Can I Get Renters Insurance For Damage My Kids Do? Img ©
Can I get renters insurance for damage my kids do? I don’t expect them to intentionally do anything, of course, but kids don’t always have the best judgment, and that worries me because people sue over absolutely anything these days. That’s why I want to know if renters insurance will cover damage that my children do to property of other people.
You’re in luck, actually! We have your answer, and it’s probably exactly the one you’re looking for!
Can I Get Renters Insurance For Damage My Kids Do?
Yep, they’re covered. It’s as simple as that!
Well, actually, little about insurance coverage questions is simple, but the short answer is that yes, damage your kids do can be covered by your renters insurance. That’s because they’re considered to be a named insured under the policy. Named insured generally includes you, your spouse who lives with you, and relatives who live with you. Kids are definitely relatives, and many policies even include language specific to other situations, like foster children. Read your policy carefully to determine coverage if your situation is other than children and/or stepchildren, though.
Let’s face it, kids do many things that they either shouldn’t do or that they should be more careful about. Playing baseball in a field with no thought to how far away the nearest window might be is the most common example, but even something like running through the mall has the potential to cause injury.
Damage done by your children can be covered by your renters insurance policy, and it’s a good thing because many older kids are negligent, and may not even realize it. Teenagers having a foam dart gun fight would be a perfect example. It’s probably negligent, because of the risk of eye injury, but they may not think that far ahead. The dart gun fight is intentional, but if an injury arose the injury wouldn’t be an intentional act because it wasn’t the expected or intended result, so coverage could apply.
Is Intentional Damage My Kids Do Covered By Renters Insurance?
That depends on how you’re defining “kids”. Children under the age of 13 are generally presumed not to understand the expected or intended results of their actions. With that in mind, the standard doesn’t generally apply to them so they can get a pass and have coverage even for something they did intentionally.
Kids get into fights sometimes, for example. Usually those end in no more than everyone getting a bit dirty, but if your seven year old gets in a fight with someone over a perceived slight and causes them actual bodily injury, there may be coverage available even though the expected or intended result was to hurt the other kid. “Hurt” is a nebulous concept to children, and they may not understand the difference between “forcibly encourage the bully to go away” and “trip the bully so he fractures his tibia.”
Once they hit 13, they’re generally understood to be able to calculate what results their actions will have, and so the intentional acts exclusion is likely to apply to them. This can be a grey area in certain circumstances, so consult your policy.
Are There Other Types Of Renters Insurance Coverage That Apply To Kids?
Absolutely! Renters insurance isn’t just coverage for “damage my kids do to other people,” there are also many other types of coverage
Personal property coverage applies to your children. If there’s a fire, their clothes, furniture, and other possessions would be replaced. As minors, the check would of course be made out to the named insured, you, but that’s neither here nor there. The coverage applies to them. In addition, if someone steals their Macbook at school, you could have coverage there, as well. School is not a “business pursuit,” so taking the laptop to school doesn’t cause problems the way you using it for work might.
Damage to property of others is another Cary, NC Renters Insurance coverage that’s useful for kids. It’s a small coverage, usually around $500, that’s doesn’t revolve around fault. It’s a good faith payment as much as anything, really. If your child is looking at a friend’s new tablet and accidentally drops it, that coverage could come into play. It’s a catch-all for things where there may or may not be fault, but the issue is so minor that it’s more practical to make a good faith payment to put the issue to bed.
There are other types of coverage that could apply to your kids, as well.
There’s More To Renters Insurance Than Meets The Eye!
Why do people not know much about their renters insurance policies? Mostly because very few people read them cover to cover. Even if you’ve read the entire policy, there are many nuances and words that have very specific meanings in insurance. That’s why if you need coverage, or if you have questions about your coverage, it’s best to call the insurance experts for renters at Effective Coverage to get clarification of what you’ve read.
If you just need coverage, of course, you don’t have to call. With the most advanced technology platform in the insurance industry, Effective Coverage has made it possible to quote and buy renters insurance in just sixty seconds online. While the insurance industry as a whole is often resistant to change, Effective Coverage works to bring change that favors you as an insured. You can even quote directly from your cell phone if you like. Buying insurance from a mobile device is unheard of, but Effective Coverage has made it possible.
If you have questions, need coverage, or wonder about renters insurance coverage for damage done by your kids, you can easily get the answers you need. Just call an Effective Coverage expert at (800)892-4308 or click to get covered - whether you need Cary, NC renters insurance quotes online or coverage anywhere else!
Effective Coverage offers the nation's only completely mobile platform to quote and purchase renters insurance right from your phone or tablet in just one minute. Get an online renters insurance quote today and protect your family.
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