The agents at Vargas & Vargas Insurance serving the Dorchester, MA area are happy to explain the importance of having a renters insurance policy.
Many people who rent their home, apartment, or other types of home are under the impression that their landlord’s property insurance policy will cover their personal belongings, but that is not the case. While most landlords in Massachusetts are required to have property insurance on the properties they own, it does not cover the belongings of the tenants living in these places. This is why a renters insurance policy is so fundamental for all tenants to have in place.
What Does Renter’s Insurance Cover?
Renters insurance will cover all of your personal belongings, such as your clothing and toiletries, furniture, appliances, and anything else you have purchased for your home. This means that if your house catches on fire, you will not lose everything you own because your renter’s insurance policy will assist you in replacing the items you lost and then getting back on your feet. A renters insurance policy can also assist you if a natural disaster occurs and destroys or damages the home you are renting or if the place is vandalized. A renters insurance policy can also assist you in paying for items that are stolen in a burglary.
Contact Vargas & Vargas Insurance
To obtain an adequate amount of renters insurance for your situation, you will need to create a policy. Call the experienced and knowledgeable renters insurance agents at Vargas & Vargas Insurance serving the Dorchester, MA area today to obtain a quote and to get your renter’s insurance policy started!
Do you rent in Dorchester, MA? Are your personal possessions protected with renters insurance? If not, Vargas & Vargas Insurance can provide it.
If you currently rent a home or apartment, you will need insurance coverage to protect your personal possessions. Your landlord’s property insurance only covers his building, not your belongings.
Your personal property will only be covered with renter’s insurance, which you will have to provide. Most homeowners have an insurance policy, but only 41% of renters have renter’s insurance. Why? Many people incorrectly make the assumption that their landlord’s insurance protects them.
Also, they underestimate the value of the things they own. Just consider your electronics. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the value could get into the thousands. Then add to it your clothing, furniture, kitchen supplies, etc. You have more than you realize, and replacing them would cost a lot.
If you own a dog and it decides to bite a visitor or neighbor, you could be faced with a lawsuit. A renters’ policy provides the liability coverage needed in this case.
Renters’ insurance is affordable. The average policy costs between $15 and $30 per month. It will vary based on the coverage you choose, the deductible amount, and where you live.
As with every insurance policy, there are some exclusions.
Damage caused by aircraft or vehicles
Earthquakes
Explosion
Falling objects
Fire or lightning
Floods
Riot or civil unrest
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism
Volcanic eruptions
Weight of sleet, snow, or ice
Windstorm or hail
Protect what you worked hard to obtain. Renter’s insurance is a very affordable protection that every renter should have. Vargas & Vargas Insurance can provide a no-obligation quote or answer any questions you may have. Contact our team today. You will be glad you did.
Renter’s insurance is an affordable and simple way to protect your personal property while you are renting. Most plans cost well under $20/month for thousands of dollars in coverage.
So, why would you let this coverage lapse when you are planning a move? Don’t do it! There is a much better way to handle your current renter’s insurance policy. Let Vargas & Vargas Insurance handle your renter’s insurance policy, and we’ll make it easy to switch your address from one location to the other, in Dorchester, MA.
Reevaluate Your Coverage
Most landlords will require their tenants to keep a renter’s insurance policy that covers $100k in property damage. Some of these policies include your personal property, some do not. Check your policy notice for more information. If your policy does not cover your personal property and you have decided you want that coverage, it is easy to reevaluate your needs and weigh them against affordability and practicality.
You can receive assistance with choosing a new, or expanded, renter’s insurance policy by giving the team at Vargas & Vargas Insurance a call. We are a trusted insurance broker in Dorchester, MA, and have been pouring our insurance solutions into clients for many years.
Switch Your Coverage from One Address to Another
If you are satisfied with your current coverage and insurance policy, an easy step as part of the moving process is to just switch addresses! It’s as simple as giving your friendly agent at Vargas & Vargas Insurance a call.
In order to allow time for the address change to go through, it is ideal to speak with your agent several weeks in advance of the move. Be prepared to give a new address and a start date for coverage on your new home. From there, you can receive a confirmation of your renter’s insurance policy to present to your new landlord!
There are two ways we could talk about apartment insurance. The first way is renter’s insurance, and that’s the angle we’ll take today. We’ll explain how much renter’s insurance costs and what it usually covers. The other insurance product that could be called apartment insurance is a landlord protector policy. Those policies are for landlords and not what we’re writing about today. So, if you’re a renter, and you’re wondering about the apartment insurance cost you might face, read on!
