Landlord Insurance is not required by law but is essential if you want to protect yourself, your rental property, and your tenants. Furthermore, most lenders will require that you have it. Renting your property – house, condo, apartment building, etc. – to someone else presents unique risks that regular homeowners' insurance won't cover.
What is Landlord Insurance?
Landlord Insurance is a type of homeowner's insurance that covers damage to your rental property and helps protect you against any lawsuits related to the property. Your coverage may vary, but Landlord Insurance typically covers property damage caused by risks such as fire, lightning, windstorms, vandalism, etc. It also helps cover liability claims, legal expenses, and loss of rental income.
The Insurance Information Institute reports, "Landlord policies generally cost about 25 percent more than a standard homeowners policy to pay for increased protections." The good news is that Pennsylvania is one of the cheapest states when it comes to Landlord Insurance costs.
As a landlord, you may be looking for ways to lower the cost of landlord Insurance and improve your bottom line.
10 tips to help you lower Landlord Insurance Costs:
- Properly maintain your property - Proper maintenance helps attract and retain better tenants, preserve and increase your property's value, prevent more costly repairs, and help lower Landlord Insurance costs. Experts suggest the following maintenance measures – air filter replacement, regular exterminations, smoke and carbon monoxide detector tests, water heater draining, bathroom re-caulking, gutter cleaning, and regular inspections.
- Make safety a priority – A safer property translates to lower liability risks and fewer claims. "Every property manager should follow some basic safety tips and procedures to make tenants more safe," Experts recommend. "Whether it's physical property modifications, rules for behavior, or your selection of services and vendors, just a little goes a long way when it comes to enhancing property safety."
- Install safety features – Installation of safety features, such as proper lighting, secure doors and windows, security cameras, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, and alarms, can significantly improve the safety of your tenants and your property.
- Make renters' insurance a requirement - Renters' insurance is not required by law, but landlords can make it a requirement as part of a tenant's lease. Requiring renters' insurance can help mitigate the risk of a lawsuit, reduce your responsibility, cover your deductible, provide peace of mind, lower insurance premiums, and more.
- Watch Your Property Valuations – The value of your property and replacement costs can fluctuate, so if you want to ensure you have the right insurance coverage at the lowest cost, keep an eye on your property's value.
- Increase your policy's deductible – Increasing the deductible (the amount you pay if a claim is filed) can help lower your annual premiums; however, you must ensure that you have enough available funds to cover your deductible in the event of a claim.
- Pay your premium annually – Typically, paying your insurance premium in full for the year is lower than paying the premium monthly or in installments.
- Bundle insurance policies – If you have more than one rental property or require additional insurance coverage, purchasing all of your policies with one insurance company may lower your premiums.
- Don't pay for coverage you don't need – There are many optional riders landlords may want to consider to provide further protection. Still, It's important to consider whether you face the potential risk before adding a rider.
- Work with American Insuring Group – We have agents who specialize in Landlord Insurance to ensure you have the right coverage. As independent agents, we check with many insurance companies to ensure you pay the lowest premium for that coverage.
Get a Free Landlord Insurance Quote Today!
At American Insuring Group, we offer comprehensive landlord insurance policies that cover a range of risks, from property damage to liability claims. Our affordable policies protect your investment and give you peace of mind. Our independent agents compare policies from competing insurance companies to make sure you get the right insurance at the best price.
✅ Call us today for a quote at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848, or connect with us online and start saving!
