How Do I Find The Best Landlord Insurance Cost?

Owning rental property and housing tenants comes with countless risks. You may think you can rely on your homeowners’ insurance, but no, it won’t be enough. You only have one realistic choice: landlord insurance and liability coverage.

Landlord insurance, also called rental property insurance, is designed specifically to fit the unique risks of those who house long-term tenants. It’s hard enough being a property owner –being a landlord requires you to be extra cautious and more responsible. For instance, faulty wires in your property may cause your tenants to experience frequent power outages or, worse, electric shocks. As the landlord, it’s your responsibility to make sure your rental property is safe and protected.

Landlord Insurance Rates

The rates for rental property insurance policies vary according to insurance carriers. Value Penguin states that the average cost of the policy is around $1,800 annually. This number is just an approximation because your premium is affected by your coverage options, covered perils, the condition and size of your property, and other factors. You can get a clear idea of what the cost would be for you by consulting a landlord insurance agent that specializes in preparing landlord insurance quotes.

According to Investopedia, here are the top five insurance companies that provide comprehensive and affordable landlord insurance:

• State Farm
• Liberty Mutual
• Allstate
• American Family Insurance
• Travelers

Guide to Lowering Landlord Insurance Cost

Landlord insurance can be quite expensive. Luckily, there are a number of ways you can lower your landlord insurance cost:

Maintain your property:

Over time, your property will need repairs and upkeep. Not properly maintaining your property can cost you higher insurance premiums. If you install smoke alarms, remove any mold, repair broken pipes, and install fire escapes and fire sprinkler systems, among other things, your insurance provider will likely give you discounts.

Pay higher deductibles:

Most insurance companies will agree that increasing your deductibles is a surefire way of lowering your premium. A deductible is the amount of money you’ll be paying before the insurance company covers the claim amount. For instance, if you raise your deductible to $2,000, your landlord policy can be reduced by 10%.

Bundle your policies:

Insurance companies will lower your premium if you purchase more than one policy from the same provider. If possible, bundle multiple policies into one master policy.

Make renters insurance mandatory:

Ask your tenants to get a renters policy for themselves as well. Although doing this won’t directly lower the cost of your landlord policy, your rental property and tenants will be covered. Additionally, you and your tenants won’t have to worry about who will pay for what, as you will both have insurance coverage.

What Will Landlord Insurance Cover?

There are various types of policies and packages available on the market. Most landlord insurance provides the following coverage:

Dwelling Coverage

Dwelling insurance will cover the cost of rebuilding or repairing your rental property. This policy also includes liability coverage.

There are three types of dwelling coverage, each more secure than the last.

DP-1 Basic Policy:

The DP-1 policy provides the most basic form of landlord liability coverage. It’s an excellent small-budget option for homes that can’t be insured due to their condition and is a perfect fit for older homes. The policy also covers protection against specified perils such as fire, wind, and lightning.

DP-2 Broad Policy:

The DP-2 policy covers more perils than the DP-1 policy. These additional perils include falling objects, pipe breakage, and water discharge, to mention just a few.

DP-3 Special Policy:

DP-3 offers the most comprehensive coverage out of all the policies and is the best coverage for landlords. It’s similar to a homeowners insurance policy. It covers most of the perils already mentioned in the previous policies, in addition to vandalism and theft. It also includes liability coverage. For instance, your insurer will pay any medical expenses or legal fees if your tenant is injured.

It may be more expensive than the other two, but DP-3 is the most complete insurance coverage a rental property owner could want.

Loss of Rental Income

Periodically, you may need to take your rental properties off the market to make repairs. This coverage will provide you with temporary rental compensation to cover any financial losses while your property is under repair. For instance, fire damage can cause a property to be closed for several weeks, and the coverage would compensate you for those weeks of lost income.

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage comes to the rescue when you get sued for damage to other people’s property or for the bodily injury of a tenant. It protects you against prospective lawsuits and liability claims. For example, Renegade Insurance‘s liability insurance amount ranges from $100K to $500k, and the coverage amount depends on the size of the house.

Insurers commonly provide the above-described coverage. Your insurance provider may also offer other forms of security as optional endorsements or core policies. Though add-on options might vary, here are some additional policies you might want to consider:

Building Code Coverage

If you own an older building or have yet to bring it up to code, building code coverage can save your bacon. Without the coverage, you would have to pay for all the repairs out of pocket.

Flood Insurance

A landlord policy typically doesn’t cover flood damage. If you live in a high flood–risk area, you should consider buying a flood insurance add-on. It will cover the expenses of repairing or conducting maintenance on the property.

