Tenant Insurance vs Landlord Insurance
The landlord's policy and the tenant's policy protect different interests. A landlord insuring the building does not automatically insure the renter's belongings or personal liability.
What the landlord's policy does not automatically do
Insurance Bureau of Canada explains that a landlord's home policy does not include a tenant's contents or personal liability. That means furniture, electronics, clothing and the tenant's own liability exposure should not be assumed to sit under the owner's policy.
What tenant insurance commonly addresses
Contents owned by the tenant, subject to the causes of loss, limits and exclusions in the policy.
Covered legal liability when the tenant is responsible for certain injury or property damage to others.
Eligible extra costs when a covered loss makes the rental temporarily unliveable.
Some risks, valuables or higher limits may need additional coverage or endorsements.
A lease can still require proof of tenant insurance
Provincial tenancy rules and the lease determine whether a renter has agreed to maintain liability insurance. The existence of landlord insurance does not remove that contractual question.
Ontario landlord requirement guide →