As a new resident of Sonoma County, CA, you have quite a bit to think about and get accomplished in the process of moving. One of those things should be Sonoma County renters insurance. We’ve compiled some of the most common questions about renters insurance in Sonoma County to set straight a few common misconceptions.
Can My Landlord Require Renters Insurance In Sonoma County, CA?
We get this question literally on a daily basis. Your landlord can and may require California Renters Insurance. It’s a common requirement, and it just makes good sense to have the coverage anyway. Remember that your landlord may write any terms he wants into your lease with very few exceptions. It’s a binding contract that you signed after having read and reviewed.
(800)892-4308 – Online California Renters Insurance Quotes
Is Renters Insurance Worth It In Sonoma County?
Renters insurance is always worth it. California renters insurance can save you from all manner of ills that might befall you, as well as protecting you from liability. This is not just California renters legal liability. Rather, it is a full renters policy including coverage for your personal property as well. That’s an important distinction. Some landlords in California requiring renters insurance have been known to offer products that don’t actually provide any coverage for contents. What they offer is just liability protection. Make sure you understand what your policy does and does not cover!
Why Did My Renters Insurance In California Renew Without Asking Me?
Sonoma County renters insurance policies and nationwide renters insurance automatically presume renewal. The carrier does not need your permission to offer a renewal and bill you for it. People are inherently forgetful, and if renters insurance policies did not presume renewal, very bad things would happen.
How Do I Add My Landlord As An Additional Insured On My Sonoma County Renters Insurance?
Generally speaking, you don’t. Since you generally do not incur liability which would extend to your landlord, there is no reason for property management to be an additional insured on an HO-4 in Sonoma County. Additional interest, which is an endorsement for notification of policy status and changes only but confers no coverage, is the proper way to list your landlord on your renters insurance.
Why wouldn’t you want to add your landlord as additional insured? Picture this: You have an apartment fire, like the recent one in Santa Rosa. The cause is electrical but fault is difficult to determine. Did you overload the circuit, or was the landlord negligent in construction or maintenance of the electrical system in the property? Your neighbor is hospitalized for smoke inhalation as a result of the apartment electrical fire.
Thankfully, you have Sonoma County renters insurance to protect you from liability towards third parties. So the neighbor that was hospitalized as a result of that electrical fire is covered under your liability policy.
But wait, you damaged the building as well. Now the landlord is seeking the cost of the damages from you. Unfortunately, because he’s an additional insured, he’s a first party to the policy. Liability covers damages done to third parties only, namely anyone not listed on the policy. Since your landlord is now on the policy as an additional insured party, liability coverage wouldn’t respond to damages done to him. By making your landlord an additional insured, you’ve just destroyed all utility of the policy for your landlord.
The Sonoma County renters insurance experts understand the difference between naming a landlord as additional interest and naming a landlord as additional insured, as well as the significant risk that you undertake and the rights you give up by naming a landlord as additional insured. Effective Coverage provides Sonoma County renters insurance and California Renters Insurance with expert local underwriting and a full understanding of your insurance needs as a renter.
(800)892-4308 – Online California Renters Insurance Quotes
Effective Coverage, the premier provider of Sonoma County renters insurance, Sebastopol renters insurance, Cloverdale renters insurance, Petaluma renters insurance, California Renters Insurance, and nationwide renters insurance, understands the needs of renters. Renters insurance in Sonoma County has to cover an entirely different set of very diverse risks than California homeowners insurance would. Trust the experts. Call Effective Coverage today at (800) 892-4308 or click above for a free, instant online California renters insurance quote!