Apartment Insurance Basics
Renter’s insurance is designed to cover your belongings in the rented home against fire damage, storm damage, and theft. Your covered belongings usually include furniture, clothing, shoes, appliances, and most household electronics. In a nutshell, if your rented home were to burn down or be burglarized, the insurer will pay for your belongings.
Renter’s Insurance Is Affordable and Valuable
While every policy is a unique agreement between the insurance company and the insured, you can expect your apartment insurance cost to usually be very affordable. We’ve seen renters insurance premiums starting as low as $25 for $25,000 worth of belongings in some cases.
The apartment insurance cost is even more affordable for individuals who can bundle other insurance with a renter’s policy. If you’re spending $25 a month on renter’s insurance and receiving a $15 monthly discount for a multi-line bundle on your car insurance, there’s even more value.
Renter’s insurance won’t cover large amounts of cash, high-end luxury jewelry, collectible guitars, or expensive art. As licensed insurance agents, we may add those items to a policy (it’s called scheduling) or write a separate policy for a specific item. So, if you have a $10,000 engagement ring, let your favorite insurance agent know about it!
Vargas & Vargas Insurance is proud to be your premier local independent insurance agency. We work for our customers, not the insurance company. We will customize your renter’s insurance coverage to your specific situation and budget, and we’re here to answer all of your insurance questions. So let’s talk!
Why is rental insurance important? This may be a question you have. After all, if you live in an apartment or a condo, you don’t actually own the building. You are not responsible for the insurance on the physical building. However, you are responsible for your personal belongings that are inside the condo or apartment.
Protect Your Personal Belongings
If you are paying rent to a landlord, their insurance covers damage to the building you are living in. If your belongings got damaged, lost, or stolen, your belongings would not be covered under the landlord’s insurance. You would not be able to replace these items. Rental insurance protects your personal belongings from loss, theft, or damage.
Consider This Example
Imagine that your neighbor is cooking dinner and leaves the stove unattended. A fire breaks out, and it causes damage to their unit and your unit. If you have renter’s insurance, then a combination of your neighbor’s insurance, the personal property coverage in your renter’s insurance, and the landlord’s property insurance would all be considered. In this scenario, if you are all covered, all three parties may be completely covered for their losses.
Prepare for Liability Claims
What about liability claims? If someone comes to your home, and you are renting it, what happens if they injure themselves? The liability portion of rental insurance provides compensation if someone is injured while at your home.
Get Coverage for Temporary Accommodations
What if your apartment building burns down? What if your condo has smoke damage? If your home is damaged and needs to be fixed, renter’s insurance can cover the cost of having to live somewhere else while your condo or apartment gets repaired or until you can find another place to live.
Establish an Insurance History
Having renter’s insurance helps establish an insurance history. This is very helpful when you go to purchase a home or a condominium. If you had no claims with your rental insurance, you will qualify for a “loss-free” or “claims free” credit on your home or condo insurance policy, which will reduce the cost of the policy.
Contact Us for Rental Insurance That Fits Your Needs
Vargas & Vargas Insurance is one of the premier local independent insurance agencies. We work for our clients and not the insurance company. We will customize your insurance coverage to your specific needs at the right price and are here to answer all of your insurance questions. Contact us today.
Renters insurance is one of the rare breaks you’ll get from the insurance world: it’s super affordable without sacrificing coverage. Most landlords require it, but even if yours doesn’t, you still need it. Here are five reasons for renters insurance and why it’s so important:
1. It’s one of the best deals in insurance.
Your monthly premium will cost you about the price of a haircut, about $15 to $20. Sounds unbelievable, sure, but truly it’s one of the cheapest policies you can buy.
2. It covers your stuff.
That new laptop you just bought? Covered. That flat-pack furniture from IKEA? Covered. Renters insurance stops you from paying out-of-pocket for new things—including furniture, jewelry, clothes, computers, and electronics—if yours are damaged. Even if you don’t think you own a lot, it adds up quickly. A standard policy will cover you for the following accidents and catastrophes:
Fire or lightning
Riots or civil commotions
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism
Weight of ice, snow or sleet
Damage caused by aircraft, vehicles, or falling objects
Explosions
Volcanic eruptions
Windstorms or hail
Water or steam damage from sources within the apartment, such as household appliances, plumbing, heating, air conditioning or fire-protective sprinkler systems
But wait, you might ask, doesn’t your landlord’s insurance cover your stuff? A lot of people make this assumption, but it’s not true. Your landlord’s insurance covers the physical structure in which you live. If a fire destroyed your apartment, the landlord’s insurance company pays out for the building, not your stuff.
