Tools & Resources - 'Renters Clarity'

Storage coverage scenario tool

Illustration only. This does simple arithmetic with the numbers you type. It does not know your policy and cannot predict what an insurer will pay. It assumes the cause of loss is covered and that no special limit (such as for jewelry or electronics) applies. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent or saved.

Additional living expenses scenario tool

Illustration only. Policies pay for an increase in living expenses that the policy itself defines, for a covered cause of loss, and the policy decides which costs count. This tool only does arithmetic with the numbers you type. It does not know your policy and cannot predict what an insurer will pay. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent or saved.

Renters insurance claim preparation checklist

General information, not advice. This checklist is built from duties found in three specific policy forms and from regulator guidance. Your policy may ask for more, less or something different, and its wording controls. Items marked “In the forms we read” appear in all three; items marked “Practical suggestion” do not come from those forms. Nothing you enter is sent or saved; it stays in this page unless you download or print it.

Insurer

Claim number

Date of loss

First steps Practical suggestion Find your policy number, your declarations page and your insurer’s claim contact information. In the forms we read If property is still at risk, take reasonable steps to protect it from further damage, and keep a record of what you spend on repairs. In the forms we read If something was stolen, report it to the police and ask for the report number. (The forms differ on the exact wording and timing.) In the forms we read If a credit, debit or bank transfer card was lost or misused, notify the card company or bank. Practical suggestion Take photos or video of the damage before cleanup, where it is safe to do so. Practical suggestion Do not throw away damaged items until you know whether the insurer wants to see them. The forms we read allow the insurer to ask to see damaged property.

Contact the insurer In the forms we read Give your insurer or agent notice of the loss promptly. Check the notice wording and any deadline in your own policy. Practical suggestion Write down the date, time, method, person’s name and claim number every time you speak with the insurer. Practical suggestion Ask the insurer in writing which documents it wants from you.

Document what you lost In the forms we read List each damaged or stolen item with quantity, description, value and amount of loss. The forms we read use the terms actual cash value or cost; check your policy for what it asks. In the forms we read Gather bills, receipts and related documents that support the values. Two of the forms ask you to attach them to your inventory; the third asks for them on request. If you do not have receipts, see our guide to claims without receipts when it is published. In the forms we read Keep receipts for any extra living expenses if you must live elsewhere. Practical suggestion Where practical, keep damaged items separate from undamaged ones. One of the three forms asks for this.

Cooperate and keep records In the forms we read Provide records and documents the insurer reasonably requests, and keep copies of everything you send. In the forms we read Be prepared to show the damaged property when asked. In the forms we read Find the proof-of-loss provision in your policy and write down its deadline. In the three forms we read the clock starts at different points.

If you disagree with the result Practical suggestion Ask the insurer for its reasons in writing and keep its letters. Practical suggestion Look up the time limit for legal action in your policy; the forms we read differ. Practical suggestion If you cannot resolve it with the insurer, find your state insurance department and ask how to file a complaint. State processes differ.

Notes (stay on this page; included if you download or print)

Home inventory worksheet

Everything stays on this page. Nothing you type is sent, stored or saved by this site, and it is lost when you close or reload the page, so download your list when you are done. Keep the file somewhere other than your home, such as a cloud account or with a relative. Values are your own estimates; insurers decide how items are valued under your policy.

Deductible example calculator

Illustration only. This tool subtracts a deductible from a loss amount you type in. It cannot tell whether a loss is covered or what an insurer will pay. Nothing you type leaves your browser.