What renters insurance covers in Florida, and what it doesn't

What the landlord's policy leaves out

Palm Beach County's consumer affairs office puts it plainly for tenants: the landlord's insurance won't pay for your losses. It covers the structure the landlord owns. When a pipe bursts upstairs and soaks your sofa, or a break-in takes your TV, that loss is yours unless you insured it.

Furnished rentals are no exception. The owner's policy covers the owner's furniture, not your clothes or the guest who trips on your rug.

The three parts of a renters policy

The state's consumer guide describes additional living expenses as paying the amount above your usual costs while you're displaced, typically on a reimbursement basis. Rent you no longer owe on the damaged home doesn't count as an extra cost. A hotel bill on top of your usual rent does.

The flood gap

Renters policies exclude flood, meaning rising water from outside: storm surge, an overflowing canal, a street that turns into a lake. Most also exclude water that backs up through drains and sewers unless you add an endorsement for it.

The National Flood Insurance Program sells contents-only coverage to renters in participating communities, up to $100,000, with a $2,500 limit on valuables like art and jewelry. There is generally a 30-day wait before it takes effect, so a policy bought when the storm forms won't cover that storm. Ground-floor and garden apartments are where this matters most. More in flood zones for renters.

Replacement cost or actual cash value

Actual cash value pays what your things were worth used, after depreciation. Replacement cost pays what it takes to buy new ones. The difference is often large for electronics and furniture.

Hurricane deductibles, in dollars

Many Florida policies carry a separate hurricane deductible, larger than the all-other-perils one. Section 627.701 requires the insurer to show the hurricane deductible's dollar value on the declarations page, so look there rather than at a percentage. Under the same statute, the hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year for losses from hurricanes with the same insurer.

After a loss

1. 1

   Step 1: Make it safe and stop more damage

   Your policy likely requires reasonable emergency steps, like a tarp over a broken window. Keep the receipts.

2. 2

   Step 2: Photograph everything before cleaning up

   Don't throw out damaged items until the adjuster has seen them or told you it's fine.

3. 3

   Step 3: Tell your landlord in writing

   Building repairs are theirs. Your belongings are yours to claim.

4. 4

   Step 4: Give notice of the claim

   Section 627.70132 bars a claim unless notice reaches the insurer within one year of the loss. A supplemental claim has 18 months.

An inventory made before anything happens makes every step faster. A slow video walk through each room, opening closets and drawers, is enough for most people.