Home Liability insurance doesn't cover tenants?

Question

I just bought a duplex and I am househacking. I called my insurance agent about my policy today and was told if a tenant were to fall in bathtub or hurt themselves on property my liability insurance would not cover it. It would only cover a guest of mine if they were to fall? Does this sound right?

Jason Bott · Answer

@Frank Meyer If this is the case, you currently have a Homeowners policy.  You need to change your policy to a Rental Dwelling/Landlord policy.  The Rental Dwelling will cover you for liability claims against you by your tenants.

Chris T. · Answer

@Frank Meyer

and to add to Jason's point, make sure your renter purchase renter's insurance to cover their belongings as your rental dwelling/landlord policy do not cover their items.

Mark Holencik · Answer

The tenants policy will help cover, their guests. Since you can not moniter this, their policy will cover stupid things they do.

If they have a car, their policy should be almost nothing. They should bundle it with their auto policy.

Thomas S. · Answer

You want your tenants to carry liability insurance to insure that the burden of the cost in the event of a injury to your tenant does not fall on your insurance policy. Tenants can be stupid and irresponsible so you want to protect yourself from them. If a law suit is involved you want it to be going after the tenants insurance company not yours. It is another layer of protection for the investor.

I require all my tenants to have a minimum 1M liability coverage. They are required to show me proof of coverage annually.

Christy Barton · Answer

Hi everyone,

I know this is an older post but my husband and I, @Stephen Barton, are trying to find a tenant for a property we own and in the lease (one we signed several years ago when we were tenants) states that the tenant should have renters insurance and liability insurance.  We've been trying to figure out why that would be needed and fortunately, our own landlord didn't enforce this in the lease because we only held normal renters insurance.

Since our liability insurance covers tenants, is it safe to say we can remove that from the lease?  Any idea why a landlord would require liability insurance from the tenant?

Home Liability insurance doesn't cover tenants?

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