My Apartment Was Broken Into. I Have Renter’s Insurance. What Now?

A Guide to Handling a Break-In Under Renter’s Insurance

Let’s say your rental home or apartment has been broken into, and you’re now missing some belongings. If you’ve taken the foresight to acquire renter’s insurance, fear not! You’re already well-positioned to protect yourself from liability under such circumstances. Our team at Asheville Insurance Center servicing Asheville, NC is ready to help. Here’s what you should know.

Does Renters Insurance Cover Burglary?

Most renter’s insurance policies cover theft of personal belongings. Post-burglary, it may be challenging to identify which items are missing. A well-maintained home inventory can come in handy to discern what was present in your home previously and what is now absent.

What are the Immediate Steps Post-Burglary?

If you discover that your home has been burglarized, your first step should be to move to a safe location and report the theft to the police. You can report using the non-emergency number of your local police department. Your insurance company often requires a police report documenting the lost items, so make sure to do this. Document the scene by taking clear pictures, as your insurance company might request visual evidence.

How to File A Claim?

Once the police have been informed, contact your insurance agent to initiate the claim process. Every insurance company has its procedure, which may necessitate forms to be filled out. They may request information such as the serial number and model number of the stolen items.

Insurance policies can operate differently – some may cover the replacement value of lost items, while others compensate for the items’ cash value. Your insurance agent at Asheville Insurance Center, servicing Asheville, NC, can provide guidance on the next steps. We’re here to help, so call us today.

Why is Renters Insurance Important?

Our agents at the Asheville Insurance Center serving the Asheville, NC area want you to know and understand the importance of a renters insurance policy if you are a tenant.

Many people are under the common misconception that their landlord’s property insurance policy will cover their personal belongings and other items they have purchased for their house, apartment, mobile home, or other dwelling they are renting. This is not the case. The property owner’s insurance policy will only cover the dwelling itself, which is the reason you need your own insurance policy for the things you have purchased and own.

What Does Renters Insurance Cover?

Your renter’s insurance policy will cover your personal belongings and any items you have purchased, such as appliances, furniture, and electronics, if a fire breaks out. These items will also be covered if they are stolen, a natural disaster occurs, and your items are destroyed or damaged. This type of policy will also come in handy if someone vandalizes your apartment, house, or other dwelling.

Why is Renters Insurance Important?

If you are a tenant and rent the space you live in, it is imperative for you to have a renters’ insurance policy since you never know when disaster will strike. This is a prime example of being safe rather than sorry since your landlord’s insurance policy will not cover your clothing, household items, appliances, furniture, and other items you have purchased.

Contact Us to Get Your Policy Started

Do not wait until something happens to wish you had a renters insurance policy. Call our agents at the Asheville Insurance Center serving the Asheville, NC area today to get your policy started!

Why All Renters Need Renters’ Insurance

When You have signed a lease on a home, it’s vital that you have renters’ insurance from day one to protect yourself. Most of the time, landlords will require proof that you have this insurance to sign your lease. It’s important to landlords that you have this insurance, which should be important to you as a renter. It’s never a good idea to go without this valuable coverage. If you need a renters’ policy, call us at Asheville Insurance Center in Asheville, NC.

Protection for Your Things

You have a lot of belongings inside your rented home, and they all need to be protected. With renters’ insurance, they are. These policies include a lot of protection for your things so that if they are destroyed or have something else happen to them, the policy can pay for you to get them all replaced. This can save you from paying out of your pocket to replace everything. It can help you to get your life back to normal after a serious incident has happened to you. 

Protection for Your Liability

Another risk in your rental home is being liable for injuries and accidents. When anyone comes to your home and gets injured there, it will likely be up to you to pay for everything from their lost wages to their medical bills. To protect yourself against this liability, renters’ insurance covers it. When an accident happens, and someone is injured, your renters’ policy will pay what you owe. This means that the injured party doesn’t have to sue you to pay their expenses after being injured. 

Cover Yourself With Renters’ Insurance

If you don’t have your renters’ policy yet, it’s time to call us at Asheville Insurance Center in Asheville, NC.

     

Is renters insurance required in Asheville, NC?

