- The network up to and including the master socket (the Network Termination Equipment, or NTE) is owned and maintained by Openreach, not the householder, so it is not the policyholder's property to insure.
- Wiring and equipment on the customer side of the master socket, such as extension sockets and handsets, belong to the householder and may fall under contents cover.
- Openreach repairs faults on its own network through your phone or broadband provider; you cannot contact Openreach directly as a residential customer.
- Ofcom rules require providers to repair, replace or compensate for loss of a fixed line under the automatic compensation scheme where the provider is at fault.
- Openreach is migrating the network to all-IP under its published programme, with the legacy PSTN being withdrawn as the migration completes in 2027.
Home insurance generally does not cover the external phone line or master socket, which Openreach owns and repairs through your provider. Internal extension wiring and handsets may fall under contents cover.
Last reviewed: June 2026
Why the landline sits in an unusual place for insurance
A landline is one of the few utilities running into your home that you do not actually own for most of its length. The copper or fibre line from the green street cabinet, the overhead drop wire or underground cable, and the master socket on your wall all belong to Openreach. That ownership is the single most important fact when working out what home insurance can and cannot do for you, because an insurer covers property that belongs to the policyholder, not infrastructure owned by a national network operator.
The dividing line is the master socket, formally the Network Termination Equipment or NTE. Everything on the network side of that socket is Openreach territory. Everything on the customer side, including any extension sockets you have had fitted, the cabling between them and your handsets, is yours. This split runs through almost every question about damage, repair and compensation, and it explains why an insurer will often decline a claim for a dead line while accepting a claim for a flooded handset.
What home insurance typically does and does not cover
Buildings insurance covers the permanent structure of your home and its fixtures. The external phone line is not your fixture; it is Openreach's plant crossing or entering your property, so buildings cover does not extend to repairing it. If a falling tree branch severs the overhead drop wire to your house, that is a network fault for Openreach to repair through your provider, not a buildings claim. Contents insurance covers movable possessions, which is where handsets, cordless base units and answerphones can sit, subject to your policy's single-item limits and excess.
The grey area is internal extension wiring. Because you own it, accidental damage to internal telephone wiring could in principle be considered under an accidental damage extension if your policy includes one. In practice the repair cost is usually low and may fall below your excess, and many households simply have a provider or an independent engineer rewire an extension rather than claim. Always read the policy wording, because telecoms wiring is frequently excluded or treated as a low-value item.
Landlord and tenant responsibilities
In rented homes the responsibility split adds a second layer on top of the Openreach boundary. The landlord owns the building and therefore the structure into which the master socket is fitted, but the master socket itself remains Openreach equipment. A landlord is generally responsible for ensuring the property has a working line provision and for damage to the fabric of the building, while the tenant is usually responsible for arranging and paying for their own phone and broadband service and for any extension wiring or equipment they add.
Tenants should check their tenancy agreement, because it will set out who arranges line repairs and who pays. A tenant's contents policy, not the landlord's buildings policy, would cover the tenant's own handsets. If a fault lies on the Openreach network, neither the landlord's nor the tenant's insurer is the right route: the provider raises the fault with Openreach and the repair is carried out at no charge where the fault is on the network side.
Landline coverage under home insurance at a glance
The table below summarises which part of the landline setup typically falls to which party. Treat it as a general guide and always confirm against your own policy wording and tenancy or ownership status.
| Component | Who owns it | Typical insurance position |
|---|---|---|
| External line and drop wire | Openreach | Not insured by you; repaired by Openreach via your provider |
| Master socket (NTE) | Openreach | Not your property; faults raised through your provider |
| Internal extension wiring | Householder | May fall under accidental damage cover if included |
| Handsets and base units | Householder | Contents cover, subject to excess and single-item limits |
| Building fabric around socket | Building owner | Buildings cover for structural damage |
Storm, flood and weather damage
Severe weather is the most common cause of physical landline damage. High winds can bring down trees onto overhead lines, and flooding can affect underground cabling and street cabinets. Because this plant belongs to Openreach, weather damage to the line itself is a network fault. You report it to your provider, who passes it to Openreach for repair, and you should not be charged for repairing a network fault caused by storms. Where weather damages your own equipment inside the home, for example a flooded cordless handset, that is where a contents claim becomes relevant.
Large weather events can cause widespread outages and longer repair times. Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme can apply where a fixed line is not repaired within the scheme's timescales and the provider is signed up to it, although exceptional circumstances such as major storms can affect how the scheme operates. Keep a record of when the fault started, when you reported it and any reference number, because that evidence supports both a compensation claim and any contents claim for damaged equipment.
Who to contact and in what order
The practical rule is to start with your provider for anything to do with the line, and your insurer for anything to do with your own equipment or the building. If the line is dead or crackling, report it to your phone or broadband provider so they can test the line remotely and dispatch an Openreach engineer if the fault is on the network. If a handset is smashed or water-damaged, check your contents policy. If the wall or structure around the socket is damaged by an insured event such as a storm, that is a buildings claim.
Trying to claim on home insurance for an external line fault usually wastes time, because the insurer will decline cover for property you do not own. Equally, expecting Openreach to replace your handset will not work, because that equipment is yours. Matching the right problem to the right party is what gets the landline working again quickly and avoids paying an excess for something that should be repaired free of charge as a network fault.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does home insurance cover a broken landline?
Usually not, if the fault is on the external line or the master socket, because those belong to Openreach and are repaired through your provider. Home insurance may cover your own handsets under contents cover, or internal extension wiring under accidental damage if your policy includes it. Check the wording for telecoms exclusions and single-item limits.
Who is responsible for damage to the phone line?
The external phone line and the master socket are Openreach's responsibility, and repairs are arranged through your phone or broadband provider. Anything on the customer side of the master socket, such as extension wiring and handsets, is the householder's responsibility. Weather damage to the network line is treated as a network fault rather than a home insurance claim.
Does home insurance cover damage to the phone socket?
The master socket itself is Openreach equipment and is repaired through your provider rather than claimed on insurance. Secondary extension sockets that you had fitted are your property and might fall under an accidental damage extension if your policy provides one. The building fabric around any socket is a buildings matter if damaged by an insured event.
What if a storm damages my phone line?
Storm damage to the external line, drop wire or street cabinet is a network fault, so you report it to your provider and Openreach carries out the repair at no charge. You should not claim this on home insurance, because the line is not your property. If the storm damages your own equipment inside the home, that part may be a contents claim.
Who do I call if my landline is physically damaged?
Call your phone or broadband provider first, because residential customers cannot contact Openreach directly. The provider tests the line and dispatches an Openreach engineer if the fault is on the network. For damage to your own handsets or extension wiring, contact your home insurer about a contents or accidental damage claim instead.
