Renters Insurance for Apartment Dwellers in Lubbock & Texas | Lubbock Insurance | Hettler Insurance Agency, Lubbock Texas

Apartment Insurance For College Students, Young Professionals and  More!

Renters Insurance for Lubbock & Texas

Renting an apartment, condo or house is an act of independence and aligns with true West Texas spirit. We now live in a renter’s economy, fueled by the desire to move frequently and effortlessly. Yet, whether you’re a modern cowboy or enjoy living affordably in the urban sprawl of Texas Tech’s campus, renters insurance is a necessary expense to your lifestyle.

Protect your personal items while you are renting. Homeowners aren’t the only ones that need insurance.

Compare Quotes from Multiple Carriers!

Although a fire, storm or other natural disaster can happen and damage your belongings, theft is the most common rental insurance claim and risk to your possessions.

Renter’s insurance often excludes coverage for earthquakes, which require a special type of insurance, intentional destruction of property, floods, and wind damage from hurricanes.

Renters insurance can also cover personal liability for you, your family and guests in your rental property. This is typically overlooked by most renters, yet should be addressed when shopping for a policy.

All of these scenarios can be covered by the liability section of a standard renter’s insurance policy. Renters insurance is broad in coverage and can help cover expenses for many scenarios, and for that reason, it’s a wise investment.

  • Medical Expenses: A party gets out of hand and a guest needs medical attention. Personal liability coverage can be added to your renters policy and is even required by many landlords.
  • Legal Expenses: Your dog bites a passerby and the individual sues you for medical expenses and trauma.
  • Accidents Off Property: Your son accidentally kicks a ball into the window of neighbor. Your renters policy can help cover the cost of the window, even though it wasn’t your property.
  • Offsite Property Incidents: Renter’s insurance can even cover items you take outside of your home, such as a cracked phone screen, but it would require a low deductible.

Renters insurance is frequently the cheapest insurance available to consumers. Most policies are priced at $100 – $300 per year for adequate coverage. The cost to insure all of your possessions plus personal liability is cheaper than insuring a car, house, your health, life and more.

  • Why is Renters Insurance Cheap?: It comes down to claims. Cars are dangerous devices and there is a much higher risk per year that you will be involved in a car accident. However, the probability of a renter’s insurance claim is minimal. It’s not to say renters insurance doesn’t cover a lot of scenarios, simply that many people don’t know what is covered and don’t report claims when losses are encountered!

It helps to shop at an independent insurance agent, like Hettler Insurance Agency, which offers renters insurance from four carriers Safeco, Travelers, ASI Lloyds, and Republic. Although renters insurance won’t differ much from carrier to carrier. Bundling renters insurance from the same umbrella or car insurance carrier is one of the biggest ways to save! For that reason, try to purchase renters and auto insurance together and use an independent agent, as car insurance rates can vastly differ from carrier to carrier.

  • Building Amenities: Gated communities, requiring an access code can lower costs. Security features including: smoke detectors, burglary alarms, deadbolt locks, and more
  • Payment: Payment upfront for the entire year vs. each month, bundled with auto insurance can yield savings.
  • Ratings: Good credit score and good grades if a student can provide a discount.
  • History: Number of years you or a roommate have rented or if you are over 55 years old, you can earn a discount!

Auto insurance is required by the state of Texas, yet renters insurance is not required by the state. However, many landlords will require proof of renters insurance during lease signing. The most common liability limits are $100,000, yet even though this may be the minimum your landlord requires, consider higher liability limits for your situation by discussing with your insurance agent. Even adding an additional $100,000 in liability for a $200,000 policy would increase the cost by only $30 – $50 a year.

  • Don’t Lie About Coverage: Forging or lying about having renters insurance when required can be a serious crime and lead to legal issues with a landlord.
  • Renters Insurance is Strongly Recommended: Even when renters insurance isn’t required, it provides coverage for many scenarios and it’s very affordable. All renters should have renters insurance, even if not required, and renters should consider higher limits.

Would you be able to replace all of your clothes, luggage or furniture in the event of a claim? There are two main distinctions between types of renters insurance and it relates to the payout in the event of a claim.

The two types of renters insurance are Actual Cash Value (ACV) and replacement cost coverage.

  • Actual Cash Value: For example, that 1992, 46 inch Sony Trinitron TV (that weighs 50 pounds) you borrowed from your parent’s for college, would receive very little with an Actual Cash Value policy. That’s because the TV has depreciated over the years and might fetch $50, even if the original cost was $1,000.
  • Replacement Cost Policy: That same TV under a replacement cost policy, would fetch the price of a new 46 inch TV, perhaps around $600. In most cases, total replacement cost coverage is a better renter’s insurance policy to own, because you could actually make an income in the event of a legitimate renters insurance claim! It will also only be slightly more expensive than an actual cash value policy in premiums.
Renters Insurance | Apartment Packing | Lubbock Insurance | Hettler Insurance Agency, Lubbock Texas

What is Renters Insurance?

