As a Garden Communities California resident, you’ve probably noticed that there is a renters insurance requirement in your lease. If you’re a new resident, your leasing professional will have reviewed the basics requirements with you. If you’re an existing valued resident renewing your lease, you may find that the details are different from for your previous lease. So what are the changes?
- Your policy must contain $300,000 of personal liability coverage.
- Your policy contract must specify that property damage to rented premises from fire, smoke, explosion, and water are covered.
- All adult residents must be listed on the policy.
Effective Coverage policies automatically meet the coverage requirements and it’s easy to add additional residents by calling us at (800)892-4308.
Water Backup Coverage
Garden Communities wants to make sure that both your risks and their risks are covered. While water damage may be covered by some policies, water backup of sewers and drains is excluded from the basic California Renters Insurance policy. Every time you flush a toilet or wash dishes, you run the risk of water backup and serious damage to your property or to the apartment. Water backup coverage on your renters insurance makes sure that you’re not responsible for those damages.
Water Damage To Rented Premises Is Now Required
If you’ve read your policy, you may have noticed that damage to rented premises is excluded from liability coverage, and then narrowly carved back. How narrowly? Many policies cover only liability for smoke, fire, and explosion when it comes to apartment damage you’re responsible for. Water damage is not a part of that carve-back on most renters insurance policies.
Whether you live alone or you have multiple roommates, water damage is a serious risk. Water damage to an apartment caused by your negligence is tricky because it can cause hidden damage. One accidental overflow of your shower could cause a mold problem in the apartment below you, and you’d be responsible for that damage. Having renters insurance that covers damage to rented premises from smoke, fire, explosion, and water means you can compensate anyone else who suffers a loss as well as pay for the damage to the apartment.
Does My Policy Meet Garden Communities Renters Insurance Requirements?
Most third-party policies do not contain the necessary language. The difference is that most policies on the standard form will only cover water damage to areas that are not your apartment. That would leave you on the hook for damages to your apartment from water, and it doesn’t meet the requirements of your property management. Most outside policies contain an exclusion that looks like this:
Property damage to property rented to, occupied by, or used by or in the care of the insured [is excluded from coverage.] This exclusion does not apply to property damage caused by fire, smoke, or explosion.
The easiest way to get a policy that fully protects you is by working with Effective Coverage to make sure your policy includes water backup coverage and coverage for water damage. As the preferred provider of Garden Communities renters insurance, Effective Coverage offers policies that meet all of the requirements as well as offer additional coverage such as water backup to give you the protection you deserve. Your leasing professional will know that your policy includes the specific language that they require.
Why The Changes? I Already Have Renters Insurance.
Changes in policy forms over the years have resulted from changes in the coverage needs of Americans. Changes in your lease and the requirements also evolve because the risk climate changes. How do losses caused by previous tenants impact the coverage you’re required to have?
No one anticipated that Suzie, a UCSD student, would cause a loss. She was careful and pragmatic, always treating the apartment with care. But with four roommates, sometimes she ran out of space to hang clothes to dry. One day, without thinking, she hung her clothes from the fire sprinkler to dry. Instead of getting dry clothes, Suzie got a wet apartment and was responsible for the damage. Her policy covered the water damage the neighbors suffered, but not the water damage to her apartment.
The good news is that Garden Communities renters insurance from Effective Coverage is fast, easy, affordable, and automatically contains the required coverage. Proof of coverage is sent to your leasing office automatically, and you’ll be able to move in or renew your lease without hassle.
To get started right now, just call (800)892-4308 or click to get covered - whether you need California renters insurance quotes online or coverage anywhere else!
Effective Coverage offers the nation's only completely mobile platform to quote and purchase renters insurance right from your phone or tablet in just one minute. Get an online renters insurance quote today and protect your family.