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Landlord Insurance – Is it different than homeowner’s insurance?

Written by Jack Smith | Mar 18, 2020 1:26:04 PM

As a landlord, you need to know if your insurance policy is tailored to cover your specific needs. Your standard homeowner's policy might not be designed to cover your rental property.

Here's why:

A homeowner's policy does not automatically have coverage for a tenant. The carrier is not expecting a claim involving a tenant and can easily deny the claim, leaving you stuck paying out of pocket. The same is true if a legal issue arises where the tenant is claiming negligence by the landlord. 

Keep in mind all the things that can go wrong involving a tenant. Your policy needs specific coverage for those things. 

Here are some common claims for landlord insurance:

  • Tenant starts a fire, causing damage to the property.
  • Tenant sues landlord on the grounds of “wrongful eviction.”
  • Tenant has a guest on property who gets hurt;  the guest sues.
  • A storm flattens the building and it takes time to rebuild, resulting in a loss of rental income.
  • Tenant vandalizes the property.

This property should be earning you money, not costing you money.

To protect the landlord and the physical structure, landlord insurance (also known as a dwelling fire policy) is a must. Having correct insurance is pivotal in protecting your asset and your financial standing.

Request a review of your current policy here.