As you move outwards from the city of Chicago insurance quickly becomes much less expensive. For instance, at just thirty-five miles north of Chicago, you’ll find that Elgin Renters Insurance costs far less than in the city. Many people know that renters insurance covers fire. People know it covers liability, because that’s the coverage landlords often require. However, most renters don’t fully understand the long list of perils that are covered.
Studies show that sixty-eight percent of those with renters insurance have never read their entire policy. Forty-two percent of people with insurance don’t even read their declarations page. At Effective Coverage we know that understanding your policy is crucial to understanding whether you have the appropriate coverage. Most people know that theft is a covered peril, but aren’t familiar with the specifics. That coverage is more broad than you probably think!
What Is The Renters Insurance Peril Of Theft? How Does Renters Insurance Protect Me?
Theft is when someone else takes property that does not belong to them. The peril includes attempted theft, as well. Policies generally include replacement cost coverage. That means you’ll get the amount of money you’ll need to replace what was stolen. Attempted theft is covered if there’s damage to the property during the attempt. If part of a pair or set is stolen, the company has the option of replacing that part of replacing the entire set and taking the part that was left behind. The idea of insurance is to make you whole, not give you more than what you had before.
A sublimit applies to theft of certain classes of property, such as jewelry. This can be as low as $1,000. However, if you have jewelry that needs to be covered, you can add an endorsement for it or put it on a separate policy called a floater. This allows you to properly cover the jewelry, usually on an open perils basis rather than named perils. You can learn more in our renters insurance Jewelry Coverage Guide.

How Does Renters Insurance Protect Me From Theft? Painful Perils Explained Easily
Your policy covers you for theft of personal property from your residence premises, as well as anywhere else. Since the peril of theft is open to the possibility of fraud and to additional risk, there are some limitations on the coverage, however. Obviously, a loss caused by any insured is not covered. You can’t steal your own property and make a claim, and you can’t make a claim if your spouse or another insured steals something – even if they pawn the item.
Theft from a dwelling under construction is not covered. Once the dwelling is finished or occupied, the coverage applies. The logic behind this limitation is that buildings under construction are, by definition, vacant. Coverage would apply if renovations were being made to your apartment building, as long as you still occupy your apartment.
If you rent out or sublet part of your apartment to someone else, theft from that part of the apartment isn’t covered. This is one reason that, when you move in with a partner, you can both be named insureds on the policy. Roommates should generally each have their own policies, for purposes of theft coverage and because additional coverage is provided that way.
Away from the residence premises, theft of watercraft, their equipment, trailers, campers, and the like is not covered. These types of property often have their own insurance coverage.
Theft is a complex coverage. The policy language has evolved over time to catch up with new types of property and new types of fraud that people often commit. The coverage is still broad, and legitimate theft claims are easily and quickly paid by your Elgin Renters Insurance.
How Can I Be Sure I’m Covered?
Theft is a coverage that requires you to keep records of some sort. The best way to do this is with a home inventory. In addition, you can substantiate your property with receipts, credit card statements, bank statements, or pictures. The adjuster wants to pay your claim, it’s just a question of having some proof that the stolen item was owned in the first place. Your policy details the coverage itself, and your declarations page tells you how much coverage you have.
One of the most common causes of theft is letting people into your home who you don’t know well. This might be a party, or it might be someone you just started dating. Use common sense when letting people into your home. Make sure your doors and windows are locked when you’re not around. Preventing most theft is easy, because it’s often a crime of opportunity. If it does happen, you have renters insurance to protect you and to replace the property.
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