Home insurance in Italy for British homeowners and tenants
Home insurance is not compulsory for households in Italy. The one common exception is a mortgage: the bank will ask for fire cover on the property. Most British owners still insure because an Italian policy can protect the building, its contents, theft and, above all, your liability to neighbours and third parties.
Consultation in English is included
Italian policies are written in Italian. We explain the cover, the exclusions and the paperwork to you in English, before you buy and when you claim, at no extra cost. Call +39 0141 441493 or email info@assicurazionecastellodiannone.it.
In short
- No law obliges a private homeowner in Italy to insure the home; the 2024 catastrophe-insurance obligation applies to businesses, not households.
- Italian policies are built from sections you choose: building (fabbricato), contents (contenuto), theft (furto), third-party liability (responsabilità civile), legal expenses, assistance.
- Our policy, CasaMia by Reale Mutua, excludes earthquakes and floods: we say so up front, because in Italy that matters.
- Holiday homes (dimora saltuaria) can be insured, but theft while the house is empty has a higher excess.
- Consultation in English is included: we explain the Italian wording before you sign.
Home insurance
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CasaMia, underwritten by Reale Mutua. Consultation in English is included: we go through the Italian policy wording with you before you sign.
Is home insurance compulsory in Italy?
No. Italian law does not require a private household to insure its home. Two situations change the picture. If you buy with an Italian mortgage, the bank will normally require fire and explosion cover on the property it holds as security (see our mortgage insurance guide). And if you live in a condominium, the building usually has its own policy paid through the service charges, which covers the common parts but not your contents or your personal liability.
How an Italian home policy is put together
A UK buildings-and-contents policy usually arrives as one package. An Italian multi-risk home policy is closer to a menu: you choose the sections and the sum insured for each. The names below are the ones you will read in the Italian documents.
| Italian term | What it means | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Fabbricato (incendio) | The building: fire, explosion, lightning, water damage and other events listed in the policy | Insured at full value (valore intero): the sum should match the cost of rebuilding, not the market price |
| Contenuto | Your furniture and belongings | Can be insured at full value or on a first-loss basis (primo rischio assoluto) |
| Furto | Theft and robbery | Conditions depend on locks and window protection: the policy describes the minimum standard |
| Responsabilità civile | Your liability for damage you cause to others, in private life and as owner or occupier | Often the most useful section: a leak into the flat below is a classic claim |
| Tutela legale | Legal expenses for disputes linked to your home and private life | Handled by a specialist company named in the policy |
| Assistenza | Emergency plumber, electrician, locksmith and other services | Organised by a 24-hour operations centre |
Full value versus first loss. With full value, if the sum insured is lower than the real value, any claim is paid in proportion (underinsurance). With first loss, you choose a ceiling and claims are paid up to it, with no proportional reduction. This is one of the points we always explain before you sign.
Earthquakes and floods: what is excluded
Many British buyers assume a home policy covers natural disasters. In Italy it often does not. The CasaMia Conditions list earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and inundations among the risks always excluded (point 8.2). If you want earthquake or flood cover, it has to be arranged separately, and we will tell you plainly when a product does not offer it.
Atmospheric events such as storms and hail are a different matter: they can be included in the fire section, within the limits and excesses set by the policy.
Holiday homes and houses left empty
Many British owners spend part of the year in Italy. Italian policies distinguish the dimora abituale (where you live continuously) from the dimora saltuaria (a home you do not live in habitually). The price and some conditions differ, so tell us which one it is: getting it wrong can reduce a claim.
In CasaMia, theft in a holiday home that occurs while the house is empty carries an excess of 20% of the loss, rising to 30% when it combines with other excesses of the theft section (point 12.6). Some building and contents guarantees also do not apply to buildings that are unoccupied, under construction or being renovated.
If you rent: tenant cover
Under the Italian Civil Code (art. 1588) a tenant answers to the landlord for loss of and damage to the property, fire included, unless they prove it happened through no fault of their own. A home policy can include the tenant's liability for the building (rischio locativo) together with contents and personal liability, which some rental contracts ask you to have.
What you need to get a quote
- The address of the property in Italy (it decides where the service is available and the price).
- Type of home (apartment, terraced or detached), floor area and whether you live there habitually.
- The sections you want and the sums insured.
- To buy, an Italian tax code (codice fiscale) and an identity document.
Home insurance
Price your Italian home insurance online
CasaMia, underwritten by Reale Mutua. Consultation in English is included: we go through the Italian policy wording with you before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Is home insurance compulsory in Italy?
No. Private homeowners are not obliged by law to insure their home. A bank granting a mortgage will normally require fire and explosion cover on the property, and condominium buildings usually have a policy for the common parts.
Does Italian home insurance cover earthquakes?
Not usually. CasaMia, the policy we offer, excludes earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and inundations (point 8.2 of the Conditions). Earthquake cover has to be bought separately where available.
Can I insure a holiday home in Italy if I live in the UK?
Yes, the property is what matters: a holiday home (dimora saltuaria) can be insured with an Italian policy. Theft while the house is empty carries a higher excess, and you will need an Italian tax code to sign.
Can I insure my Italian house with a UK insurer?
Some UK insurers offer holiday-home cover abroad. An Italian policy has the advantage of claims handled locally, by adjusters and assistance services that work in Italy, under Italian law.
Can I get the policy documents in English?
The policy documents are in Italian and the Italian text is what counts. Our consultation in English is included: we explain cover, exclusions and claims to you before you sign and when something happens.
Home insurance
Ready to compare? Get your quote online
CasaMia, underwritten by Reale Mutua. Consultation in English is included: we go through the Italian policy wording with you before you sign.
Sources
Official sources checked on 24 October 2026. Rules change: always check the latest version before you act.
Important information
This guide is general information, not personal advice. Cover, limits, excesses and exclusions are set by the policy documents (DIP, additional DIP and Conditions of Insurance), which are in Italian and are what counts legally: we give them to you, and talk you through them in English, before you sign.
Assicurazione Castello di Annone di Rabacchin Matteo, VAT no. 01627330051, is an insurance intermediary registered in the Italian Single Register of Insurance Intermediaries (RUI), Section E no. E000517439, supervised by IVASS. Online quotes and purchase are not available in every Italian region: the quote tool tells you at the first step if the service is not available in your region.