Is Renter's Insurance Mandatory?
When you purchase a house and have a mortgage on it, you probably know that having homeowner's insurance is mandatory by your lender. If you decide to rent a house or apartment, is renter's insurance mandatory, too? This question is one that many tenants have when renting units, and here is some information to help you determine if this insurance product is required when renting.
What Does the Lease Say?
The first thing you must know about renter's insurance is that the landlord has rights. Landlords create their leases, which contain the guidelines and rules all tenants must follow when renting their units. While the rules must abide by the law, they vary from landlord to landlord. Landlords can require that all tenants have renter's insurance while renting units from them. Therefore, you must read through the lease to determine if renter's insurance is mandatory when renting an apartment or home. You can also ask the landlord to explain the rules relating to this issue if you have any questions.
Do You Want Protection?
The second thing to know is that you will have no protection for your personal belongings if you do not purchase renter's insurance. The landlord you rent from will have insurance on the dwelling you rent. This insurance covers the house or apartment structure, but it does not protect the things you store in the rental property. If you want to protect your things, you can only get it by purchasing renter's insurance. There is no other way to protect your assets when renting. Many renters choose to buy renter's insurance for their rental properties even when their landlords do not require it, and they do this for protection.
Are You Willing to Pay a Small Price?
The final question to ask is if you are willing to pay a small price for coverage of your things. Renter's insurance is not an expensive product to purchase, and it is much less than the cost of homeowner's insurance. On average, people pay around $187 a year for renter's insurance coverage. This averages out to around $15 a month. Are you willing to pay around $15 a month to have peace of mind knowing you have protection? If so, you should consider buying renter's insurance, whether it is required or not.
You can learn more about how renter's insurance works or the costs for getting it by contacting an insurance agency like Woodmansee Insurance Inc.