Renters insurance protects your personal belongings.
You might think that your landlord’s insurance covers your personal possessions. However, that only covers the building itself. Renters insurance, also known as rental insurance, is the only way to protect your valuables, and it’s much more cost-effective than you’d think.
What your renters insurance policy can do.
There are two parts to renters insurance. The first is property coverage for damage or loss from certain unexpected events. Be sure to check your renters insurance coverage details–there will usually be both an overall limit on the payout and a maximum amount for any one renters insurance claim. Here are a few examples of what can be covered in a renters policy:
- Fire
- Theft
- Lightning
- Wind/Hail
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Personal Property
Risk Factor
Unpredictable losses can occur to your property due to burglary, fire, water damage, storm, and more.
Solution
Personal property, such as furniture, rugs, TVs, stereos, clothes, and more may be covered under your basic insurance policy. However, items like jewelry, furs, silverware, antiques, collectibles, and other valuables should likely be insured separately.
Limits and Exclusions
Risk Factor
Some types of personal property are subject to limits of coverage under renters insurance policies. These limits vary by the type of property and by what caused the loss or damage. For example, jewelry, bicycles, collectible cards, and coins may have limited coverage or may not be covered.
Solution
Obtain a personal floater or schedule your valuable possessions to ensure you’ll have the money to replace them.
Additional Living Expense
Risk Factor
If the building you live in has a loss from a covered peril under your renters insurance policy that makes your apartment or home uninhabitable, you will need to find somewhere else to live while the repairs are undertaken. This can be expensive and inconvenient.
Solution
Be sure your insurance policy includes additional living expense coverage. If you need to move out and rent another location, this coverage provides for the increase in living expenses–such as moving costs, increased food costs, and other expenses.
Liability
Risk Factor
You are responsible if you or a guest in your unit trips and falls or sustains an injury while on your property.
Solution
Be sure that you have adequate liability insurance to protect for claims made against you for bodily injury or property damage – such as a slip and fall or other allegation. Liability coverage also provides protection should you become legally liable for unintentional bodily injury or property damage anywhere in the world.
Medical Expenses
Risk Factor
You're responsible if a guest is injured while on your property and you may be required to pay their medical expenses.
Solution
Ensure your insurance policy covers this risk. In the event a person is injured in your unit, he or she can submit medical bills to your insurance company. Medical expenses are usually paid without a liability claim being filed against you, with typical limits ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
Landlord
Risk Factor
You may not be able to rent the apartment or home if your landlord or property manager requires renters insurance and you do not have it.
Solution
Having a renters insurance policy allows you to provide a certificate of insurance to the landlord or property manager showing that you have the coverage required to rent the apartment or home.
Improvements or Betterments
Risk Factor
Any improvements or betterments that you have made to your unit are subject to damage.
Solution
Be sure to obtain coverage for improvements or betterments that you have installed in your apartment or home.
Contents Away from Home
Risk Factor
You may take your valuable property outside of your unit. For example, what happens if your laptop or golf clubs get damaged or stolen while traveling?
Solution
Be sure to add off premises theft coverage to your policy to cover your personal property while your belongings are away from your home. Auto insurance does not usually cover personal property stolen from your car.
Premises Liability
Risk Factor
You may be responsible for damage to your apartment or dwelling should you, for example, have a leaking sink or accidentally start a fire.
Solution
Be sure your policy has liability coverage that includes tenants legal liability or premises liability. Your landlord may require that you to have this type of insurance protection in place as a requirement before renting the property to you.
Liability coverage options.
Another way some renters policies protect you is through liability coverage. For instance, if you accidentally damage the rental property itself or if somebody is injured while visiting you at your apartment, your insurance would cover it.
Loss of use coverage.
You may also get a payment for living expenses if the rental property is uninhabitable after one of the events the renters insurance policy covers. This safety net can help you recover from such a loss that you would otherwise have to pay for out-of-pocket.
Save on your renters insurance.
Just like homeowners insurance, you can bundle renters insurance with car insurance policies. Doing so is not only convenient but can save you a lot of money!
To find an affordable renters insurance policy that fits your protection needs, fill out our form in minutes today!
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