Look around your rental property. Maybe you have your BBQ on the patio, the TV in the living room, a new bedroom set, a bookshelf full of books, and your DVD collection. After you add the value of every piece of furniture, decorations, and other personal belongings that amount is probably more than you think! 

Is renter’s insurance expensive?

Actually, renter’s insurance is quite affordable. There are different insurance companies that provide renter’s insurance that can give you great coverage for just chump change daily. Geico, State Farm and AAA are a few that offer renter’s insurance. Some people may not see it as worth the expense, but it's better to pay the monthly payment and have the peace of mind that your belongings are replaceable even from theft and fire damage.

What does renter’s insurance cover?

Renter’s insurance can cover furniture, coins, firearms, jewelry and more. Of course the level of coverage varies per item and how much coverage you have chosen to pay for. This type of insurance can cover you from theft, damaged property caused by fire, lighting, hail, water damage, and more. Renter’s insurance can also cover any accidents that causes injury to people in your apartment. Wouldn’t you like to be covered if you're faced with a liability suit?

Wait, the property owner might not cover me?

Chances are, the insurance that the rental property owner has covers damages done to the building that you live in. So if there's a fire, the property owner’s insurance will cover the structure, but not your personal belongings in the structure. Definitely call your property manager to check if you need renter’s insurance. They normally recommend that residents have renter’s insurance and this is normally brought up during the move-in process.

A good way to make sure that you remember to sign up for the renter’s insurance is to add it to your to-do list while you're switching over the PG&E and cable. It's a process that can take some time, so the sooner you start the sooner you finish.

While you're trying to find the perfect rental property in Chico, Redding or the surrounding areas in Northern California, don't forget to learn about renter's insurance!