3. It covers your stuff when you’re traveling.
Yes—incredible. Most policies will cover your belongings wherever you travel in the world, whether they’re in your car, your backpack, or your pocket. If you travel a lot, make sure you talk to an insurance agent about getting a policy that covers you internationally.
4. It gives you liability coverage.
Along with covering your belongings, renters insurance will give you liability coverage. So if someone sues you after getting injured in your apartment, renters insurance would help cover lawyer costs and medical bills.
5. It can cover additional living expenses.
If your apartment becomes uninhabitable and you’re forced to live in a hotel and eat takeout, renters insurance may foot the bill. Check with your insurance agent to see how long your policy will pay for your additional living expenses.
Looking for Renters Insurance?
If you don’t have a renters insurance policy, we can help you. We’re independent insurance agents, meaning we work for you, not any one insurance company. We’ll customize your renters insurance coverage to match what you need at the best price, and we’re here to answer any of your insurance questions. Contact us today to get the right insurance for your apartment.
It only takes one major event for you to learn that renters insurance is not an option. Still, even with the knowledge that you absolutely need an indemnity policy to pay for damaged or lost items, you may not know the type of renters insurance policy that best fits your life in Dorchester, MA. How much renters insurance does one need to secure a sense of financial stability? The agents at Vargas & Vargas Insurance can help.
Is renters insurance required?
There is no state law requiring every renter to obtain an indemnity policy. Some landlords, however, may require you to show proof of a renters insurance plan before letting you sign a lease to rent an apartment in Dorchester, MA.
You should consider an indemnity policy even if such is not required by the landlord for personal reasons. The building owner is mainly responsible to insure the property grounds. You cannot sue him or her for items lost or damaged in a burglary.
What should a renters insurance plan entail?
The best renters insurance policies offer replacement cost values for items lost or damaged. Such a tenet is especially important if you have a lot of electronics in your unit.
Computers and televisions lose value immediately after purchase. Having an insurance plan that only offers the cash value of such items leaves you to pay for the remaining cost to replace the items out-of-pocket. A replacement cost plan provides payment according to the current market value.
A good renters insurance plan should also offer temporary housing. It is usually up to the landlord to secure housing if a unit is uninhabitable. You should not, however, rely on someone else when it comes to shelter. A good renters insurance plan will pay for expenses related to temporarily relocating upfront.
How much renters insurance do you need?
The amount of renters insurance you need largely depends on your personal preferences and possessions. An agent at Vargas & Vargas Insurance can help you determine how much coverage is right for your living situation. Call today for a quote!
A side hustle is an excellent option for most people to generate extra income. If you run a side hustle from your home, you may not have insurance to cover the business. Without proper insurance, you could find yourself at a loss if you get sued or if your property is damaged.
Renters Insurance
Your renters insurance policy covers an extensive range of property inside your home. It can help you recover laptops, computers, tablets, projectors, and printers after theft or damage. Sometimes, renters insurance can cover items you keep outside and use for deliveries such as a bicycle. In some cases, you can cover your side hustle by adding a rider to your current policy.
However, there are exceptions. Most renters insurance policies cover items you use at home and not for business. Some policies might not extend to cover items used outside the home. For example, if you are a photographer with expensive equipment that you use outside the house, a standard renters policy might not help you.
If your policy provider chooses to cover property that you use for business, the limit might be lower than one provided under a business policy. When the business item you want to include in your renters insurance is not part of your current contract, talk to your provider about an endorsement.
How to Know When Your Side Hustle Needs Insurance
When you are considering finding separate insurance for your side hustle, there are several questions you should ask yourself. Those include:
Do customers come to pick products from your home?
Do you handle critical and private information?
Do you handle people’s children or pets?
Could anyone get sick as a result of your business?
Would a lawsuit leave you broke?
Commercial Policies
Let’s face it, your side hustle may be safe for now, but there is no assurance. When tragedy strikes, you need to be prepared. Finding commercial insurance for your business will provide better coverage than your current policy. There are various commercial policies available depending on the risks of your business.
Most renters insurance policies cover replacement items everywhere, not just at your home. This includes items stolen off your porch or in front of your door. It also covers your laptop if your friend douses it in a latte at the coffee bar. It will even cover luggage that you may have lost on vacation.
