Lease rules
Can my landlord require renters insurance?
Yes, in most states a lease can require renters insurance - and it's one of the few lease requirements that mostly protects you.
Requiring liability coverage (commonly $100,000) is legal in most states and increasingly standard. The landlord's property policy never covers your belongings, so the requirement pushes you toward coverage you likely need anyway - typically $10-25 a month.
Two things to check: being listed as an 'interested party' (fine - they just get lapse notices) versus 'additional insured' (not standard for landlords; question it), and any requirement to buy from a specific insurer, which you can usually decline.
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General educational information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state and city and change over time - for a specific situation, contact a local tenant-rights organization.