Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
I have a flat in England which I rent out. It was purchased before I became Muslim. The flat is in a building with other flats. Each flat owner, because the flat is part of a bigger building, must have insurance on his property. I’m wondering whether this situation is analogous to the car insurance situation i.e. it would be allowed for me to have the insurance because of a legal necessity.
I’m not sure if all houses have to be insured in England. I don’t think this is the case. However, all flats which are part of bigger complexes probably do. It would be hard to sell the flat and find one which does not require insurance because a) such flats are virtually non-existent, because most flats in London are part of larger complexes and b) I am dependent upon the rent from the flat for my provision and do not have the financial resources or the time to go back to England, sell the flat and look for another one.
Walaikum assalam,
Scholars have mentioned that such insurance that is ‘incidental’ to one’s otherwise inevitable activities (such renting a house, or workers in a high risk industry) and reasonably unavoidable, then it would be considered in a similar manner to the legal requirement of car insurance. It would be an unavoidable cost of operation.
Wassalam,
Faraz