Dos and Don’ts of Renter's Insurance

Davis is a very quiet town. You’ll find apartment life friendly, relaxing, almost sleepy. You will be an excellent tenant, and probably never need renter’s insurance. But can you rely on your neighbors to protect your belongings as carefully as you do? Twice, through no fault of our own, we’ve nearly become fire victims because of neighbors who were careless with their barbeques. It’s pretty scary to see and hear sirens from the Davis Fire Department and know that they’re coming to your address.

Should the worst happen, you’ll want to make sure you’re fully covered by a comprehensive renter’s insurance policy.

Renters experience apartment theft 50 percent more than homeowners, yet nearly 70 percent of renters live without renters insurance, according to an Apartments.com national survey.

Apartments and home rentals are a great option for residents not ready to make the leap toward home ownership, but taking the appropriate steps to protect their belongings is just as important for renters as signing their lease. That’s why Columbus, Ohio-based Grange Insurance stresses the importance of renters insurance and why every renting tenant should be covered by an insurance policy.

“Although many landlords require renters insurance coverage from their tenants, there are some that make it optional,” says John Ammendola, president of personal lines for Grange.  “Because of the high percentage of burglaries and the risk of damage due to other tenants’ actions, having renters insurance is a great safety net for tenants.”

Renters insurance typically covers furniture, appliances, televisions and clothing — all of which are identified as a person’s personal property inside the rental unit. If the items inside the unit are damaged due to fire, smoke or water damage, they’re covered under the renters insurance policy.

For more information about the kind of renter’s insurance policy you should get on your Davis apartment, finish reading the above article at american-apartment-owners-association.org.