What is Renter’s Insurance? Seattle Property Management Education

Protecting Tenants

Most people know that the owner of the building has their own insurance policy if the property catches on fire or something happens to the building. But for the folks who live there and don’t own the property, the owner’s insurance is limited in how it can help. You need your own insurance to protect you from the potential bad things that can happen while their living there, whether it’s a fire or someone breaks in and steals all your furniture and electronics. Your renter’s insurance will also protect you if someone gets hurt and sues you. Most importantly, if there’s a fire or a catastrophe and you can’t sleep in that house anymore, you’ll need to find a place to stay – and fast. Your renter’s insurance will help.

Requiring Renter’s Insurance

We always recommend that landlords require their tenants to carry renter’s insurance. You want to make sure your tenants are taken care of and covered. If there’s a disaster, you want your tenants to have their belongings replaced and you want them to be able to find a new place to live quickly. There’s also a lot of liability protection involved in renter’s insurance. If someone gets hurt and there’s a lawsuit, make sure the injured party goes after that renter’s insurance policy and not the insurance held by the property owner.

Finding a Policy

Renter’s insurance is available to everyone, and if you work with an agent, you can be sure you’ll have everything explained to you and you’ll choose the right policy for your own situation. Most people bundle it with their auto insurance. On its own, renter’s insurance will cost around $15 - $20 a month. But when you bundle it with your auto coverage, you’ll get a discount and pay as little as $5 per month.

Thanks to Andrew for joining us. If you have any questions about renter’s insurance or property management in Seattle, please contact us at Real Property Associates, and we’d be happy to tell you more.