Get renter’s insurance to protect your personal property. Renter’s insurance provides compensation for damaged or lost personal property (furniture, clothing, medications, etc.). It may cover temporary housing in the event of a catastrophic incident that causes your rental unit to become unavailable (a fire; a burst water pipe; a plague of locusts). Renter’s insurance is usually inexpensive and can provide immediate assistance in a time of crisis.
Your personal property may be covered by your family’s homeowner’s insurance policy. For students in school under a specified age, some insurance policies provide coverage similar to renter’s insurance benefits. Check with your family, then make an appointment with Student Legal Services to review your insurance contract(s).
Some landlords require or offer tenant’s liability insurance. Liability insurance tends to be exclusively for the benefit of the landlord and does not provide any protection for the tenant’s personal property. Student Legal Services recommends that you get your own insurance policy coverage to make sure that YOU are covered.