Habitational insurance is vital for anyone who rents out a property to a third-party. Its principal purpose is to protect landlords in the event a tenant is injured while renting a property. Landlords make large investments to get into a position where they can rent. A house fire or an episode of extreme weather can lead to major out-of-pocket costs if not covered by an appropriate insurance policy.
Habitational insurance contains provisions not included in ordinary property insurance policies. The more tenants a landlord has, the more vital habitational insurance becomes to protect their interests. However, to make the most of insurance landlords need to understand what it covers and the provisions they need.
What Is Habitational Insurance?
Habitational insurance is a type of commercial residential insurance. It defends landlords from having to pay significant costs out-of-pocket in the event their properties are rendered uninhabitable.
The beauty of habitational insurance is that it can bundle multiple types of insurance together. These policies enable landlords to make quick repairs after a storm, cover theft and protect their investments if their units are completely destroyed. It can also cover lost rental income in the event property is left uninhabitable for a period of time.
Why Do You Need It?
Habitational insurance protects landlords against many of the pitfalls not covered by ordinary property insurance policies. It has a range of unique characteristics providing the complete coverage landlords require to protect the future of their businesses.
Landlords often forget they are not just responsible for the properties they own but the tenants, any visitors they may have, as well as maintenance employees.
Finally, landlords should remember that high-quality tenants are increasingly interested in the cover their landlords have for worst-case scenarios. They do not want to risk being left high and dry if a catastrophe occurs.
What Is Covered With Habitational Insurance?
Habitational insurance consists of a number of different types of protection. This is why landlords are strongly advised to speak to an experienced insurance agent for recommendations on the coverage they need.
The right coverage is not only vital for protecting an investment but for attracting new residents. Furthermore, extensive habitational insurance reassures anyone already living within your commercial residential unit.
There are certain types of coverage every insurance policy must include, however.
Fires
House fires are incredibly common across the U.S., with fire departments responding to an average of 354,400 house fires every year. They cause extensive damage to both personal belongings and property structures. Rebuilding and renovation costs can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Habitational insurance will help to cover these costs and enable landlords to put their units into a leasable position as soon as possible.
Theft
Larger residential complexes become more vulnerable to theft simply because it becomes harder to keep track of residents and their guests. Criminals tend to exploit these situations to enter properties and swipe delivered packages. Habitational insurance is equipped to support landlords in replacing stolen property. This avoids the prospect of landlords having to pay compensation to affected residents when security is found to be inefficient.
Weather Damage
Storms and other major weather events are becoming increasingly common across the country. All 50 U.S. states are prone to extreme weather events. High winds, driving rain and hail can break windows, flood properties and cause water damage inside the walls. This directly impacts the health of tenants and potentially renders rental units uninhabitable for a period of time. Insurance enables landlords to react quickly and repair any damage to minimize the disruption to their tenants’ lives.
Vandalism
Vandalism is a particularly common juvenile crime. Larger buildings tend to become targets for graffiti and other forms of vandalism. Although a tag on a brick wall may not seem like a big deal, landlords have to spend thousands of dollars every year to put things right. A clean looking building is essential for attracting better quality tenants. Landlords are able to rely on insurance to clean up any vandalized spaces and maintain a visually pleasing building.
Other Types Of Protection
Fully comprehensive habitational insurance policies will cover a variety of other risks. These include equipment breakdowns, environmental cleanup and damage to outdoor signs.
Furthermore, habitational insurance can include loss of income cover. This is similar to business interruption insurance. It is designed to replace any rental income lost due to a named occurrence within the policy.
It can also cover other ongoing expenses, such as employee salaries.
Work With The Habitational Insurance Experts
Contrary to popular belief, habitational insurance is not just a type of insurance for landlords who own entire apartment blocks and modern living complexes. Landlords who own multiple residential properties should give serious thought to taking out insurance to protect themselves and their tenants.
Ordinary property insurance policies are insufficient to cover all the potential risks to your business. Get protected by contacting Merchant Family Agency, and they will be able to provide recommendations as to the right habitational insurance policy for you.