Does renters insurance cover fire damage?

Did you forget to turn off your curling iron before going to work, or did your cat decide to swat your three-wick gardenia candle onto your living room carpet while you were cooking dinner? Rest assured, there is a good chance that renters insurance protects you and your valuables from fire damage to your property.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the usual fire coverage in a renters insurance policy, the typical coverage limits, as well as how to file a claim.

Does renters insurance cover fire damage?

There are many different reasons why a fire could start in your home including natural disasters,  electrical issues, and even accidents in the kitchen. If the fire does not occur due to other outside events such as a windstorm, vandalism, then you may have to file a different type of claim in the case of smoke damage or fire damages. However, renters insurance typically covers all damage caused by an accidental fire.

When doesn’t renters insurance cover fire damage? 

As long as a fire wasn’t started on purpose, renter’s insurance covers the subsequent damage caused to your personal belongings by smoke and fire.

Take note – any damage accrued on the “bones” of the apartment (e.g. walls, floors) will not be covered by renters insurance, as that covered loss will go back to your landlord or property management company. In other words, the items covered by your renters insurance company will be your personal property, whereas the physical space of your rental unit will be covered by your landlord’s insurance or security deposit insurance.

What is covered by my renters insurance and how much is covered? 

While personal property coverage is for your expensive items such as electronics, clothing, and furniture, liability protection is for a bodily injury that occurs in a policyholder’s rental home, whether the incident impacts you or a visitor.  When dealing with property loss because of fire or smoke damage, you’ll be using the personal property coverage section of your policy as opposed to the liability coverage (which is used to cover legal costs and/or court fees). 

The items covered by your insurance policy usually fall into categories including: 

• Jewelry and watches

• Electronics

• Plants

• Money

• Kitchen appliances 

• And more

Most categories will have a total limit, and the limit amounts can range depending on the categories within the renters insurance coverage policy (anywhere from $200 to $1,500 for electronics or high-end collectibles) but of course there are exclusions. Floater items are those specified at a certain value within the policy, for those items you can file a claim up to each item’s limit.

How do I file a claim?

Dealing with fires and smoke property damage can be very stressful and the most important step is to make sure that all parties involved are physically safe. 

After that, as soon as you're able to file an insurance claim, the better. You can reach out via your renters insurance company’s customer service numbers, mobile apps or directly to your insurance agent. 

1. Tell your landlord about the damage

2. File a police report

3. File of a “proof of loss” form with your insurance company

4. Take inventory of all damaged personal belongings - except your car as any damage to that would be handled by car insurance. 

5. Once the claim is closed, update your personal possession inventory

Pro tip: It’s always helpful to take note of belongings at the time that you first start your insurance policy, that will decrease your work at the time of the incident and it always helps to take note of the important items in your home. Also, making sure that your apartment is compliant with any safety requirements, such as up-to-date smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, will ensure that you can prevent a fire if possible, or at the very least provide proof that you were unable to utilize all of the stop-gaps available.

Did the fire damage make your home unlivable? 

Within most policies will be a loss-of-use coverage section that provides for reimbursement of accommodations necessary if you can’t stay in your home, as well as additional living expenses. Typically policies up to $5,000 are for hotel rooms and groceries you need to buy. If you’re dealing with extreme damage to the property that makes it unlivable long-term, your loss of use coverage will also provide reimbursements on emergency housing so that you’ll be set for months.

Unfortunately, many fire damage insurance policies do not pay for medical expenses. So while you might be able to pay for temporary housing, legal fees, and at the very least the actual cash value (i.e. original amount you paid) of your personal property, you will likely need to tap into your health insurance coverage or pay out of pocket for any medical bills related to fire/smoke.

Dealing with fire damage in your home can be incredibly stressful but it’s helpful to know that those damages to your possessions, and its temporary impedance on living in your home, are covered by your renter’s insurance. If you’re a Rhino renter, there’s a chance you recently added renters insurance to your renewed or new security deposit insurance policy. So you can rest assured you’re covered. Learn more about Rhino products today.  

KT Heins-Nagamoto

KT Heins-Nagamoto is a senior brand writer at Rhino. They advocate for security deposit alternatives and renter rights in everything they write.