Are Pets Covered by Renter's Insurance?

A question we often hear when talking about renter's insurance is, “What type of provisions does a renter's insurance policy include regarding pets?” This is a good question, and the answer applies equally to both renter's and homeowner's insurance.

Renter's Insurance Coverage

Renter's insurance typically provides three types of financial protection. These include:

• Personal Property Protection – covers your rental home's contents and your personal belongings against loss/damage resulting from specific named perils.
• Liability Protection – covers you and your family members living in your rental home from financial loss resulting from liability lawsuits or medical expenses stemming from a visitor to your home becoming injured.
• Additional Living Expenses Protection – if your rental home becomes unlivable as the result of a peril covered in your policy, this benefit will reimburse you for expenses incurred while temporarily being forced to live outside of your residence, within stated policy limits.

Pets Are Not Considered Personal Property

Of the three protections listed above, the only one that applies as a form of pet insurance is the second, liability protection. Personal property protection doesn't apply because insurance companies don't consider pets as personal property. Dedicated pet insurance is available from various insurance companies for financial protection should your pet become ill or injured, just as your medical insurance covers you in the event that you become ill or injured. Renter's insurance, however, is not applicable regarding your pet's illness or injury.

How Liability Factors In

The liability coverage contained in your renter's insurance policy could be looked at as a type of pet insurance in that it provides you with financial protection should your pet either cause damage to your rental home or inflict an injury to a third person, whether inside or outside of your actual residence.

The liability coverage in your renter's insurance won't cover all pet-related damage nor will it apply to all pets. Some breeds of dog, for example, may be excluded by your insurer. Typically, this includes breeds known to be aggressive. The most common pet-related liability claims made against renter's insurance policies are dog bites. Certain exotic pets such as monkeys or reptiles may also be excluded.

Damage caused by your pet to your rental home will likely be covered, however, this doesn't extend to damage to your own personal property. If your dog gets loose and tears up your neighbor's garden, this would likely be covered.