As renters typically have lower incomes, less wealth, and lower financial health than homeowners, the difficulties have a compounding effect. “Those living in high-loss states were more frequently financially vulnerable than residents of low-loss states.”įollowing a disaster, renters are not responsible for financing repairs to the building where they live, but still need to replace or repair belongings that are damaged or destroyed. “Losses from natural disasters are an equity issue,” the study’s authors write. The losses are incurred by flooding, hurricanes, landslides, and wildfires, among other unusual weather events, such as tornadoes. States with higher-than-average annual losses include California, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, according to the Financial Health Network. “Some consumers prefer not to purchase insurance, especially if they are unaware of their risks or perceive their risks to be manageable.”Īsked why they choose not to purchase renters insurance, more than one in three polled said the cost was “too expensive” and they felt they had “no need for it,” according to the Financial Health Network. “The cost of insurance products can act as a barrier,” the researchers found. Only about 40 percent of rental households purchase renters insurance, according to a 2022 report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies by Harvard University, compared with 88 percent of homeowners who purchase coverage, according to a 2023 study by the Insurance Information Institute.Ī new analysis from the nonprofit Financial Health Network has found that the uneven distribution of insurance coverage tends to leave low-income households lacking policies, especially in states that have experienced the greatest losses due to climate disaster. That number’s based on a policy for a hypothetical 30-year-old with $30,000 in personal property coverage, $100,000 in liability coverage and a $500 deductible, but coverage rates vary widely by state and policy choices. The average cost of a renters insurance policy in 2023 was $148 per year, or about $12 per month, according to the most recent analysis by NerdWallet. My youngest cried every night and begged to go home.”Įven though she had trained to handle insurance claims, Klamm found the process of re-acquiring possessions, communicating with the insurance company, and rebuilding her life grueling - and that's with a policy in place. “When I wasn’t driving or at work, I was working on the claim or shopping. Replacing the bare necessities is “all-consuming and exhausting,” Klamm recalls, of the days after the firestorm. While homeowners tend to have more financial stability, renters more often face the burden of losses without a financial cushion, she said.įor those who do acquire a policy ahead of time, which Klamm encourages, fire and many other “catastrophic events” are typically covered to a point, but most policies still exclude earthquakes and floods. In the wake of subsequent fires, including wildfires in California and other states, Klamm offers assistance to policyholders on recovering funds. By the time I was leaving, one was engulfed in flames.” We got a few things - our dog, one of our three cats, the kids. “I loaded my 3-year-old and not-quite-6-year-old into the back of the car. Then it quickly became black,” she said, of that year. “The sky went from being a reddish color to the sun looking bloodied. Linda Klamm, who works as an attorney for insurance policyholders after catastrophes, lost her home to a firestorm in Oakland, California, in 1991, and has firsthand experience with the challenges of collecting on a policy. But many choose not to purchase coverage, including in places most frequently and hardest hit by natural disasters, new research shows. NEW YORK (AP) - When the unexpected happens - whether fire, hail, or human error - renters insurance can provide much-needed stability.
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