Moving into a new apartment or rental can be a project. You have so much furniture, clothes and knickknacks to move into your new place. But once you’re settled, how do you know your belongings will stay safe? You might not think you have expensive things, but could you afford to replace all of them at a moment’s notice? That’s where renters insurance coverage comes in.
To learn more about renters insurance coverage and AAA renters insurance, we spoke to Jodi Desantis, vice president of insurance sales for AAA Northeast.
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Tune InWhy do you need renters insurance coverage?
If you live in an apartment or other type of rental, renters insurance is a way to cover your personal possessions and your personal liability. “Many apartment complexes require their tenants to have renters insurance,” said DeSantis. “And also for them to carry certain liability limits.”
Your landlord is already paying the property insurance, but if you want your personal belongings to be protected, you’ll need to have renters insurance. Renters insurance coverage provides protection for personal items in the event they are stolen or damaged, as well as personal liability in case someone is injured at your rental and you are held liable.
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Download NowRenters insurance can cover items damaged by fire, lightning, smoke damage, vandalism and windstorms. And if your apartment becomes damaged in one of these events and you can’t stay there while it’s being repaired, it will usually cover additional living expenses, as well. It will also cover you against damages caused by others in your building that you can’t control, like if someone starts a fire in another apartment.
Additionally, renters insurance may protect you from issues that arise from water and sewage backup. “Depending on what you’re renting, typically the flood insurance is purchased by the property owner,” said DeSantis. “Renters insurance covers water damage that originated inside the house, like an overflow or a collapsed sewer line.”
Review your policy terms with your agent to see exactly how you are covered.
Where does renters insurance coverage apply?
Renters insurance obviously covers the personal property you keep in your apartment, but it also travels with you, which could come in handy in ways you might not even realize.
If you play golf, for example, and your expensive golf clubs get stolen from your car, your auto insurance wouldn’t cover the theft, but your renters insurance would.
This is also the case for personal liability. “It looks just like liability coverage with a homeowners insurance policy,” DeSantis said. “So if you have $300,000 worth of liability coverage as part of your rental policy, that coverage follows you. If you were to inadvertently injure someone and you were held liable, even if the incident were to occur outside of your apartment or almost anywhere, you would be covered.”
Is there anything renters insurance doesn’t cover?
“Like all property or dwelling insurance, there’s general coverage for your personal property up to a certain limit,” DeSantis said. “That’s something you would have to talk to your agent about … If you have exotic items or anything you might place a lot of value on that you’re not sure about, you should just ask. Whether it’s artwork, firearms or jewelry, most carriers will offer some sort of endorsement that you’ll have to pay an extra premium on to get coverage.”
Learn more about jewelry insurance offered through AAA.
What do I do now?
A great way to get the most out of your renters insurance coverage is by taking inventory of all your personal belongings. This can be as simple as making a home inventory video on your phone. Having this record and updating it as needed can help you keep tabs on exactly what you own and the condition of your items, which can be especially handy when making a claim. To keep track of more expensive items, it is also a good idea to hold onto your receipts by taking photos of them or storing the hard copies in a safe place.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask your insurance agent about any part of your policy.
Learn more about AAA renters insurance.
Do you have renters insurance coverage? Has it ever helped you through a sticky situation? Share your story in the comments section below.
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If I’m covered by a renter’s insurance policy and I purchase additional coverage for my jewelry and other fine items what type of documentation do I need to provide Wellness after curves or a mysterious disappearance recently all of my jewelry was taken there was no obvious signs of a break-in but they’re just gone so obviously someone that was in my house with permission must have stolen them would that be covered and what type of documentation would you need
I am a landlord and it happens that tenants usually do damage to my property : either while they are living there or when they move out. Is there any kind of insurance that I can compel them to purchase before they move in that will cover the appliances and structure of the apartment.
I want to be able to make a claim against their policy rather than my own dwelling and fire policy.
Any ideas?
Thank You
Hi – In response to your question, Ray Eng, VP of insurance sales for AAA Northeast, says “It’s not uncommon to require tenants to carry a “renters policy” as a condition within their rental agreement. This would provide some level of coverage to the landlord assuming the damage was the result of a coverage loss. My suggestion would be to consult an agent to understand what should be required and what the premium range might be so it can be communicated to any potential tenants.”
You can get in touch with a AAA Insurance agent by visiting AAA.com/Insurance. Thank you for reading! -MP
Also’
take current pictures of all
& email it & store it in another location
Please get in touch with me. Need Renters insurance quote.
Hi Michael, please reach out to a AAA Insurance agent by clicking here to get a quote. Thanks for reading! -MP
In the last 5+years, there are many large ins. companies that would “sell” a renter ins. policy: their coverage/prices for the “same” location varied greatly; must also know your building’s site location and ALL its safety/protection installations BEFORE signing up; ask for discounts if you have other ins. w/ the same ins. company.
I pay 1800.00 dollars a year for car insurance, for one car. Why is it so much ? My wife and I are senior citizens is that why. It just not fair !!!
Hi Sam, one of our experienced AAA Insurance agents would be happy to help you. You can get in touch with them by visiting AAA.com/Insurance. Thanks for reading! -MP
Hello, my name is Robyn Greene. My actual AAA membership has expired but I have auto collision and renters active. I wo5 like to also include partn8 on my renters insurance policy. How much more would that be and I need to know if I need to keep my basic AAA membership active? Are there different degree or grades of renters insurance? Thank you. Robyn Greene. robyngreene15723@gmail.com/469-577-7132
Hi Robyn, I’ve forwarded your message onto an insurance specialist. Someone should be reaching out soon to help with your questions. Thanks you!
How much does renters insurance cost? Please send me the rates. Thank you , Kathy
Hi Kathy, please reach out to a AAA Insurance agent by clicking here to get a quote. Thanks for reading! -MP
I moved into my condo about 20 years ago. My son owns it and I rent from him. I have consistently had a crack in the ceiling which houses radiant heating. At least on three occasions I have had a painter “tape” and “repair the long crack at the seam, but shortly thereafter it reappears. It may be about 3 feet long and a sheet rock problem. I believe this is a structural problem and is this something that either rental or home owners’ insurance would cover. I understand it can cost several hundred dollars to repair and only the ceiling looks fine as a whole, that crack is unsightly.
Hi Joanne- We sent this along to Ray Eng, VP of insurance sales for AAA Northeast, for his advice: “This is a difficult one to comment on as it’s unclear as to what the cause of the damage truly is. The fact that it’s continues to crack leads one to believe that there’s something more going on than meets the eye. It’s best to get someone in there to first figure out what’s causing the crack to reappear.”
If you have any other insurance questions, please reach out by visiting AAA.com/Insurance. Thank you for reading! -MP