When it's a rental, homeowners isn't the policy. This is.
Once you rent a property out, your homeowners policy no longer fits — you don't live there, the tenant's belongings aren't yours, and your real exposures are the building, the rent it earns, and the liability of being a landlord. A Liberty Mutual landlord dwelling policy is built for exactly that: the structure at replacement cost, loss of rent built in, and optional premises and entity liability for the risks a rental actually carries. Here's what it covers, the forms and options, and the discounts that reward good landlording. From an independent agency that places Liberty Mutual every day.
The short answer
A Liberty Mutual landlord policy is a dwelling fire policy for a property you own but don't live in. It covers the structure at replacement cost (insured to 100%), other structures, and loss of rent if a covered loss makes the unit unrentable. Liability isn't automatic — you add premises liability, and can extend it to an LLC or property manager. Choose from Broad, Special, and Condominium forms, with options like extended dwelling, theft, loss assessment, and water backup. Your tenant's belongings ride on their own renters policy. Backed by an A (Excellent) carrier, quoted against 40+.
What a landlord actually stands to lose.
A rental's value to you is the structure and the income it produces — so that's where the coverage starts, written on a replacement-cost basis.
The dwelling (Coverage A)
The rental structure, covered on a replacement-cost basis and insured to 100% of replacement cost, with vandalism and malicious mischief always included. Special (open-perils) form covers the widest range of causes of loss.
Other structures (Coverage B)
Detached garages, sheds, fences, and other structures on the property are automatically included up to 10% of the dwelling limit, with higher limits available if the property needs them.
Loss of rent (Coverage D)
If a covered loss makes the unit unrentable, loss of rent replaces the income while it's repaired — automatically included up to 10% of the dwelling limit, and increasable to match the real rent and rebuild time.
Ordinance or law
Covers the extra cost of rebuilding to current building codes after a covered loss — included up to 10% of the dwelling limit, which matters most on an older rental that predates today's code.
Extended dwelling (+25%)
An optional cushion: up to an additional 25% of the dwelling limit if a covered rebuild runs over the amount on your Declarations — a hedge against rising construction costs on a total loss.
Water & sump backup
Covers damage from water that backs up through a sewer or drain, or overflows from a sump or sump pump — a common, costly loss that a base dwelling policy excludes. Not flood coverage.
Liability isn't automatic — add it on purpose.
A dwelling fire policy is property-first. The liability that comes with renting to people is an option you choose — and the one we make sure is never left off.
Premises liability
Covers bodily injury and property-damage claims tied to the rental, plus medical payments — and personal-injury offenses a landlord can face, like wrongful eviction or entry, invasion of privacy, and libel or slander. This is the coverage no rental should be without.
Extended (entity) liability
If you hold the property through an LLC, a limited partnership, or use a property-management firm, extended liability brings that entity into the coverage alongside premises liability — closing a gap many landlords don't know they have.
Loss assessment
If you rent out a condo or a unit in an owners' association, loss assessment covers charges levied against you by the association after a covered loss — property and liability both. Pairs with premises liability.
Broad, Special, or Condominium.
The right form depends on the property and how much coverage breadth you want. All three write the dwelling at replacement cost and always include vandalism and malicious mischief. We match the form to the rental.
How the forms differ.
The Broad form (Form 2) covers a named list of perils — fire, wind, hail, and the other common causes of loss. The Special form (Form 3) flips that to an open-perils basis, covering any cause of loss except those specifically excluded — broader protection, and usually the right call for a valued rental. The Condominium form (Form 8) is built for a rented condo unit, covering the condo building items you're responsible for.
On every form the dwelling is written on a replacement-cost basis and must be insured to 100% of replacement cost — which is exactly the number worth getting right, since under-insuring the structure is the quiet mistake that surfaces only at a total loss. Personal property coverage for the items you provide, like appliances, is optional and can be added.
Not state-required — but not optional, really.
Arkansas doesn't mandate landlord insurance by statute. But any lender that financed the property will require it, and the liability of renting to tenants is real regardless — so "not required" is a technicality, not a plan.
What actually drives the decision.
Three things make a landlord policy essential in Arkansas even without a state mandate. A lender holding a mortgage on the rental will require coverage as a condition of the loan. Liability — a tenant or guest injured on the property — can produce a claim far larger than the building itself, and it lands on you as the owner. And your rental income is exposed: a fire that takes the unit offline for months is lost rent you'd otherwise absorb.
One point worth being clear on: your landlord policy does not cover your tenant's belongings — those are the tenant's responsibility, covered by their own renters insurance. That's why requiring renters coverage in the lease is smart landlording, and we're glad to help your tenants get a policy too. This is general information, not legal advice.
Credits built for landlords.
This line rewards the things good landlords already do — and the rest of your account. We run your specifics and apply every credit you qualify for. (Amounts vary and aren't published here; they're confirmed at quote.)
