If you live in a northern part of the country cold winters are part of life, and sometimes winter gets in the way of life. It’s not just the concern of being snowed in, of course. You also have to worry about damage. Did you know that Billings, MT Renters Insurance can protect you from freezing pipes? When you look at the entire list of renters insurance named perils, you’ll see that the coverage protects you from a broad array of risks – it’s not just fire or theft.
How Does Renters Insurance Protect Me From Freezing?
Well… Renters insurance doesn’t protect you from freezing, per se. That’s what coats, gloves, and boots are for. But your policy will protect you from damage caused by things which become frozen and shouldn’t be!
How Does Renters Insurance Protect Me From Freezing? Painful Perils Explained Easily
If a plumbing, heating, air conditioning, or fire sprinkler system becomes frozen and there’s damage to your property as a result, you have coverage. Just like other perils having to do with pipes and plumbing or heating systems, this is contingent on water escaping the system because it’s frozen. Damage to the pipes isn’t covered under your policy because you don’t own them. That would be the landlord’s responsibility.
If you do encounter frozen pipes, please be safe when thawing them. Don’t use a torch to thaw pipes. Plumbing torches cause fires. Besides, that’s the sort of thing that you call your landlord to fix.
In order to have coverage for freezing of pipes or other systems you have some responsibilities. You need to maintain heat in the building or shut off the water supply and drain the plumbing. If you’re living there, chances are strong that you’re maintaining heat in the building. Otherwise, you’re freezing.
What About Liability For Freezing?
What if you made every effort to maintain heat in the building, but your negligence caused the freezing? We’ve seen a claim that exemplifies this.
Billings, MT, December 2012
Audrey, our insured, was in a hurry. Finals at MSU had just ended, and she was ready to drive the few hours home for Christmas break. She had scored a great apartment, the upstairs unit in a building with only one other apartment. The student downstairs had left the day before, so the building would be vacant for a few weeks when she left. Audrey checked the thermostat and locked the door before leaving, but she forgot one thing.
A week later, after settling back in at home, Audrey sat bolt upright in bed in the middle of the night. The bathroom in her apartment didn’t have a vent fan, so she opened a window for a few minutes after taking a shower. She didn’t want mold in the bathroom, after all. What sudden realization filled Audrey with such dread? She hadn’t closed that window before leaving for three weeks.
When she called her landlord, he told her that it looked bad, water and ice everywhere in both apartments, but… That she should call her renters insurance because leaving the window open in December in Montana sure seemed negligent to him.
Her landlord was right. Audrey wasn’t on the hook for the significant damages to the building. Her Billings, MT Renters Insurance had sent out a claims adjuster before she even got back into town. The loss ended up settling for just under her $100,000 policy limit. Some minor legal wrangling was involved, and the insurance company paid for her lawyer, too. What could have been a life-altering event ended up causing no real long-term impact to her, the other tenant, or the landlord.
How Can I Get Proof Of Renters Insurance Quickly?
That claim is a perfect example of why everyone needs renters insurance. No one expects freezing pipes. No one expects a fire. And so on. For about fifteen dollars a month, you get broad coverage against many common risks. Renters insurance isn’t optional – it’s the only responsible way to live.
Having a policy empowers you to continue living life the way you want to, even when your negligence causes a loss. Without coverage, the six figures of debt from a single claim can follow you, your salary, and your assets for the rest of your life. You’d be beholden to what the holder of that judgement thought was a reasonable amount of discretionary income.
You can get instant proof of coverage by calling Effective Coverage and working with our insurance experts. Just call (800)892-4308 or click to get covered - whether you need Billings, MT renters insurance quotes online or coverage anywhere else!
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