Pets and renters insurance: Why you need it

If you’re renting, you likely share your space with a four-legged friend — the vast majority of renters (72 percent) are pet owners, according to the Humane Society. Renters insurance and pet insurance can both help protect your hard-earned money, but they work in different ways. A renters insurance policy can help if your pet injures someone else, while pet insurance can help with your pet’s injuries and medical expenses. 

Does renters insurance cover pets?

Renters who are pet owners may want to consider having a pet health insurance policy and a renters insurance policy that includes pet liability coverage. Each policy is designed to cover different scenarios and has its own specific inclusions and exclusions.

Unlike homeowners, renters are not financially responsible for the actual structure of a rented property — that will be covered by the landlord’s policy. A renters insurance policy includes coverage for your personal property and liability exposure if you rent a home or apartment. 

Having a pet increases liability exposure. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year. If you have a pet and it injures someone — by biting them, scratching them, knocking them over, etc. — you could be financially responsible for the injured person’s medical expenses. Depending on your specific renters insurance policy, your medical payments coverage and liability coverage might help you pay these expenses.

It’s slightly more complicated when it comes to property damage. Whether or not pet-caused property damage is covered by renters insurance mainly boils down to whose property it is: 

• Landlord property (walls, floors, appliances): If your new puppy scratches up your apartment’s wood floors, you wouldn’t file a claim with your renter’s insurance. But, your landlord could take those repair costs out of a security deposit when you move out.
• Tenant property (furniture, clothes, other belongings): If your pet chews through your couch, you likely won’t be able to file a claim. But, you may be able to if your pet causes a covered policy peril. If your cat bumps one of your stove burners and starts a fire, the damage that fire causes could be covered by your renters insurance, as fire is typically a covered loss.
• Guest or neighbor’s property: If your dog or cat damages someone else’s property, it could be covered under the property damage liability portion of your renters insurance. But, you’ll need to read your policy to make sure.

What does pet insurance cover?

Pet insurance is essentially health insurance for pets and can help ease the burden of expensive treatments. While coverage options and deductible amounts vary, many plans do not cover pre-existing conditions or routine veterinary visits. Other plans may cover alternative care, such as acupuncture and chiropractic visits. You may have the option to add dental care, x-rays and other medical procedures to the list of covered expenses on a pet care policy for an added premium.

Many pet owners are curious if pet insurance is required to rent a property. Although your landlord may require you to carry renters insurance, the choice to purchase pet insurance is a personal one. A pet insurance policy helps pay for medical bills should your pet become sick or hospitalized. Pet coverage may not be available for all types of pets, though. It is most commonly offered for dogs and cats, although some specialty companies may offer coverage for other types of pets.

How can renters insurance protect you and your pet?

If your pet injures someone, you could be held liable for the injured party’s medical bills. This is where the liability coverage on your renters insurance may step in. Liability coverage is standard on a renters insurance policy and helps pay for medical expenses if a guest sustains injuries in your home. Typically, the liability limit on a renters policy will range from $100,000 to $300,000, but you should check your policy to determine your specified limit. Your lease may also dictate how much liability coverage you need. 

You might wonder if your renters insurance covers pet damage. The answer is usually no; your renters policy will typically not provide coverage for damage your pet causes to your personal property. Additionally, if your pet causes damage to the property you are renting, that is usually not covered under your policy. Instead, your landlord’s policy is likely to cover such damage.

If you’re a renter with a pet, it’s essential to let your insurance company know about the animals you have in your home. If your insurance company doesn’t know about a pet in your household and that pet causes injuries, your company could deny your claim. Also, many companies exclude certain breeds of dogs, and exotic animals (such as reptiles and ferrets) are not usually covered.

The cost of renters insurance

The price of a renters insurance policy depends on numerous factors, including how much coverage you choose, your marital status, your credit-based insurance score and where you’re renting. The average premium for a renters insurance policy in the United States is $170 per year, or about $14 per month, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I).

Having a pet could increase the cost of renters insurance. Because a pet adds to your liability exposure, your insurance company may charge you a higher premium to offset that risk.

