You have requested quotes, carried out a comparison between them, and purchased a renter’s insurance policy at the best rate. This is not all; there are additional steps you may be required to take, such as providing evidence of insurance to your landlord.
But what does this imply, and what does evidence of renters insurance look like? Can a homeowner truly request for verification or a policy copy? This article will address all of it.
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What Is Proof Of Renters Insurance
Evidence of renter insurance is a document from your insurance provider that confirms you possess an active policy. As the name implies, it administers as evidence that you have bought protection. In Canada, it is common for homeowners and property management firms to require this before you relocate or renew a lease.
Typically, evidence of renters insurance will comprise of:
- Your complete name
- Your address, including suite number (if applicable).
- Insurer’s name
- The effective date of the policy
- The expiry date of the policy
- Kind of policy
- Kinds of protections and caps
Providers will typically need temporary evidence of insurance after purchasing a policy while the official documents are being processed, which can take several working days. While several homeowners may approve this temporary evidence, if your relocation is based on providing this documentation, it is often a good idea to purchase tenant insurance some days in advance of the time you need it.
What Counts As Evidence Of Renter’s Insurance?
Contrary to auto insurance, which commonly identifies a pink slip as evidence of insurance across Canada, evidence of renters insurance is less definitive. What one landlord or property management firm approves as evidence may vary from the next.
Hence, in several cases, the following documents will be counted as evidence of renters insurance:
- Your policy summary page is usually the first page of your policy documents.
- Certificate of Insurance (COI)
- Letter from your insurance giver
Whether a digital copy, screenshot or printed documents will fulfill the conditions can differ, so inquire from your landlord what they consider approved evidence to prevent any problems.
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How To Obtain Proof Of Renter’s Insurance
The quickest and simplest method to obtain evidence of renters insurance is by logging into your account on your insurance provider’s webpage or mobile app, if obtainable. Seek your tenant insurance policy or a part labeled “Documents”; this is where you will automatically find what you require.
Once found, save a digital copy or print it out for future reference. If you are using your policy’s summary page as evidence, you may not need to attach the complete document unless it is specifically required in your rental agreement.
Providing only the relevant details helps retain your privacy while still meeting your landlord’s requirements.
The Landlord Requesting For Evidence Of Insurance
The landlord may require evidence of renters insurance if it is specified as a condition in your rental agreement. By signing the lease, you are contractually responsible for satisfying the conditions highlighted, which include providing evidence of protection if requested.
Typically, the landlord will request that you offer evidence of renters insurance before or shortly after relocating, and most times again, at the period of your rent renewal.
Based on Tribunals Ontario, which the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) falls under, “Tenants can be needed to offer evidence of insurance if the landlord and tenant accepted to it in the tenancy consensus. Whether the entire policy is necessary or if alternative options are available will be determined by what the parties have agreed to in their tenancy agreement.
This is also applied to renters in Quebec. Hence, landlords in Quebec cannot include a clause in the rental conditions, as this would be regarded as unfair under the Civil Code of Quebec. What they can do, under specific requirements, is present the clause at the period of your rent renewal.
