Renters insurance checkup: 12 things to verify
Built from the same forms the rest of this site quotes. Work through it once, now, while nothing is on fire.
Most people read their policy for the first time during a claim. This checklist takes ten minutes and covers the twelve things that decide whether a claim is paid — four numbers, three exclusions, three sub-limits, and two deadlines.
The four numbers
The three exclusions that decide most claims
The limits people hit without knowing
The deadlines
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Why these twelve
They are the points where our clause research kept finding the same failure: someone assumed the headline answer applied, when the form had a carve-back, a sub-limit, or a separate deductible. Each item below maps to a clause we have quoted on this site.
| Item | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Water backup endorsement | Water damage exclusion 2(c), which removes backup from cover |
| Mold sub-limit | Fungi exclusion 11 plus additional coverage 9 — the cap, not a blanket denial |
| Jewelry theft limit | Special limits: $1,500 per article, $3,000 aggregate on the form we read |
| Loss of use | Coverage D, capped at 12 months on the form we read |
Found a gap in your policy?The next question is usually whether the denial you got was right.
Read the denial guideFrequently asked
Will this tell me if I am covered?
No. It tells you which questions to ask of your own policy. Coverage depends on your form, your endorsements and the facts of the loss.
Do I need to print it?
It helps. The print view strips the navigation and keeps the checkboxes, so you can work through it next to your declarations page.
Is my progress saved?
In this browser only, on this device. We do not receive it, and there is no account.
Sources
- Form Safeco HO-4, form CHO-6004/EP 10/99 — exclusions 2 and 11; additional coverage 9; coverage D; special limits
- Form Mercury HO-4 — exclusion 3