Protect your packages with renters insurance and knowledge about your carrier’s claim processes.
However, one thing to consider is the deductible. Some deductibles are either $500.00 or $1,000.00. Since a renter has to pay the deductible, is it even worth filing a claim? If it was a $1,200.00 laptop or television, then it’s worth your time and the cost of the deductible. But if it was a $30.00 child’s toy, it may not be worth your time.
What Steps Should You Take If Something Is Stolen from Your Porch?
Research shows that over 25 million people have packages stolen every year. The majority of carriers have a package tracking system, so you can determine if it was stolen or just delayed. Along with renters insurance, you can use company claims policies to protect both your large and small deliveries. Each carrier has different rules:
United States Postal Service
USPS makes you wait seven days to file a claim. They need to know the sender and recipient addresses, tracking number, package dimensions, and a description of the package’s contents.
Always remember to insure the package. Without this step, the only thing you get back is the cost of the shipping.
FedEx
FedEx lets you or the seller file a claim. They typically cover up to the lesser of $100.00 of the total shipment value or the total amount that you insured it for. FedEx processes claims quickly, so you should receive a payment within a week of filing.
United Parcel Service (UPS)
UPS also has a claim process for lost packages. UPS has online procedures for both lost and damaged packages. You can begin the filing process if you don’t have your package within 24 hours of the anticipated delivery time.
Amazon
Amazon’s A to Z Guarantee for Buyers covers up to $2,500.00 of the purchase price. First, you must contact the seller for a refund. If they are unwilling to work with you, then you can file a claim. However, you must file the claim between 15 and 90 days from the purchase date. If the claim is accepted, you can get a full refund up to the 2,500.00 limit.
If you frequently have packages delivered to your apartment or rented home, or you’re worried about your belongings, renters insurance can help. Contact our team at Vargas & Vargas Insurance to learn more about the benefits of a renters insurance policy from a local service provider.
Most people fall into one of two categories: They either own their home or they rent it.
If you rent your home, you don’t need a homeowner’s insurance policy.
You need what’s called renters insurance. This type of insurance policy will ensure that you have the right coverage when you need it the most.
We’ve outlined below how homeowner’s insurance and renter’s insurance are similar and and how they differ. Here is our quick summary:
Property Protection
When you rent your home, you don’t own the physical property. As a result, you are not responsible for insuring the property. Instead, the insurance policy is the responsibility of the property owner.
This means that if there is damage to any part of the exterior and interior of the property including walls, ceilings, floors, doors, or windows, you are not responsible for filing or paying for an insurance claim.
Coverage for Belongings
Similar to a homeowner’s insurance policy, a renter’s insurance policy provides coverage for your personal belongings. You need to take inventory of your belongings to give an estimate on what it would cost to replace your belongings.
When you make your home inventory, make sure that you include everything that you own, including items like electronics, furniture, clothing, and jewelry. Also include any of your own personal appliances that are not owned by your landlord or apartment complex. That way, all of your stuff will be protected against perils like fire, smoke, theft, water damage, and more.
We recommend keeping the receipts of high valued items. We also recommend storing photos of each of your rooms so you have documentation of your belongings. This will help to ensure that you are covered in case of a total loss, but aren’t overpaying for coverage that you don’t need.
Reimbursed Living Expenses
If something happens to the place where you live, your renter’s insurance typically covers your living expenses for a comparable place until the damage is repaired and your home is once more inhabitable.
If your rental home or apartment is destroyed or deemed uninhabitable, call your insurance agent right away to find out what you should do so that reimbursement is allowed.
Liability Insurance
Another type of coverage that is typically included in both renters and home insurance is liability insurance. With this coverage, you are financially protected from the costs that rise if someone is injured at your home.
Depending on your insurance provider and the policy that you choose, this can include both medical costs and legal costs, which can get very expensive, depending on the injury sustained.
As always, all of the information above depends on your insurance provider and your specific policy.
We search several insurance providers to find the one that will give you the best coverage at a price that works for you and your budget.
Cost?
On average, the cost of a renters insurance policy is $120.00 per year for $10,000 of contents, including loss of use and liability coverage, Click here for more details) in Massachusetts.
If you package your automobile insurance policy with your renter’s insurance, most times, the savings by doing so more than covers the cost of the renter’s policy.
If you have any questions about the coverage included in your current policy, or if you need a new top of the line renters insurance policy quote, please call 617-298-0655 to speak with a representative here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency.
