If you are property owner and rent your home, an apartment or condo to individuals, then you need to cover yourself from possible financial losses that are caused by either intentional damage or any natural disasters that are under the normal purview of insurance. Purchasing landlord insurance can mean the difference between a hollowed out bank account or financial stability should you be required to compensate for a myriad of different situations that you might face in repairing or replacing your property due to loss.
Depending on the coverage details of the selected policy, insurance coverage that is designed for landlords provides several different benefits. The property damage coverage is what compensates for the expense of repairs on the landlord’s property resulting from fire, flooding, tenant-caused damage, or vandalism and theft. If the insurance company determines that your property has sustained a level of damage that renders the property uninhabitable and is a total loss, this coverage will help to pay for the rebuilding of the property.
Another major benefit of this kind of insurance is liability coverage. This is what protects the landlord from any frivolous lawsuits or claims of liability that are brought on by tenants and visitors to the landlord’s property. Should a person trespass on your rental property, they could still file a lawsuit for any alleged damages, real or otherwise. This is why having Landlord Insurance coverage can be such a financial life-saver as it will help to dramatically lower the landlord’s financial responsibility should he or she be sued. The policy can cover such things as legal fees and court costs, any medical payments, funeral costs, and any resulting judgments or settlements. This coverage could be a big help if, by your negligence, a tenant is injured or there is damage to their personal property and he or she follows up with a lawsuit.
This kind of coverage can protect landlords should they lose income (rental reimbursement). If an apartment, for example, were to be damaged to the point of being uninhabitable, this coverage provides compensation to the landlord to replace income lost from the ensuing lack of income. Optional coverage that can be a significant benefit are riders that can cover the guarantee of continued rent income, recovery from natural disasters, coverage for the landlord’s personal contents and employer liability protection.
All it takes is one slip and fall by a tenant on a unit’s entry, a fire that burnt down the stairs, or a unauthorized party that results in the vandalism of the property common area to be a financially devastating hassle for any landlord. Investing in landlord insurance protects your interests and keeps your mind at peace when running the business of being a landlord.