What is an attractive nuisance on renters insurance?
We spoke with Kassidy, a Katy, TX renters insurance policyholder and she wanted to know:
What is an attractive nuisance on renters insurance? It’s a term I’ve heard, but I’m not really familiar with it.
Thanks for the great question, Kassidy! We’ll dig into what an attractive nuisance on renters insurance is and how it could impact you.
What Is An Attractive Nuisance On Renters Insurance?
Although many people have heard the term “attractive nuisance,” they don’t know what it is or how it applies to their renters insurance policy. Even seasoned insurance professionals can sometimes get this term wrong. Quite simply, an attractive nuisance is a condition that attracts mischief or risk–a trouble magnet. Anything that increases risk or is likely to attract risk would qualify as an attractive nuisance. But what does this mean to you if you have Texas renters insurance or even nationwide renters insurance?
What is an attractive nuisance on renters insurance?
How Does An Attractive Nuisance Affect My Renters Insurance?
You might think that an attractive nuisance is likely to either be 1. outside or 2. your landlord’s problem, but that’s not always the case. Let’s say you rent a small house and put a trampoline in the backyard. What do you think will happen if you go out for the evening and the neighborhood kids decide to use your trampoline?
If they get injured, this will create claims for your liability insurance. One reason trampolines are considered to be an attractive nuisance is that they are incredibly difficult to protect from unauthorized use. Pools can also be considered an attractive nuisance, particularly pools that aren’t fenced in, or in some way protected. At the end of the day, an attractive nuisance can make it hard for people like Kassidy to get renters or homeowners insurance.
What if there’s a vacant apartment in your building that has a direct exit to the outside? You pass the open door on your way out and notice that no one is in there working. If you close the door, you’ve saved yourself quite a bit of trouble. If you ignore it and leave the door open while having knowledge of the hazardous conditions and open access, then not only could you be liable, but so could the landlord or maintenance worker who left the door open.
This is an attractive nuisance that can be avoided if you simply shut the door. The fact that you knew of the condition, had the ability to correct it, and failed to do so are all crucial elements from a claims standpoint. If you hadn’t left the house that day and neither knew nor should have known about the hazardous condition, then it is not your problem. Despite the fact that a simple push could have re-opened the door, if you made an effort to close it then you corrected it to the best of your ability.
Avoiding liability claims on your Texas renters insurance policy due to an attractive nuisance isn’t about taking care of things that aren’t your responsibility. The open door in the above example isn’t your responsibility, but ignoring it and allowing children to be attracted to a dangerous, vacant apartment very well could be. In a nutshell, if it’s a condition that attracts mischief or other risks that you could have corrected or mitigated, then you’re potentially liable for losses caused by the attractive nuisance. Contact Effective Coverage at (800)892-4308 for more information on what is an attractive nuisance on renters insurance, or click above to get an instant, free online renters insurance quote!