My Building Manager Wants to Get on My Renter’s Insurance. Is That Legal? (2024)

Real Estate|My Building Manager Wants to Get on My Renter’s Insurance. Is That Legal?

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/01/realestate/renters-insurance-building-management.html

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It depends on what kind of apartment you rent. And it may actually be a good idea.

My Building Manager Wants to Get on My Renter’s Insurance. Is That Legal? (1)

Q: I have lived in my New York rental apartment for over six years, having signed three previous two-year leases. Each lease has requested proof of renter’s insurance. With the current lease, the building management is requesting that I name them as an additional insured party. It seems as though they’re trying to pass on their insurance costs to me. Is that legal?

A: The answer depends on whether your apartment is rent stabilized, but the bottom line — and the good news — is that it doesn’t really matter, because adding the building management firm as an insured party should not increase your premium.

“We don’t charge anything to include an additional insured,” said Tamara Lanza, a State Farm agent at the Lanza Insurance Agency in Harrison, N.Y., who insures many tenants in New York City. “You would think we would because we’re taking on the exposure of another party, but oddly we do not.”

Gene Lanza, the agency’s manager, said that he asked several independent brokers who represent multiple carriers, and found that none of them charge extra to add the landlord and management agent.

As to the question of legality: If your apartment is rent-stabilized, the landlord may not modify the lease to require you to name him as an insured, said Catharine Grad, a partner at the tenants rights firm Himmelstein McConnell Gribben & Joseph.

“There are some very limited exceptions, but generally speaking, the landlord can’t start adding on or changing the terms of the lease for a renewal,” Ms. Grad said.

For market-rate apartments, there is no such restriction, and it is fairly common for landlords to require that they be named as insured parties on a renter’s policy, Ms. Grad said.

Lucas A. Ferrara, a landlord-tenant lawyer and adjunct professor at New York Law School, said that he saw “nothing unseemly or improper about a landlord requesting that its managing agent be named as an additional insured on any policy,” and that adding the landlord as an insured party could save a tenant considerable expense and headaches.

“For example, if a roommate or visitor were to slip and fall within an apartment, because of some tenant-caused condition, naming the landlord and managing agent as additional insureds would help protect them against those claims should litigation subsequently arise,” Mr. Ferrara wrote in an email.

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Andy Newmanwrites about New Yorkers facing difficult situations, including homelessness, poverty and mental illness. He has been a journalist for more than three decades. More about Andy Newman

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My Building Manager Wants to Get on My Renter’s Insurance. Is That Legal? (2024)

FAQs

My Building Manager Wants to Get on My Renter’s Insurance. Is That Legal? ›

Listing an interested party on your renters policy should have no effect on the cost of renters insurance. Adding an interested party is for informational purposes only. In some cases, a landlord or a property management company will require a renters insurance policy in your rental or lease agreement.

Why would a landlord want to be listed as additional insured? ›

To acknowledge the landlord's ownership interest in the property being insured and to provide the landlord the same type of coverage that the tenant receives, the landlord must be shown on the policy as an additional named insured.

Can my landlord force me to get renters insurance in California? ›

Unlike some other states, California landlords are allowed to require tenants to obtain and maintain renters insurance while they are under the terms of the lease.

What is an interested party on an insurance policy? ›

Team Lemonade. An interested party on a renters insurance policy is a third party, typically your landlord or property management company, that gets up-to-date info any time you change or cancel your policy.

What are the pros and cons of adding landlord as additional insured? ›

For landlords, the primary benefit of being added as an additional insured is the ability to protect themselves financially from claims that they were liable for injury or illness. The drawback, however, is that listing an additional insured may cost more.

Why does my landlord want to be named on my renters insurance? ›

Your landlord wants to make sure you have purchased insurance for liability purposes. Simply knowing that you have a renters insurance policy because you've added the landlord as an interested party may make the landlord more confident about having you as a tenant.

Should a landlord be named on renters insurance? ›

Among the most common mixups we come across are members asking to include their landlord or property management company in their policy as a named insured. But in reality, they should be added as an additional interest.

Who is responsible for purchasing renter's insurance? ›

Many landlords want tenants to be insured to help avoid potential disputes if, say, their belongings are damaged while on the property, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). If you're required to have renters insurance, it would be your responsibility to shop for and purchase coverage.

What is the new tenant protection law in California? ›

The California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 has been amended, altering rules around “no fault” evictions or termination of a residential lease agreement. As of April 2024, more details will be required if a homeowner wants to end a tenancy due to moving-in or undergoing a major remodel of the property.

Can I be evicted for not having renters insurance California? ›

Yes, you can get evicted for not having renters insurance if it is explicitly required in your lease agreement. Failing to obtain renters insurance when it's mandated can be viewed as a violation of the lease terms, potentially leading to eviction proceedings initiated by the landlord.

What is the difference between insured and interested party? ›

The 'Named Insured' is like the primary builder who uses the blueprint directly to construct a building (and claim benefits). The 'Interested Party' is like a neighbouring property owner. They don't build from the blueprint, but they care that the structure is sound because it impacts their adjacent property.

What is an interested party in law? ›

Determining who is an interested party varies by the facts of each case, however, the definition is: “Interested person” means any person who may reasonably be expected to be affected by the outcome of the particular proceeding involved.

Who is the insured party in insurance? ›

An insured is a person or organization whose life, health, or property is covered by an insurance policy. The insured's loss results in the insurer's obligation to pay the proceeds of the insurance policy. By contrast, the insurer is the party in an insurance contract that promises to pay compensation.

Do I need to add my partner to my renters insurance? ›

When you do find your best choice, make sure that both you and your partner are listed on the rental agreement. Your insurer will require this in order for you two to both be on the policy.

What does it mean to add an additional interest on renters insurance? ›

When you purchase a renters insurance policy, you have the option of naming an interested party, also known as an additional interest or party of interest. An additional interest is notified about changes to your renters insurance policy, for example, if you cancel your policy or don't renew it.

Should I add my roommate to renters insurance? ›

Your renters insurance generally won't cover your roommates' things unless they're related to you or their names are listed on your policy. Unrelated roommates should generally buy their own renters insurance. Where can my roommate and I get affordable renters insurance?

Should you add a landlord as an additional insured? ›

Whether this is appropriate will depend on the situation and type of insurance. For example, in a commercial property situation, the landlord may need to be an additional insured on the tenant's commercial general liability policy. This provides landlords with protection in case they are named in a lawsuit.

Why name a tenant as an additional insured? ›

The Idea Behind the Insurance

Hence the landlords protect themselves by adding additional insured in their general liability insurance. In this way, tenants are saved from any such claim and keep their landlords from such liabilities.

Who should be listed as additional insured? ›

Typically, an additional named insured will be someone close to the policyholder or relevant to their business dealings. For example, a co-owner, vendor, or family member are some common examples of secondary and additional named insured parties.

What is the purpose of an additional insured endorsem*nt? ›

Specifically, additional insured endorsem*nts extend coverage to a party identified by the policyholder in the event of a claim or negligent acts. These entities usually have some degree of liability due to their relationship with the named insured.

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