Asheville, NC is one of the prettiest places to live in the United States. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is home to vineyards, Biltmore, and countless local markets. Being a renter in Asheville offers endless possibilities and unfortunately, like everywhere else, there are risks that could damage or destroy your rental. At Asheville Insurance Center we are a family-owned independent insurance company with many years of experience.

Having renters insurance is not mandated by the state of North Carolina or the city of Asheville. It is optional coverage. It is possible that a landlord or management company may require that you carry renters insurance, but in general, you don’t need to carry it. 

Is it a good idea not to have renters insurance? No, it isn’t. In spite of that, more than 60% of renters don’t have it. Given how affordable it is, that doesn’t make good sense. Some renters are under the impression that they don’t need renters insurance, that their landlord has insurance that covers them. This is misinformation. Your landlord does have insurance without doubt, but their insurance is to protect their building and that does not include your contents. 

Renters insurance in most cases includes three types of coverage. 

  • Contents
  • Liability
  • Loss of use

Content coverage like all similar insurance comes in two types; replacement cost and actual value. You decide what kind of coverage you want. Liability protects you in the event someone is injured while visiting your rental or by a member of your family. It pays for medical expenses, a judgment against you, and legal fees. Loss of use will help you to pay for a place to stay when your rental is not habitable. It also pays for food as needed. 

Contact Asheville Insurance Center in Asheville, NC for all your renters’ insurance needs. 

Why do I need renters insurance in North Carolina

North Carolina is a wonderful place to call home. It has great amenities, spectacular scenery and of course the Outerbanks. Rentals in Asheville are more affordable than most other cities across the county. It has been attracting people who want to relocate for years. Given all the good things about North Carolina, you may wonder why I need renters insurance? At Asheville Insurance Center, we are family owned and provide personalized service with honesty and integrity. We have years of experience, making sure we meet our customer’s insurance needs.

As a renter, you may have thought that your landlord has insurance that protects you. It doesn’t. It protects the building itself and anything that belongs to the landlord but does nothing for you. You must purchase your own insurance, or everything you own is at risk. 

Renter’s insurance offers a few different kinds of protection. Being able to replace all that you own is valuable coverage even if it was the only one offered, but it isn’t. Renter’s insurance also provides liability coverage and loss of use protection. 

If a covered peril damages or destroys your rental, you would be without possessions. You own a lot more than you probably realize, and having to replace everything can be quite expensive. Think about all the clothing you own, the furniture in your rental, and all the things in your kitchen. It would be a nightmare without renters insurance. 

Liability coverage protects you from an injury to someone visiting your rental or away from the rental by a member of your family, even a furry one. It can protect you from a judgment against you.  

Loss of use gives you the help you need to have a place to stay while your rental is uninhabitable. 

At Asheville Insurance Center Asheville, NC, we understand what valuable coverage renter’s insurance provides. We would love to sit down with you and discuss your particular insurance needs 

Top Five Questions to Ask Before You Get Renters Insurance

It is a good idea to have renters insurance if you do not own your home. Many people may not be aware of this useful insurance when they rent an apartment or home. If you have valued possessions and those items are damaged, or in some cases, stolen, then renters insurance can help you recover some of the losses.

The agents at Asheville Insurance Center of Asheville, NC can help you understand what kind of policy you may need as a renter. Here are some questions to ask about renter’s insurance.

Does my landlord’s insurance cover my possessions?

Your landlord likely has homeowners insurance, but this only covers the building and structures. Your possessions are not covered under their policy.

Are injuries covered with renters insurance?

Typically, renters insurance will cover medical and legal expenses from injuries to others inside your dwelling in the event it is taken to court.

Will renters insurance cover my possessions fully?

Not exactly. There are limits to this type of insurance and how much you will be able to recover based on the type of item and overall coverage. High dollar items such as jewelry and collectibles that will have limits on how much will be paid out in the event of a loss. 

Can I calculate the value of my items?

Yes, there are apps and websites available now to find the worth of your items to log and track their value. These can be extremely useful in the event of a disaster where you suffer damage and loss of possessions.

Does renters insurance only cover possessions?

Some renters insurance will help with lodging in the event of a disaster where you are displaced and in need of housing. It is best to speak with an agent about your particular policy.

If you are in need of quality renters insurance contact us at Asheville Insurance Center of Asheville, NC. Our representatives will be happy to schedule an appointment to discuss your options for coverage.