Renters insurance is not required by law, but you may have to carry a policy as a requirement of your lease agreement. Even if you are not required to have coverage, you may still want to purchase renters insurance. Triple-I found that the average liability claim resulting from pet injuries was $58,545 in 2023. For many people, an out-of-pocket expense of this magnitude would be financially devastating; Bankrate’s Emergency Savings Report found that more than one in four (27 percent) of U.S. adults have no emergency savings, and only 44 percent of U.S. adults would pay an emergency expense of $1,000 or more from their savings. A renters policy may provide you with financial peace of mind.

What pet coverage is not included in a renters insurance policy?

The pet damage and liability coverage in a renters policy may not cover you for certain incidents or for damage or injuries caused by certain dog breeds. Specifically, your renters policy liability limits may be significantly reduced or not applicable at all if you have a restricted breed. You may want to consider purchasing pet liability insurance for renters to provide extra coverage. 

Pet liability insurance

A pet liability policy gives you liability coverage that your renters insurance may not include, such as coverage for dogs with a history of aggression, off-duty police dogs or extended coverage for incidents that occur away from home.

If your dog has bitten someone, insurers will likely consider it to be more of a risk, regardless of the breed. Even if your dog has never bitten or attacked anyone, if the breed is deemed dangerous or risky, it could be difficult to find coverage.

Certain dog breeds may require more insurance

Although every dog has its own personality and the likelihood of biting someone depends greatly on training, some breeds are unfortunately viewed as having more aggressive tendencies or being at a greater risk of causing injury than others.

The list of breeds below comes, in large part, from a study of fatal dog bites commissioned in 2000 by the U.S. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. The study lasted for 19 years and found that there were about 12 dog-bite fatalities per year, and 50 percent of those involved pit bulls, Rottweilers or combinations of those breeds. The study also found that male dogs were more likely to fatally bite someone and that neutered dogs were less likely to attack than sexually intact dogs.

Each insurance company has its own underwriting regulations for renters insurance. Dog restrictions are common, however, and you could find that your company may exclude the following breeds:

• Akita
• American Staffordshire terrier
• Chow chow
• Doberman pinscher
• German shepherd
• Great Dane
• Husky or malamute
• Mastiff
• Pitbull
• Presa Canario
• Rhodesian ridgeback
• Rottweiler
• Saint Bernard
• Wolf-dog hybrids

If you own one of these breeds, experts recommend informing your carrier. You may still be able to purchase insurance, but there may be a surcharge. If your insurance provider does not offer coverage for your dog breed, you may want to seek out a company that does not use a dog’s breed to determine eligibility. If your dog has a history of aggression, you may only be able to find coverage with a high-risk carrier.

Frequently asked questions

• Do I have to let my insurance company know I have a pet?

  It is important to let your property insurance company know you have a pet, even if it is not a high-risk dog, to avoid gaps in your coverage. Although certain dog breeds may be a primary concern of insurance companies, other animals can cause damage that an insurer may have to pay for if you file a claim (cats could scratch a guest, for example). If you do not disclose that you have a pet, an insurance company could deny a claim due to misrepresentation, which could impact your ability to find future coverage. With insurance, it’s always best to be honest and forthcoming when setting up your policy.

• If my pet injures someone, will my insurance go up?

  Any kind of insurance, whether it’s home, auto or renters, will usually become more expensive after you file a claim. This is because an insurance company views a claim as an indication that such an event could happen again. You are charged more to compensate for that increased risk. If the injuries are severe enough, your insurance company may choose to cancel your policy. If your policy has been canceled due to a pet injury claim, you will likely have trouble finding a company willing to extend coverage to your pet, or you might pay more for coverage from a new carrier.

• Can you claim pet damage on renters insurance?

  It depends. If your pet directly damages your property, it likely won’t be covered by your renters insurance policy. Pet damage is usually only covered by renters insurance if it triggers a covered loss (aka a covered policy peril). For instance, if your dog chews through wiring that sparks an electrical fire, the resulting fire damage to your personal property will likely be covered.

• Does renters insurance cover pet urine?

  Your personal belongings usually aren’t covered for pet urine damage by a renters insurance policy. However, if pet urine damages the parts of your apartment covered by a landlord policy like floors, carpet, walls and appliances, you could be penalized for that damage when you move out.