If you’re considering living in an apartment or currently reside in one, it’s important to make sure you have renter’s insurance. Renter’s insurance is an often-overlooked risk management tool for an overall financial plan, but it’s critical for protecting your assets and liability.
Renter’s insurance covers your personal property in your apartment. This includes clothes, furniture, electronics – pretty much all your stuff. It also provides liability coverage. This means that if you’re liable for damages to the apartment complex, someone’s injured in your apartment, or you’re liable for other damages, the liability coverage provides an amount to help pay for these damages. In other words, if you’re found liable or negligent it doesn’t come out of your pocket. The renter’s insurance pay for it.
A typical renter’s insurance policy can provide $15,000 of protection for your personal property (you can get more if needed) and $100,000 for liability coverage. However, consider $300,000 of liability coverage or higher, just to be safe. You may also consider an umbrella policy to provide liability coverage above and beyond your renter’s policy (for catastrophic losses).
The cost for renter’s insurance is relatively cheap. You can expect to pay about $150-$200 in annual premiums. This could differ depending on your location, personal property, etc. Bundling your renter’s policy with your auto insurance with the same company may also save you money with a multi-policy discount.
So, if you’re a recent graduate just starting out or currently renting an apartment, consider getting a renter’s insurance policy or reviewing your current policy for updates. For a small amount of money per year it will provide thousands of dollars in coverage.
Sterling Raskie, MSFS, CFP®, ChFC®
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