It’s a simple fact: thing happen that we can’t control. Your Houston apartment could be in the best part of town and you could fall victim to a break-in, a flood or damage from a hurricane. And you might think your landlord is responsible for paying for your loss or damage – but they’re not.
Your landlord carries insurance on all of their buildings – but it covers the buildings and not your wide screen TV that just got damaged from a flood or fire. That’s why you need renters insurance.
As a Houston apartment finder, we get asked this question a lot. We tell our clients to think about their apartment as a box: the box itself is the responsibility of the landlord. Everything you put in the box is your responsibility. Your clothes, bicycle, jewelry, electronics, furniture and more – that’s what renters insurance will help you replace if the unthinkable happens.
And renters insurance isn’t expensive, either! For $10-$20 per month, you can have a policy that will cover all of your belongings. The easiest way to find a policy is to do a web search for “renters insurance Houston” and you’ll discover a list of providers to explore. Here are some handy tips to use as you shop for a policy:
Cash value vs. replacement cost – There are two types of renters insurance policies: make sure your agent explains exactly what each one covers and you understand what you’re buying.
Photo inventory and receipts – At the beginning of your policy period, grab your camera and take pictures of everything. Pull receipts for major items like computers and electronics. Keep these in a safe place (and NOT in your apartment). This will help with replacement should the need arise.
Understand what you need. If you don’t have belongings worth $30,000, you don’t need that much coverage. Many insurance companies have worksheets that will help you determine the proper amount of coverage.