Earthquake Insurance

A standard landlord policy does not include earthquake insurance. If you reside in a high-risk earthquake state like Alaska or Hawaii, you should consider purchasing additional earthquake insurance.

Non-Occupancy Dwelling Coverage

If your rental property has been vacant for more than 30 days, your insurance company might not cover any claims for the property. With non-occupancy dwelling coverage, it will help you extend your coverage for that time.

Emergency Coverage

You guessed it, this offers you protection in the event of an emergency. It’s for times when your tenant calls you to fix a broken pipe that’s gushing water, or they accidentally got locked out of their house or apartment. This added feature will cover some parts of the cost you incurred to travel to the property and fix the problem.

Landlord Insurance VS Renters Insurance

What’s the difference? Landlord policy covers the owner’s dwelling against liability risks and lost rental income. Renters insurance covers the tenants and their personal property and any damage caused to the rental property.

Rental property insurance will cover lost income for landlords, but renters insurance won’t. In the same vein, only renters insurance will cover additional living expenses for the tenant if the rented property needs to be evacuated for repairs.

If you ask us, we’d always recommend purchasing property landlord insurance and renters insurance for landlords and tenants, respectively. Both parties have much to lose should accidents or natural disasters occur.

Condo Insurance for Landlords

Do you own a condo unit? Are you renting it out? If your answer is yes, you need landlord insurance!

Your investment needs complete protection. When you’re leasing your unit, you and the tenant share responsibilities. The tenant is responsible for protecting their own personal property and medical bills if any accidents cause injuries inside the unit. Condo insurance (HO6 policy) for landlords will cover any damage to rental properties and loss of rental income.

Landlord and condo insurance policies aren’t completely foolproof on their own. However, they complement each other and keep all involved parties protected.

Landlord Insurance for Commercial Property

If you own properties like office buildings, warehouses, and retail spaces, standard landlord policies may not completely protect you. A commercial property requires commercial landlord insurance coverage or Lessor’s Risk Only (LRO) policy.

But an LRO policy won’t cover you in the case of property damage or injury. It only covers you against claims of damage or injuries inside your property.

Let’s say your tenant runs a beauty salon in your building. One day, she trips on the staircase and breaks her leg. Later, she files a lawsuit against you, claiming that your faulty staircase caused her to break her leg and lose out on a month’s worth of income. Commercial landlord insurance will cover your legal expenses.

Why Should You Choose an Independent Agent?

They give you insurance options

Independent agents represent many different insurance companies that offer a variety of coverage options and price. An agent’s knowledge of the insurance market will help you often find more value for your insurance than you’d find on your own.

They are Licensed Professionals

Independents insurance agents will explain the intricacies of insurance in simple terms and help you make smart decisions. They are licensed insurance professional who will ensure your home, car, or business is properly protected.

They are personal advisors

Agents not only find you at competitive prices but also make sure you are well covered. Agents work with you face to face by becoming your personal advisor, we take the time to listen and understand your individual needs not just finding affordable prices.

They provide service in your area

Independent agents are your neighbors they share your interest in the community you live in and understand the benefits and challenges of living where you live.

Save Money on Landlord Insurance with Our Insurance Agents

No one wants to waste valuable time and money trying to find the best insurance policy within their budget. From home, auto, life and even landlord insurance, there are many ways how an insurance agent will help you save money. That’s the benefit of having an independent insurance agent, they do all the work for you. Our insurance agents have access to several different insurance markets so you will find a price that is affordable for your budget.

Our insurance agents will provide you with more options, better rates, which gives you flexibility while purchasing insurance. Purchasing an affordable insurance policy does not mean less coverage it means independent agents know where to look. With us, you don’t have to, and shouldn’t, sacrifice coverage for a better plan.

Agency height makes finding insurance agents easy. We will help you finding an agent who has strong problem-solving instincts and goes beyond the role of a salesperson who will help you get more personalized recommendations to protect your financial interests.

In Conclusion

Despite having homeowners insurance for your property, a landlord insurance policy will make sure that your rental property stays safe even though you’re not living in it. Although it won’t cover all the natural disasters or perils, it will still protect you against most vulnerabilities.

If you’re looking for affordable coverage from reliable landlord insurance agents near you in your location, don’t forget to check out our agent directory. We help you connect with insurance agents who will guide you and help you choose appropriate insurance coverages. They will not only be focused on providing quality service but also help you save money on insurance. With us, find insurance agents near me and get started with your landlord insurance.