What does renters insurance cover in New Jersey?
NJ renters insurance covers three main things: Personal property. Personal liability. Temporary living expenses.
Renters insurance can protect your property against several damages (or 'perils' in insurance speak), including theft, smoke, falling objects, and water damage from things like a pipe bursting in your Hoboken apartment. Here's what's included under your standard policy in Jersey: Fire or lightning. Windstorm or hail.
What does renters insurance cover? Renters insurance covers personal property, personal liability, medical payments and additional living expenses or loss of use, up to the limits of your policy. Learn more about what renters insurance covers and the types of renters insurance coverages.
Flooding, earthquakes and sinkholes are all examples of natural disasters that are not covered by a typical renters insurance policy. All three of these events can easily damage your personal property, so you should buy additional coverage if you think you're at risk.
- Lemonade: Our top pick.
- Toggle: Our pick for custom pricing.
- Liberty Mutual: Our pick for discounts.
- Allstate: Our pick for seniors.
- State Farm: Our pick for affordable premiums.
- USAA: Our pick for military members.
Renters insurance does not cover property damage for all risks. Renters insurance will rarely — or never — cover damage to your personal property for some specific perils, such as earthquakes, riots and pests. Most renters insurance policies will not cover damage costs associated with bed bugs, with limited exceptions.
In New Jersey, renters insurance isn't required by law, but many landlords may require it before you can move in.
Renters insurance has three basic coverage components: personal possessions, liability, and additional living expenses.
Renters insurance will not cover a broken window in your own residence, but the personal liability coverage in your policy will cover damage to someone else's window if it's determined you're the liable party.
Renters insurance may cover your personal property if you move by yourself, but it won't cover anything that's damaged while in the care of professional movers. While it's highly recommended to have renters insurance with comprehensive coverage, even that may not cover belongings a policyholder moves on their own.
What are 2 reasons people typically do not get renters insurance?
Many renters don't purchase renter's insurance, either because they don't think it is necessary or believe they are covered under the landlord's policy. The cost of renter's insurance is relatively low.
Personal property coverage is what most people think of when they're buying renters insurance. It covers all that stuff you've been accumulating over the years—everything from your furniture, clothes, jewelry, pots and pans, electronics, bicycle and even the little decorative items you keep on your shelves.
- Your phone's stolen at a music festival. ...
- Your laptop's swiped while traveling. ...
- Your bike's stolen (even though you locked it) ...
- Your neighbors leave their faucet on, and it floods your apartment. ...
- Your plumbing leaks, damaging your stuff.
Company | Average annual cost for $15,000 in personal property coverage | Average annual cost for $30,000 in personal property coverage |
---|---|---|
USAA* | $163 | $198 |
Foremost | $221 | $292 |
Tower Group | $225 | $285 |
State average | $135 | $179 |
Cheap Renters Insurance Companies in New Jersey
Lemonade is the cheapest provider in the state, with an average rate of $69 a year. USAA follows it in second place, but this company only serves veterans, current military members and their families. In third place is MetLife, with average costs of $110 per year.
The typical renters insurance policy offers $100,000 in liability coverage. For renters, this amount is often sufficient. However, if you entertain company frequently at your home or if your assets exceed your limit, you should consider a coverage amount equal to at least the total value of your assets.
Renters insurance can cover all sorts of electronics, including video game consoles, TVs, and computers. That means that your policy may help pay to repair or replace your tech in certain situations, like if they're stolen or damaged by a fire. In insurance speak, these scenarios are referred to as covered perils.
Renters insurance can cover the food in your fridge
But before you start to make a new shopping list (and ideally after you've cleaned up the evidence), check in with your insurance agent: Food spoiled because of a power outage or failed appliance should be covered as personal property.
This would provide coverage if you accidentally put a hole in the wall moving furniture. However, intentional damage is likely excluded. So if you get mad and punch a hole in the wall, your renters insurance isn't going to help and neither is your landlord's policy.
The law mandates that landlords obtain condo or apartment buildings insurance coverage of at least $500,000, to cover any death or physical injuries that may take place on their property. If your rental property is a small, multi-family home, then you are required to have a minimum of $300,000 in liability coverage.
Is Lemonade insurance Trustworthy?
While Lemonade does not have a financial strength rating from credit agency AM Best, it received a financial stability rating of A (Exceptional) from financial analysis firm Demotech.
Whether you're new to New Jersey or you've lived in the Garden State for a while and are just shopping around for the best car insurance rate, you'll be glad you checked with GEICO. We've got many ways to help you save money and lots of useful information for New Jersey drivers just like you.
Renters insurance protects your personal property in a rented apartment, condo or home from unexpected circ*mstances such as theft, a fire or sewer backup damage – and will pay you for lost or damaged possessions. It can also help protect you from liability if someone is injured on your property.
Renters insurance can help you repair or replace property after loss due to many types of damage or theft. It can also provide coverage for an accident at your residence. Policies usually have very affordable annual premiums. Note that your landlord's property insurance doesn't cover your belongings.
Standard renters insurance policies typically won't offer coverage for bed bug infestations or any resulting damage. If an infestation occurs, you or your landlord are responsible for covering the extermination costs.
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