If you’ve found yourself in the position of sharing a room with your roommates, you might wonder what insurance is right for you.
Roommates share a room or living space. It’s what they’re good at. If you share a home with people, you’re probably sharing a living room, kitchen, groceries, and possibly even a bedroom. This leads to the question, “can you share renters insurance with roommates in Canada?”.
The answer depends on the type of coverage, its cost, and whether or not your roommates would be willing to contribute.
Once you’ve got your plan laid out with your roommates, you can click here to get high-quality tenant insurance quotes from the experts at Surex.
How does renters insurance work?
source: nerdwallet.com
Let’s start with an overview of what renters insurance entails. Renters insurance is a type of property insurance that protects your belongings if they are damaged or stolen. It protects you from disasters such as fires, sewer backups, and explosions and provides liability coverage for accidents on your property, similar to homeowners insurance.
You’d be on the hook to replace your belongings if you didn’t have renters insurance. Be aware that your landlord’s insurance will only cover your building but not your properties.
Is renters insurance required for everyone in an apartment?
Renters insurance is a necessity if you are renting. Each roommate should have their own set of rules. This way, everyone’s belongings are covered, and you don’t have to worry about your coverage becoming more complicated.
You don’t need any mental gymnastics to figure out who is responsible for what (dividing up rent, utilities, and groceries is difficult enough). The money you’d save isn’t worth taking the chance.
Can my roommates and I share renters insurance?
Yes, you can technically share renters insurance with a roommate as long as the law and your insurance carrier agree (this isn’t always doable). But we’re going to be honest with you: sharing renters insurance with roommates isn’t a good idea.
When should you get joint renters insurance?
source: moneyunder30.com
It makes sense to share renters insurance coverage only if it’s a relative or partner. But first, double-check that your province allows it, that your insurer is on board, and that both of you are identified on the lease. Your shared renter’s insurance policy could become a shared disaster if you don’t.
If I live in a college dorm, do I need renters insurance?
You’re generally insured by your parent’s homeowners or renters insurance policy if you live in a college dorm. However, double-check to be sure. You’ll also need your renter’s insurance if you’re living off-campus because you can’t bear the thought of living in a cramped shared dorm.
How many people does a single policy cover?
Single insurance can only cover two unrelated persons, so additional housemates will need to get their policy.
There is no additional payment for adding a roommate, and your premium will not be affected. If you have valuables, you may wish to raise your coverage, but you’ll still pay less than you would alone because the premium is split.
What does the insurance policy entail?
source: lowestrates.ca
Insurance does not cover theft or willful damage to your property by a roommate, whether or not they are listed on the policy.
The payment will be made to both names if you ever have to file a claim. Even if the money only covers damage to your possessions and not your roommate’s, your roommate will still be required to co-sign the agreement.
Sharing a renter’s insurance coverage will only work if you and your roommate are pleasant and on good terms, and you are both honest enough to ensure that the claim check is sent to the correct person.
Insurance policies and laws differ from business to business, and there is no one-size-fits-all guide to understanding how, when, and where you and your roommate are covered against theft and loss if you share a policy.
If you insist on including your roommate on the insurance to save a few dollars a year rather than having everyone get their plans, keep in mind that all adults residing in the apartment who are not related must be identified in some form for coverage to be provided.
Take stock of your possessions
You should prepare an inventory of your valuables if you purchase property insurance. Take pictures and videos of your belongings so you can keep track of what you have and how much it’s worth. When you’re sharing a policy, this becomes much more crucial.
Ensure that you and your partner understand who owns what and how much of it you own. You’ll be covered on both sides this way.
Establish the appropriate property limits
source: mullerinsurance.com
Add up your amounts and make sure you have the correct level of coverage once you’ve created distinct inventories. Increase your limits if necessary so that if you have to file a claim, you will each be paid the correct amount.
Remember that the overall property restriction ($20,000, for example) does not apply to individuals. And just because you’ve added a roommate to your policy doesn’t guarantee your limits will automatically rise to cover them.
Double-check that each of you is named in the policy. Make a call to your insurance company to add your roommate to the policy, and double-check that both of you are identified on the lease.
Have a frank talk about expectations with your roommate before signing the paperwork, so you’re both on the same page.
Here are five reasons why sharing renters insurance isn’t always a good idea:
1. An increase in the premium
The first disadvantage is that your rate will increase. We don’t need to explain why that’s less than ideal, even if you have the best renters insurance for roommates.
2. Getting rid of roommates
What happens if you have renters insurance for multiple roommates and one of your roommates leaves? You must remove them from the policy and obtain a new one. So you’re on the lookout for a new roommate as well as new insurance coverage. These are a few reasons why getting your coverage is preferable.
It may appear that you are saving money, but the hassle is not worth it. Furthermore, if your roommate is responsible for paying the monthly fee and they miss a payment, you may find yourself without coverage.
3. A history of claims
source: allnevadainsurance.com
If your roommate files many claims, your rate may go up. Each claim made by your roommate is recorded in your claim history. That’s not a good sign. It’s best to keep these two things apart.
Another word of caution. If you’re added to your roommate’s policy and both of you file a claim, the insurance company will pay your roommate first, and you’ll have to divide the bill. These will not be a major concern if you trust your roommate completely.
However, this can potentially lead to a tricky scenario.
4. Distinguishing limits
You’ll also be sharing the coverage limit if you have a shared renters insurance policy. If you obtain $15,000 in property coverage, for example, it’s not $15,000 for each of you.
You’d have to collaborate to figure out how much you’ll need. And you’d most likely have various insurance requirements. One of you may have more expensive stuff, resulting in a more expensive insurance policy. Again, this has the potential to become extremely difficult very quickly.
5. Liability insurance
Liability protection is a feature of your insurance that protects you if you’re found to be at fault for an accident that occurs on your property.
If you and your roommates share renters insurance, you might be held partially liable if your roommate did anything that resulted in legal or medical charges (like their dog bites someone). These claims will be linked to you, and they will add them to your claims history once more.
