Landlords in the UK have been warned that they may not possess the correct insurance for their properties.

New research from AXA Business Insurance has found that around one in four proprietors either have the wrong type of cover or none at all - putting not only themselves, but their tenants at risk.

Should the worst happen, these individuals may be left with little by way of financial protection. In addition, it was shown that around three-quarters of those questioned have purchased household insurance rather than a commercial policy. This might therefore make them more vulnerable to having claims turned down.

Darrell Sansom, managing director at AXA Business Insurance, said: "The consequences of not sorting out some of the basic admin and putting some core protection in place could make it a much bigger headache for them than it already is."

He added more responsibility needs to be taken on by insurers as an industry to ensure that when landlords are buying insurance, the right questions are asked.