Does Renters Insurance Cover Pet Damage?

Renters insurance typically does not cover property damage caused by your pets. The cost of repairs for damages like ripped screens, stained rugs, or scratched floors will likely be your responsibility.

What does renters insurance cover?

Renters insurance typically provides coverage for personal property, liability protection, and additional living expenses. Your policy may reimburse you for damages or losses caused by a covered peril, up to the policy limits.

Most renters policies include these coverages:

• Personal property - coverage for your personal belongings such as furniture, electronics, and clothing

• Liability - coverage if you accidently cause damage to someone else’s property or the cost of medical bills if a guest is injured on your property and you are found responsible

• Additional living expenses - coverage for costs of hotel and other expenses if your rental property is damaged and uninhabitable

A renters policy may help you pay bills if your pet physically harms another person or damages someone else’s property.

What are commonly covered losses (or perils) for renters insurance?

Personal property coverage protects against specific causes of loss detailed in your policy. Commonly covered causes of loss include:

• Accidents such as fire, smoke, or water damage from plumbing or appliances
• Weather such as weight of snow, sleet, or ice; lightning, windstorms, hail; or water damage from freezing of plumbing systems
• Malicious mischief such as vandalism or theft

What losses (or perils) are not covered?

Insurance policies also have exclusions, or types of risk that are not covered by the policy. Some common exclusions to renters insurance are:

• Property damage to the buildings, roof, and siding (these are covered by your landlord)
• Water damage caused by flooding or underground water
• Damage caused by earth movement, such as earthquakes and landslides
• Theft of belongings to a roommate not named on the policy