Renter's Insurance

Renter’s Insurance – why bother? Only 35% of renter’s have insurance according to the Insurance Information Institute.  I’ll give you 3 reasons.

1. Personal property coverage. Think of everything you own. Now, try to assign a dollar amount to all of those belongings. Pretty mind-boggling, isn't it? A renter’s insurance policy offers you coverage for the theft, loss or destruction of your personal belongings in the event of a fire, storm or other covered peril. This can help you replace the items you use on a day-to-day basis, from your clothing to your appliances to your furniture—as well as your more expensive items. If you're a die-hard jewelry collector or an audiophile with tens of thousands of dollars' worth of pricey sound equipment, you can even take out extended coverage that provides you with higher limits, sometimes called floater insurance or Scheduled Personal Property coverage. This extra coverage may increase your deductibles, but will certainly be worth having to make sure you have enough coverage for your pricey items. Having a renter’s insurance policy can even cover your personal belongings when they're not inside your home—like if you take your laptop with you on a trip and it is damaged or stolen.

2. Liability coverage. Life is risk, but that doesn't mean you have to dig deep into your pockets or drain your savings account every time something goes wrong. The liability insurance that comes as a part of your standard renter’s insurance policy can help protect you if you are sued by a guest injured in your home. Say someone comes over to your house and trips down your stairs, injuring themselves seriously enough to warrant medical attention. If you are found responsible for the accident, your renters insurance liability coverage can help pay for your legal expenses and their medical bills and other damages. When buying renters insurance, it pays to think long and hard about having enough coverage to guard against any eventuality. Liability coverage can even pay for damages caused accidentally by you or your family members. For example, if your child accidentally throws a baseball through your neighbor's living room window, your liability insurance plan could cover the damages.

3. Additional living expenses. People rarely think about where they'd go or how they'd pay for it if a fire or disaster were to render their rental home unlivable. With a renters insurance policy, you can rest easily because this coverage will help pay for your temporary living expenses. This can include things like hotel bills to restaurants to other living expenses you normally wouldn't incur. With a renter’s insurance policy, you don't have to worry that a damaged roof will force you to share a house with your in-laws. For that alone, it's a priceless investment.

According to a survey conducted by the Insurance Information Institute, a surprising number of renters don't have renters insurance. In fact, only 31 percent of renters nationwide are currently taking advantage of the numerous benefits and financial protections that come from renters insurance. This somewhat startling statistic is even more difficult to understand when you consider that a renters policy in 2009 only cost an average of $15 per month, according to the III. If you're among the 65 percent of renters without insurance, think about what having an insurance policy in place could mean for your financial security.