the repair costs and could even handle damage to their property.

✅ In Summary

Flatmate insurance does more than just protect your personal belongings. It provides comprehensive coverage against everyday risks: fire, water damage, theft, vandalism, and also your liability towards others.

👉 Want peace of mind and proper coverage? Choose a comprehensive, hassle-free flatmate insurance policy.

How to choose the right insurance for shared accommodation?

Choosing flatmate insurance can be tricky, especially with so many options available. To make the right choice, it’s important to consider several criteria specific to shared living.

Here are the key factors to check to ensure you’re properly covered while staying flexible and economical:

💰 Price for the whole shared accommodation

The price of the insurance can vary depending on the coverage chosen, but with our Flora insurance, the price is calculated for the entire shared accommodation, similar to a shared Netflix subscription. You can simply split it among all flatmates using Tricount.

This means there’s no need to handle individual payments for each flatmate.

👉 Advantage: Everyone is covered under one single contract, and each flatmate only needs to pay their share, without having to take out an individual insurance policy. It simplifies management and provides comprehensive and consistent coverage for all flatmates.

🔄 Flexibility and Termination

Flexibility is key, especially in shared accommodation, where flatmates may leave or join at different times.
Our insurance is designed to be ultra-flexible and adapted to this dynamic lifestyle.

Ensure that the insurance offers the following:

• Easy termination options: Some insurance policies require complicated administrative steps to cancel or adjust the contract. With our insurance, termination is easy and quick, directly through the mobile app. No hassle, no complications.

• Adjustments: As shared accommodation is ever-changing, with flatmates moving in and out, our solution allows you to modify the coverage with just a few clicks via the app. If someone leaves or joins, you can update the contract in real time, without hidden fees.

• Simplified management via the mobile app: The flexibility doesn’t stop at termination or adjustments. The mobile app allows each flatmate to easily manage the insurance, whether it’s adding a new flatmate or removing one. This ensures that the insurance is always up-to-date and that everyone is covered.

📦 Damage Between Flatmates

In shared housing, certain items are shared (such as household appliances, furniture, or even valuables), and sometimes accidents cause damage between roommates.

This situation, often overlooked, can be covered through a specific option offered in some roommate insurance policies, like our Flora insurance.

For example, if your roommate spills coffee on your laptop or accidentally causes other damage, this option covers repairs or replacement of the damaged items. This helps avoid conflicts and protects everyone.

⚠️ Please note: intentional damage is not covered. The insurance applies only to unintentional incidents or those resulting from negligence.

It is important to ensure that your roommate insurance includes this option to protect your personal belongings in case of accidents between roommates.

✅ In Summary

Choosing the right insurance for your shared accommodation means comparing offers based on:

• Price per flatmate

• Flexibility and termination conditions

• Damage between flatmates

By paying attention to these factors, you ensure that all flatmates are properly protected, without needing multiple policies or risking unexpected surprises in case of damage.

👉 Want a simple and complete solution? Discover our tailored flatmate insurance.

Living together is more than just sharing a roof — it’s about sharing daily life, responsibilities… and sometimes, unexpected events. Water damage, stolen appliances, or poorly planned incidents can quickly become sources of stress, tension, or even debt.

With the right flatmate insurance, everyone is protected, and life is a lot easier. No more confusion about who pays what, conflicts when a flatmate moves out, or surprises when damage occurs. Everything is clear, shared, and managed simply.

💬 Most importantly: you’re not just insured “in case of emergency.” You’re insured to live together more peacefully, respecting your legal obligations, and making shared living what it should be: friendly, simple, and hassle-free.

🔍 Want to spend less time stressing about paperwork and more time enjoying your shared accommodation? Discover our customized solution for living together.

Flora’s Cotenant Insurance is a Fire Insurance policy by Ethias SA. You can find the info sheet, general terms and conditions, as well as the segmentation criteria here.

The contract is concluded for a period of one year. Every year, this contract is automatically renewed on its expiry date for a subsequent period of one year, unless it is terminated by one of the parties in accordance with the terms and timeframes set out in the General Terms and Conditions.

Before subscribing to Flora insurance, carefully check what is and is not covered in the product information sheet and the general terms and conditions.

Flora  is a trademark of Ethias SA. Ethias SA, with licence no. 196, voie Gisèle Halimi 10 4000 Liège, is an insurance company licensed in Belgium and subject to Belgian law. RPM Liège VAT BE 0404.484.654 – IBAN: BE72 0910 0078 4416 BIC: GKCCBEBB.

If you have a complaint, you can e-mail us at complaint@flora.insure or write to Flora, voie Gisèle Halimi 10 4000 Liège. If you are not satisfied with the proposed solution, you can contact the Insurance Ombudsman through the website www.ombudsman.as or by mail: info@ombudsman.as.

You can also file a complaint online on the ODR platform of the European Commission.