Make Sure You and Your Property are Protected
March 31st, 2010 by
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There are many advantages to renting a home or apartment over owning. You can save a lot of time and money on maintenance issues and repairs that the landlord will cover. However, renters are not immune to theft and property damage, so it is very important that you buy renters insurance to protect your belongings. This type of insurance is designed especially for people who rent their home, whether is is a single-family home, condo or apartment. The policy will cover a number of situations where property or personal injury might occur.
Some of the events where losses might occur include weather related incidents such as floods, tornadoes, hail, lightening, earthquakes and snow/ice damage. Man-made incidents are also covered in the instances of fire, flooding due to broken water lines, electrical surges, vandalism, and structural damage. You can select the amount of coverage that is best for you, depending on how much your belongings are worth and how much personal coverage you want. The first step is to inventory your property. Make a list of all your furniture, electronics, jewelry and clothing is important. Next, determine the value of each item. This is critical in helping determine how much your policy should be.
If you have receipts from previous purchases, make sure to keep them with this list in a fire proof box. In the future, keep all your receipts with this list. This will make the process easier if you have to file a claim. The next step when you buy renters insurance is to start comparison shopping. This is easily done online. Many companies offer a handy personal property calculator help you figure out the value of your property. You will want to get the most coverage for the most affordable monthly rate. Get a quote before making a commitment to any policy.
When you buy renters insurance, most policies begin at $15,000 in coverage. There are two different options for getting compensated from losses. The first is called ACV, or actual cash value. This type of policy will pay you for the cost of the item(s) at the time they were purchased. The other option is replacement value, where you are compensated for the current value of the property. The deductible on the replacement value policy is usually higher, but having the ability to replace what you have lost may be worth the extra money. Either way, having the peace of mind that you have insurance is invaluable.
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