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As the property manager or landlord, you have many responsibilities. One of them is to have a safe environment for tenants to live in. If something happens to the building, your landlord's insurance will cover you. However, the coverage doesn't extend to the tenants in Kansas. Instead, they would need renters insurance to protect their personal property.
Learning about Kansas renters insurance will help you decide if it's wise to require it of your tenants. In most cases, it will be. However, you need to know everything you can so that you're prepared to answer questions from the renters.
What Is Kansas Renters Insurance?
You might be wondering what renters insurance is. This coverage protects tenants from many unexpected events, which are called covered perils.
Typically, Kansas renters insurance covers personal property, liability, and additional living expenses. It's usually broad enough to deal with many situations.
However, tenants must understand the coverage options available before they invest. The Kansas Insurance Department explains the differences between renters and homeowners insurance here. It might be helpful to read through it and direct tenants to the article, as well.
Average Cost of Renters Insurance in Kansas Per Year
In Kansas, the average cost of renters insurance will likely be about $227. However, the national average is only $206. Therefore, it's a bit more expensive to get coverage in this state. Many factors come into play here, such as where in the state the tenant lives, how much coverage they need, and more.
How Much Does Kansas Renters Insurance Cost (Based on Popular Cities)?
While the national average might be $206, most people will pay higher Kansas renters insurance rates. According to ValuePenguin, here are the numbers for a few popular cities:
- Wichita - $218/year
- Topeka - $221/year
- Manhattan - $219/year
- Kansas City - $221/year
- Junction City - $217/year
- Dodge City - $215/year
- Andover - $223/year
Is Renters Insurance Required in Kansas?
You might be wondering: Is Kansas renters insurance required? State law doesn't demand that tenants get it. However, landlords can mandate it in the lease agreement.
It's wise for you to require renters insurance. Likewise, you can direct people to the Kansas Insurance Department to learn more about it. Tenants will discover what it covers, how to make claims, and much more.
What Does Renters Insurance Cover in Kansas?
Kansas is a great place to live, but it is prone to various natural disasters. These include wildfires, earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes. Most renters insurance companies will not protect against these things, so tenants might need to get endorsements or separate policies to deal with them.
Overall, here are the things renters insurance covers in Kansas:
Personal Property Coverage
Personal property coverage is generally defined as furniture, clothing, kitchen items, and any other personal belongings, such as jewelry, laptops, and bicycles. Tenants should be diligent and ask about restrictions or exclusions. For example, high-value items and unique things might not automatically be covered in a basic insurance policy.
Medical Payments
This category is designed to pay out small claims if someone is injured in the tenant's unit and sues for bodily injury or hospital damages. Tenants don't want to pay out of pocket, so it's wise to consider enough coverage in this section.
Loss of Use
Additional living expenses can be a huge benefit. If the apartment or home is uninhabitable after a covered loss, the tenant might not be able to live there. They can get reimbursed for food and temporary housing during this time.
Personal Liability Coverage
Liability coverage will protect the tenant from another business or person claiming they are liable for an injury or accident. It defends them when someone wants payment for property damage or bodily injury. There are many limits available, so it's wise to go with the higher one to cover almost any situation.
What Does Renters Insurance in Kansas NOT Cover?
Though renters insurance companies will offer basic coverage options, they might not protect tenants in these situations:
- Damages Over the Policy Limits - Coverage limits will determine how much the policy pays. Once that number is reached (after the deductible is paid), the tenant will have to use their own money.
- Unscheduled Valuables Damage - High-cost items, such as electronics and jewelry, might not be covered under the basic policy. Most companies want them to be scheduled separately at an additional cost.
- Damage from Non-covered Events - Some events won't be covered by the policy, such as flooding and earthquake damage. Therefore, tenants might need separate policies or endorsements to protect them if they live in earthquake- or flood-prone areas.
How to Choose the Right Policy
Each renters insurance company has a similar basic policy available. However, it's up to the tenant to ensure it's enough to cover their personal property.
When choosing renters insurance policies, tenants should focus on these things:
- Cost - While tenants probably wish to keep the price low, they should focus on optional coverages that protect them as much as possible.
- Coverage Options - Additional coverage is often needed, especially if tenants have many high-cost items.
- Customer Satisfaction - The company should have a great customer service team available to help file claims and answer questions.
