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Does renters insurance cover damage from pets?

I live in a rented apartment and my dog just had a major accident on the carpet. Does renters insurance cover damage from pets?

avatar
Bonnie Stinson · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Uh oh, Fido. Sorry about your carpet! Unfortunately, renters insurance does not cover damage from your pets to your possessions.
Renters insurance
only protects your personal property from explicitly-named
covered perils
, like fire and theft. Your canine companions (even though they’re very fierce) do not count as a covered peril under your renters insurance policy.
Tenants are responsible for the damage their pets do to their property, from ripped-up shoes to swallowed-up jewelry. Pee (or worse) on the carpet is a small price to pay for the privilege of their cute little face, we suppose.
There are a few situations, though, where your renters insurance covers damage from pets:
  • The damage was done to someone else’s property: If your dog peed on a friend’s carpet, the liability portion of your renters insurance policy might kick in to cover repair costs.
  • Your dog bit someone: If your dog bites someone—on or off your property—the liability and medical payments portions of your renters policy may cover you. However, your insurer needs to know about your pet before the incident.
If you need help finding savings on your renters policy, just use
Jerry
. You’ll get access to dozens of competitive quotes and a team of knowledgeable, friendly agents here to answer all your questions.
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