Renters insurance might seem redundant. After all, doesn’t the landlord insure the building they own? Unfortunately, if you’re renting, landlord policies can’t protect you, your visitors, or your personal property. However, a renters insurance policy will protect the things that are important to you, giving you peace of mind when disaster strikes that you’ll be taken care of. Muller Insurance offers some brief insights into what makes renters insurance so important.
Protect Your Personal Property
To protect your belongings in case of disaster, you’ll need a renters insurance policy. It can cover damage from a variety of sources and causes, including:
- Explosions
- Falling objects
- Fire and smoke
- Power surges
- Riots and civil commotion
- Vandalism and theft
- Vehicles
- Water or steam
- Windstorms and hail
If your property is damaged by something like this, a renters insurance policy will provide enough coverage to repair or replace your belongings. Keep in mind, however, that renters insurance will not cover your possessions in certain kinds of disasters, such as earthquakes and floods. If you live in a fault zone or near the water, consider buying a special earthquake or flood insurance policy to make sure you’re completely protected.
Defend Against Liability
Renters insurance not only protects your belongings, it also protects you against legal liability for damages caused by negligence. Some examples of negligence include:
- Your visitor trips over your cat, falls down the stairs, and breaks an arm.
- You forget to turn off the tap, and the water pools under the door and ruins a neighbor’s carpet.
- A grease flareup causes a minor kitchen fire, which damages the walls of your rental.
In all these cases, you would be held responsible and liable for the damage. Accidents do happen, but if they happen in your apartment or are due to your own mistakes, you can be sued. But if you have renters insurance, the policy can cover the cost of the damages and save you the burden of dealing with expensive lawsuits.
Pay Expenses for Loss of Use
Sometimes it’s not just your belongings or a neighbor’s apartment getting damaged or a visitor becoming injured. Sometimes, circumstances occur that cause damage which renders your rented apartment unusable. Whether a tree falls through your windows, snow collapses your roof, or a fire blackens your walls, you’re left without a place to stay – at least until the repairs are finished.
Cases like these are called loss of use, which is covered by renters insurance. Your policy will pay for a hotel, food, and other living expenses while you wait for your apartment to be repaired. It’s a helpful safety net that can give you peace of mind you’ll be taken care of in loss of use situations.
Buy Renters Insurance Today
Many landlords will require a minimum policy for renters. Even if your landlord doesn’t require it, however, renters insurance is still a worthwhile investment and can protect you from property damage, legal fees, and loss of use. Muller Insurance offers quality policies to families and individuals in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and 26 other states. Our policies don’t skimp on coverage, so you can be confident you are well protected. To find out more, contact us today.
