Are you requiring tenants to carry renter’s insurance?

While most homeowner’s are primarily concerned with obtaining Homeowner’s/Landlord insurance, covering the property, liabilities and damages from unexpected malfunctions and disasters, some fail to keep up with their tenants renter’s insurance policy, making sure it’s current and active. While it is highly important to maintain homeowner’s insurance (or called a Landlord / Fire policy if property is a rental), what’s the advantage of requiring tenants to carry a renters policy?

Tenant Benefits

First, there are significant benefits to a tenant! For example, should a fire or water event occur within the  property, the homeowner’s insurance will typically cover the damages to the structure itself. However, many times it will not cover the tenants personal belongings and furniture. Homeowners insurance may also not cover injuries that occur, exposing a tenant to liability.

On the other hand, renters insurance is designed to cover personal property, just in case of the unexpected – a theft, fire, water damage, etc. If someone gets hurt inside the property, renters insurance can offer a measure of protection, offering liability coverage. Other covered items can include: Coverage of a tenants personal property in the event of a windstorm, frozen pipes (that eventually leak and create a major water event), vandalism or a vehicle impact!

If a tenant is temporarily displaced from the property due to these items, renters insurance can cover the cost of alternate living arrangements.

Finally, renters insurance is typically inexpensive to obtain for a tenant and can potentially save thousands of dollars in the event of an unexpected situation.

As a Landlord, requiring renters insurance adds a measure of protection and can help a tenant with unforeseen costs. To ensure that a renters policy is obtained and maintained, you can request to be added as an additional interest. That way, you are updated by a insurance company when a change takes place.