Account Credit
For carrying a homeowners, condo, or renters policy with us alongside your rental — the account working in your favor.
Multi Rental Property
For insuring more than one rental dwelling with us — the credit grows with the number of properties on the account.
Property Management
For using a property manager or management service that screens tenants, inspects, and guides your leases. (Doesn't stack with Tenant Screening — you take whichever fits.)
Tenant Screening
For doing the screening yourself — credit and background checks, eviction searches, regular inspections, keeping tenant insurance on file, and a no-smoking lease clause.
Sprinkler
For a fire sprinkler system installed and maintained to nationally accepted standards — a real risk reducer the rate reflects.
Advance Quote
For quoting ahead of your start date rather than at the last minute — a simple credit for planning the coverage in advance.
A rental sits between your home and your business.
The account credits and the coverage both want one agency.
A rental is easiest to set up right when one agency already holds your home and any other rentals — that's where the account and multi-rental credits come from, and where we make sure the landlord policy's liability lines up with a personal umbrella rather than leaving a gap. If you own several properties or hold them in an entity, one agency can structure the whole picture so the coverage and the credits both work as a set instead of one policy at a time.
Three things to get right on a rental.
First, add the liability — a property-only policy leaves you exposed the day a tenant or guest is hurt. Second, insure the structure to 100% of replacement cost; under-insuring is the mistake that only shows up at a total loss. Third, match the entity — if the property's in an LLC, the liability needs to name it. We'll set the form, add premises and entity liability, size the loss of rent, and stack the landlord credits that fit.
Backed by an A (Excellent) carrier.
On September 10, 2025, AM Best affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) for the members of Liberty Mutual Holding Company Inc., stable outlook — the group behind the companies that write this coverage in Arkansas. A financial strength rating is an opinion about an insurer's ability to pay claims; it doesn't grade how a specific claim is handled and isn't a recommendation. The current rating is at ambest.com.
Where we earn it on a rental.
The quiet landlord mistakes are no liability on a property-first policy, a structure under-insured below replacement cost, loss of rent set too low, and an LLC left off the liability. We add premises and entity liability, insure to 100% replacement cost, size the rent coverage to reality, and confirm the landlord credits. We don't adjust your claim and can't overrule an adjuster — but we'll make sure the policy was built right for a rental, and we'll move you to another of our 40-plus markets if Liberty Mutual stops being the best fit.
Driven by the property and the coverage.
Landlord premiums turn on the property's replacement cost, its age and construction, the form and deductible you choose, the liability you add, and where it sits — so a posted number would mislead. The upside is the landlord-specific credits are real, and stacking the account, multi-rental, and screening credits can move the price. This isn't a quote or a guarantee. Tell us about the property and we'll build the real figure with you, LM against 40-plus carriers.
The rest of the property picture.
Liberty Mutual landlord questions.
Do I need a landlord policy if my property is rented out?
Yes. Once you rent a property out, your homeowners policy no longer fits — it assumes you live in the home, and a rented property is a different risk. A landlord policy is written on a dwelling fire form built for a property you own but don't occupy: it covers the structure, other structures, the rent the property earns, and — as an option you add — the liability that comes with being a landlord.
Arkansas doesn't require landlord insurance by statute, but any lender that financed the property will require it, and the liability exposure of renting to tenants is real whether or not the state mandates coverage. This is general information, not legal advice.
What's the difference between a landlord policy and homeowners insurance?
A homeowners policy assumes you live in the home and covers your personal belongings inside it. A landlord policy assumes you don't live there and shifts the focus to what a landlord actually owns and stands to lose: the building at replacement cost, other structures, loss of rent if the property becomes unrentable after a covered loss, and — added by option — premises liability for injuries or claims tied to the property.
Your tenant's belongings are not covered by your landlord policy; those are covered by the tenant's own renters policy, which is one reason many landlords require renters insurance in the lease.
Is liability included in a landlord policy?
Not automatically — and this is the single most important thing landlords miss. A landlord dwelling fire policy is property-first, so premises liability is an option you add. Once added, it can cover bodily injury and property damage claims tied to the rental, medical payments, and personal injury offenses like wrongful eviction, invasion of privacy, and libel or slander.
If you own the property through an LLC, partnership, or use a property manager, extended liability can bring that entity into the coverage as well. Running a rental without liability coverage is a serious gap, and it's exactly the piece we make sure is on the policy.
Does it cover lost rent if the property is damaged?
Yes. Loss of rent — also called rental value — is built into the main forms, automatically covered up to 10 percent of the dwelling limit, and it can be increased. If a covered loss like a fire makes the unit unrentable while it's being repaired, this coverage helps replace the rental income you'd otherwise lose during that period.
