Kalynn has today’s question, and it’s one that comes up often. Kalynn has Texas renters insurance and is concerned about whether some members of her small family are covered under the policy. She writes,
While I don’t have any roommates, I do have two cats that I love dearly. I’ve had them since I was in high school, and I worry more about them than I do about my stuff. Are they covered under my Texas renters insurance policy?
Are Pets Covered Under Renters Insurance?
Kalynn, who has Texas renters insurance, brings us today’s question. She wants to know, are pets covered under renters insurance? Does renters insurance cover pet injury? Co-starring Muffin and Buttercup because the internet is currently experiencing a cat shortage….
Are Pets Covered Under Renters Insurance?
Great question, Kalynn! Pet insurance exists on its own as a freestanding product. Are pets covered under renters insurance? No, in the sense that they are not personal property. If a peril such as illness or injury befalls your fluffy four-legged friend, you’d need to seek recourse through an appropriate pet insurance policy. That exclusion is pretty standard throughout the industry. Even if we ignore the question of are pets personal property (no), we then run into a covered peril issue. Your renters insurance policy covers certain named perils such as fire, smoke, and certain kinds of water damage. Illness or accidental injury to a pet is not among those covered perils.
Are Pets Covered Under Renters Insurance?
On the other hand, are pets covered under renters insurance liability? Generally yes. It is possible for a policy to exclude certain types of dogs that were not disclosed by the insured as they should have been at the inception of the policy. Generally speaking, though, if your pet incurs liability such as by biting someone, renters insurance liability coverage can respond to that. If you negligently allow your pet to damage your apartment, that could be covered under liability as well, as long as you took steps to mitigate it as soon as you knew or should have known. So the short answer to are pets covered under renters insurance is “not as personal property, not for injury or illness, but potentially for liability.”