Renters insurance covers various items, including:
Furniture
Clothing
Electronics
Appliances
Jewelry and more…
The owner of the property you are
renting may have insurance, but that policy will only cover the
property, not your personal belongings. Some landlords will require a
tenant to have proof of renters insurance before moving in, or
immediately following the signing of the lease. When you purchase
renters insurance, there are typically two types of insurance to choose
from:
Replacement Cost
Cash Value
If you choose replacement cost
insurance, you are purchasing a policy that will replace the items that
were stolen from your home, ruined in a fire or flood, or any other
covered incident. Your items will lose value over the years, but that
does matter with replacement cost insurance. An insurance company will
replace your items at the current market value. Your other option is a
cash value policy. This option is less expensive than replacement cost
insurance, but the items that are listed in your claim will be paid
out according to how much they have depreciated over the years. As an
example if you replace your television, you will be given an amount
that is not nearly enough to buy the same size or brand television in
today’s market.
When most people think about renters
insurance, they only think about replacing their personal property,
but it is much more than replacement alone. If your home has water
damage, or if a fire burns the property down, where will you stay
while the damage is being repaired’ Sure you could ask close family
and friends to let you stay with them while you are waiting for your
home to be fixed or rebuilt, but you want your own privacy, especially
if you have children. With renters insurance, you could receive
funding to stay at a hotel until your home is ready. This allows you
to live in privacy, instead of feeling like a burden with your family
or friends.
Liability Coverage
There are many benefits to renters
insurance. Sometimes you are responsible for incidents that happen on
your property, and those incidents can result in a lawsuit. Your
renter’s policy can give you legal aid for the issues. You may have a
pet that attacks a neighbor, and that neighbor decides to take you to
civil court. You also need to think about accidents. What if someone
comes over to your home and they slip in your kitchen’ You may be
liable for their injury. If you have renters insurance, your policy
will pay for the injured person’s medical expenses. Some injuries may
be the responsibility of your landlord, but other issues such as a
slippery floor are generally your responsibility. These benefits could
save you some money, and possibly save your friendships.
You never know when an accident will
occur, or when someone will break into your home and steal your
belongings, but if you have the right type of insurance, you can
breathe a sigh of relief. Of course some personal property cannot be
replaced, such as family portraits and mementos, but you can rest
knowing your television, computer, clothing, jewelry and other items
can be replaced if you fall victim to an unplanned disaster.
Premiums
The price of renters insurance will
vary, depending on the insurance company you use, and the policy you
choose. Some Fort Collins renters insurance policies can cost as little as $10 a month,
while others can be over $40 a month. In 2012 the national average was
approximately $15 per month! The more money you pay for your
insurance policy, the higher your property and liability coverage
amount will be.
Choosing a Policy
When you choose a renters insurance policy, you need to make sure
you find the best option for you. Do not choose a policy based on
monthly or annual payments, because you could end up spending more
money in the long-run. For instance, you may find a policy that is
cheaper than that offered by another insurance company, but the
deductible is higher. Before an insurance company will pay out any
money to help with your loss, they will require you to pay the
deductible. Before you choose a policy, ask the insurer how much the
deductible is, and make sure you will be able to pay that deductible
should you need to file a claim.