For a property that's part of your income, it's one of the most valuable pieces of the policy, and it's often under-sized — we set it to the actual rent and repair timeline you'd realistically face.
What forms and coverage options are available?
Three forms: Broad (Form 2, a named-perils form), Special (Form 3, an open-perils form that covers more), and Condominium (Form 8) for a rented condo unit. The dwelling is written on a replacement-cost basis and must be insured to 100 percent of replacement cost, and vandalism and malicious mischief coverage is always included.
Options include extended dwelling coverage (up to an additional 25 percent if rebuilding costs run over), on-premises theft, loss assessment, water and sump backup, premises liability, and extended liability for entities. We match the form and options to your property and how it's held.
What discounts can lower my landlord premium?
Several are built for landlords specifically. Credits are available for carrying a homeowners, condo, or renters policy with us, for insuring more than one rental property with us, for employing a property manager or management service, for doing your own tenant screening — credit and background checks, eviction searches, inspections, keeping tenant insurance on file, and prohibiting smoking in the lease — for a fire sprinkler system, and for quoting ahead of your start date.
A note: the property management and tenant screening credits reward the same work, so you receive one or the other, not both. We don't publish the percentages here because they vary, but we'll apply every one you qualify for.
Does my landlord policy cover my tenant's belongings?
No. A landlord policy covers your property — the building, other structures, and optionally your own contents like appliances you provide — but not your tenant's personal belongings. Those are the tenant's responsibility, covered by their own renters insurance.
Because a tenant without renters coverage can become a source of disputes and liability, many landlords require renters insurance as a lease term, and we can help your tenants get a policy through us too.
How do I get a landlord quote?
Start at our quote form or call (479) 286-1066. Tell us about the property — a single-family rental, a condo unit, or a small multi-unit — its replacement cost, whether you hold it personally or through an entity, and how it's managed, and we'll set the right form, make sure premises liability is on there, size the loss-of-rent coverage, and check the landlord discounts.
We'll quote Liberty Mutual against 40-plus other carriers, and if you have a portfolio, we'll look at how to structure it across the account.
If our coverage explainers are useful, mark Cribb Insurance as a preferred source so more Northwest Arkansas property owners can find our local, plain-English guides.
Liberty Mutual is one of 40+ carriers we represent.
Which means we can tell you honestly whether Liberty Mutual is the right home for your rental — or whether one of our other markets fits better. Tell us about the property and how you hold it, and we'll set the form, make sure the liability is on there, insure the structure to replacement cost, size the loss of rent, and stack every landlord credit you qualify for. If a different carrier fits the rental better, we'll say so.
Cribb Insurance Group Inc. is an independent insurance agency licensed in Arkansas. We are not Liberty Mutual, and this page is not endorsed, sponsored, reviewed, or approved by Liberty Mutual. "Liberty Mutual" is a service mark or trademark of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, used here nominatively to identify products we are appointed to place. Liberty Mutual's Arkansas landlord and dwelling fire policies are issued by Liberty Mutual-affiliated underwriting companies.
This page describes landlord (dwelling fire) coverage in general, industry-standard terms for informational purposes only. It is not a policy, not an offer of insurance, and not a guarantee of coverage, availability, eligibility, or price. The available policy forms (Broad, Special, and Condominium), Coverage A dwelling, Coverage B other structures, Coverage C personal property, Coverage D loss of rent / rental value and additional living expense, ordinance or law coverage, the replacement-cost and 100%-insurance-to-value requirement, deductibles, and the coverage options — including extended dwelling coverage, on-premises theft, loss assessment, premises liability, extended liability, and water and sump backup — along with their limits, conditions, and exclusions, are set by the carrier, vary by form and by state and over time, and are confirmed at quote and subject to underwriting approval and to the terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions of the policy actually issued. Liability coverage is optional and is not included unless purchased; certain options are available only when another option is also purchased (for example, loss assessment and extended liability require premises liability). If anything on this page conflicts with the issued policy, the policy controls.
Discounts are described by name only. Their availability, eligibility, and amounts vary, some require documentation, and certain credits cannot be combined — for example, the property management and tenant screening credits are not available on the same policy. All are confirmed at quote, and a credit-based insurance score may be used in rating where permitted by law. Statements about Arkansas — including that landlord insurance is not required by state statute, that lenders typically require it, and that a tenant's personal property is covered by the tenant's own renters policy rather than the landlord policy — are general information, not legal advice, and are subject to change.
Financial strength ratings are opinions of an insurer's ability to meet its ongoing insurance obligations, are subject to change, are not recommendations to purchase, hold or terminate any policy, and do not address an insurer's claims-handling practices; current ratings are at ambest.com. The A (Excellent) rating referenced applies to the members of Liberty Mutual Holding Company Inc. Cost is determined by the carrier at quote and is not a figure this page represents or guarantees.
Last reviewed July 2026.