Once in a while, when someone is in the process of moving out of their apartment, we’ll get a frantic phone call from the insured. They’ve finally moved all of their stuff out of the apartment, and remembered the damage they did months ago. Perhaps a couch has been covering the damage this whole time. They’re looking for renters insurance to cover move out damages.
If you have Fresno, CA Renters Insurance, there are actually three different answers to this question! Will renters insurance cover move out damages? Read on and find out!
Can Renters Insurance Cover Move Out Damages That I’ve Caused By Living In The Apartments?
Move out damages that you’re charged for can cost you the security deposit and more. You can be charged for any damage you’ve done to the apartment by living in it – even damage you’ve completely forgotten about! These damages are often the result of your negligence, but… You won’t have much luck making renters insurance cover move out damages of this kind!
These damages are due to continuous and repeated exposure to you, the cause of the loss. Renters insurance is designed to cover things that are sudden and accidental. In addition, these damages are often small – extra wear and tear on the carpet, minor nail holes in the wall, cleaning fees, that sort of thing.
Renters insurance just isn’t designed to cover this nickel and dime stuff. It’s intended to cover losses that are so catastrophic you couldn’t pay for them out-of-pocket. In addition, your liability coverage is somewhat limited with regards to damage to rented premises. If smoke, fire, water, or explosion causes the damage, your policy would cover it. But if it’s just normal wear and tear, that’s not something liability is intended to pay for.
Can Renters Insurance Cover Move Out Damages To Common Areas Caused By Me Moving Furniture?
Renters Insurance To Cover Move Out Damages? Is It Possible? Yes, But The Type Of Loss Matters!
Yes! Renters insurance could cover move out damages to common areas if you bump your furniture into something and damage it. This probably won’t rise to the level of a liability claim, it’s more likely to be paid under the small coverage for damage to property of others. However, it could.
Imagine this. You and a friend are moving your heavy couch out through the front doors of your former apartment building. Those doors are glass, and you believe that they are being held open securely. However, one gust of wind is all it takes to make the glass door slam into the leg of your couch and shatter. This type of loss could be paid under your liability coverage if it was above the damage to property of others limit.
In addition, you’d likely have coverage if you were carrying heavy boxes without watching where you were going and either bumped into someone or dropped something and injured another person that way. That’s bodily injury caused by your negligence, and that’s exactly the sort of unfortunate incident that renters insurance liability is designed to cover. That’s not just asking it to cover move out damages, it’s an entirely different scenario.
Don’t forget that your liability offers defense coverage as well. In other words, when the injured person tries to sue you for the injuries your renters insurance can pay to defend you against that claim because the policy would pay for the loss if it were to be proven. This coverage is quite valuable and can save you tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees that would otherwise come out of your own pocket.
Can Renters Insurance Cover Move Out Damages Caused By My Moving Company?
You wouldn’t likely file a claim to have renters insurance cover move out damages caused by your moving company. The reason is that you, an insured, didn’t cause the damage. However, if the movers you hire cause damage to the building you shouldn’t look to your Fresno, CA Renters Insurance for that coverage in the first place.
The movers you hire should, of course, be insured. Keep in mind that just because it says they are on the side of the truck doesn’t necessarily mean much. You should ask to see a certificate of their insurance, preferably one generated just for you. This is not an unreasonable request, and it will take their agency about ten seconds to create the certificate and fax or email it to you.
If the movers can’t provide evidence of their insurance, or if they refuse to or are offended at your request, do not do business with them. There are plenty of moving scams out there, of course, but any legitimate moving company should expect to be asked for proof of their insurance. They are transporting your property, and doing so risks damage to the building and more property that doesn’t belong to either of you.
That certificate of insurance is crucial to see.
Renters insurance covers a wide variety of perils, and can provide valuable liability and defense coverage. It’s easy to get, and more affordable than you think!
The national average price of renters insurance is just $187.00, according to the III. That works out to as little as fifteen dollars per month. The vast majority of families can budget renters insurance easily at those prices.
Additionally, it's important to note that renters are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing loss than homeowners. Renters occupy roughly one third of total housing stock in the country, and yet they are fully fifty percent more likely to experience theft than homeowners, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
It only costs a few dollars a month to protect your family, and this cheap renters insurance is a great way to mitigate the additional risks that come with being a renter.
If you need renters insurance, or if you have questions about renters insurance, just call (800)892-4308 or click to get covered - whether you need Fresno, CA renters insurance quotes online or coverage anywhere else!
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