Available Discounts in Kansas
All renters insurance companies offer discounts, but they vary based on the insurer. Here are the common options:
- Autopay discounts
- Retired senior discounts
- Paperless discounts
- Pay-in-full discount
- Bundling discount
- No claims discount
- Protective devices discount (security systems, fire alarms, etc.)
- Non-smoker discounts
- Deductible choice discounts (a higher deductible can mean a lower premium each month)
How Does a Renters Insurance Policy Protect the Landlord or Property Manager?
Requiring renters insurance policies in the lease agreement is a great way to protect yourself. However, you might wonder how it works since you aren't the one purchasing the policy.
Here are the ways you might benefit by requiring renters insurance:
- If a guest gets hurt in the tenant's home, they could sue you for bodily injury and damages. However, the tenant's coverage will kick in if they have renters insurance.
- If a tenant's personal property is damaged, and they have no renters insurance, you could be held liable. This means you're paying for repairs and replacements.
- You can allow pets without fear if tenants have a renters policy. It often extends to the animals, so it will offer liability and personal property protection. However, tenants should check and be sure that the policy covers their animals because it might not.
- If the tenant doesn't have a renters policy, you could be hit with damage and liability claims. This might mean your insurance premiums go up. Plus, if you have many claims, the provider might cancel your landlord's insurance altogether!
Top 5 Best Cheapest Renters Insurance Companies in Kansas
Tenants often focus solely on the cheapest renters insurance companies. The ones listed below are reputable, which means you can feel confident renting to them. Let's check them out now!
1. SURE Renters Insurance
SURE is one of the best renters insurance companies available. The coverage is backed by Assurant, which means tenants often get the best price based on their needs.
Overall, this insurance company provides loss of use, personal property, personal liability, identity theft, replacement cost, and sewage/drain backup coverage. Plus, tenants can get instant quotes, buy online, and create a plan that meets their needs.
2. Nationwide Renters Insurance
If tenants want the best cheap renters insurance company, Nationwide coverage might be ideal. It's excellent for those with less personal property.
Overall, Nationwide features a tool to help tenants create their inventories to help them get the right amount of coverage. Plus, they can choose between actual cash value and replacement cost coverage. The latter costs more, but it will replace damaged items at the current market price instead of factoring in depreciation.
3. Allstate Renters Insurance
Allstate isn't a cheap renters insurance company because the cost is similar to the national average. However, tenants who bundle auto insurance with it might pay about $4 per month for the renters insurance policy.
Plus, Allstate has state-of-the-art mobile technology. Its mobile app makes it easy for customers to compare coverages, access policy information, and make claims with ease.
Ultimately, the Allstate website has tons of educational tools, as well. This means tenants can get information with ease and learn more about how renters insurance works and why they need it.
4. Liberty Mutual Renters Insurance
Liberty Mutual could be the best renters insurance company for those who need various coverage options. In fact, tenants can choose what they need and will only pay for the coverage they require. For example, tenants can get blanket jewelry coverage without deductibles and upfront appraisals. Alternatively, they can insure each piece of jewelry separately, depending on their preferences.
Whenever claims are necessary, the online platform at Liberty Mutual makes it easy to deal with. Plus, tenants can make changes and review their coverages when needed.
5. State Farm Renters Insurance
State Farm could also be the best renters insurance company for those in Kansas. However, it's important to note that many consumers find that its claims department isn't ideal. There are more complaints about this provider than other competitors.
Overall, State Farm offers many coverage options, policy limits, and endorsements. This will help tenants get what they need. If they're focused more on their budgets, they can still keep costs low.
What Is DoorLoop?
The thought of tenants purchasing renters insurance might be a little confusing to you, but you've learned how it can be beneficial. Now, you'll want a way to keep track of everything. DoorLoop is an all-in-one property management software option for all landlords. Whether they manage mixed-use, commercial, or residential portfolios, they can use it to:
- Build a free, custom website to help market their vacancies through Trulia and Zillow and allow tenants to apply online.
- Manage their accounting tasks.
- Offer an online tenant portal.
- Manage maintenance requests online, which reduces calls and texts from tenants.
- Collect rent automatically.
- Manage their rental portfolios with ease.
Are you interested in learning more about DoorLoop? Do you wish to schedule a demo? Get started today!
Why Work with DoorLoop
It's easy to require tenants to buy a renters insurance policy with DoorLoop. They can submit companies themselves, but it's also easy for them to apply directly on the tenant portal or through the application. It's all powered by SURE in Kansas! Learn more about it today!
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