Although you don’t own the house, apartment or condo you are renting, you are liable for damages that can occur to your personal belongings. Landlord’s purchase landlord protection insurance, yet this doesn’t cover the property inside their units, only the building.

The primary reason many renters purchase insurance is to protect personal belongings, and you may be surprised at how much your possessions are worth. Completing an inventory of all items in your home via video, photographs or using pen and paper will allow you to grasp the cost of your belongings.

Although you may not own many ‘big ticket items’, your furniture could be from IKEA, Walmart or even made of cardboard, it’s the little things that add up. Kitchen appliances, silverware (even if not real silver), dish towels and food gadgets can quickly become a few thousand dollars. Putting a dollar amount on the items you use every day plus several of your more expensive possessions quickly adds up to more than $20,000 for most renters.

Renters Insurance | Apartment Packing | Lubbock Insurance | Hettler Insurance Agency, Lubbock Texas
Gun Cabinet | Renters Insurance for Apartment Dwellers in Lubbock & Texas | Lubbock Insurance | Hettler Insurance Agency, Lubbock Texas

Ever heard of floaters? (no, we’re not talking about your eyesight)

Texas Sized Renter’s Policies

‘Floaters’ is the term insurance carriers use to describe renter situations with expensive and hard to replace possessions. Many Texans require a floater policy, as our love of BBQ, guns and jewelry often requires additional renter’s insurance coverage.

If you have a gun cabinet full of guns, are a collector of expensive cowboy boots or enjoy expensive jewelry, a floater policy can be a wise add on. In the event of a claim, without a floater policy, your insurance company wouldn’t replace the cost of specialty and expensive goods. The amounts could be as low as $2,000, meaning anything lost that cost more than $2,000 in a certain category of possessions wouldn’t be covered in the event of a claim.

Whether you’re a college student moving to Lubbock, TX for Texas Tech or selling your house and moving into assisted living, we have a renter’s policy for you! We work with four carriers in renters insurance, getting you the best deal and can provide advice on any renter situation. Contact us today to discuss a renters policy!

Choose Your Insurance Type!

Vehicle Insurance

Insurance protection for the vehicles that matter most to you.

– Auto Insurance – We insure thousands of cars, trucks, vans, and commercial vehicles used in all types of businesses.
– Motorcycle Insurance – Start your Motorcycle riding experience with insurance through Hettler.
– ATV and Motorsport Insurance – Does it have a key? Is it a dirt bike? We have a program to cover it.
– Classic Car Insurance – Classics and antique vehicles require special coverages. We represent a couple of different carriers to cover them.
– RV and Mobile Home Insurance – Big values traveling down the road? No problem. We handle the big risks all the time.
– Boat and Watercraft Insurance – We cover boats of all sizes.

Property Insurance

Insurance protection for the property that matters most to you.

– Homeowners Insurance – Your home is your castle. Protect your most valuable asset with quality coverage.
– Condo Insurance – Condos are a little different. Call us to get your specialized coverage!
– Renters Insurance – Fires in apartments and rental homes are way too common. Renter’s coverage is really reasonably priced.
– Landlord Protection ™ – Renting your home? Protect yourself with landlord insurance.
– Flood Insurance – You have to have a separate policy to cover flood… It can happen even here in the desert.
– Storm & Hail Insurance – Texas has had thirty-six $100,000,000 or larger disasters from severe storms in the past 25 years and more than 80% of the time, hail was to blame for the damage.
– Earthquake Insurance – Earthquakes have occurred in 39 states since 1900, and about 90% of Americans live in areas considered seismically active. Most home insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Good news, earthquake insurance can be inexpensive.

Commercial & Business Insurance

Coverage that helps protect your business

– Business Owners Policy (BOP) – Lubbock County is in the top 10 for commercial property damage due to wind, hail and dust storms; and the top 10 for commercial auto comprehensive claims due to weather; and the top 10 for lightning storm damage.
– General Liability Insurance (GL) – Insurance coverage for when you or your products hurt someone or damage property.
– Commercial Property Insurance – Coverage against Fire, Wind, Hail, and many other perils.
– Business Auto Insurance – Cover your business with insurance for commercial and business vehicles.
– Commercial Liability Insurance – also known as “general liability insurance” is a broad policy that covers a number of liability exposures of a business. Business liability insurance is often the first line of defense against lawsuits from customers, allowing an owner to protect both personal and business assets.
– Commercial Umbrella Insurance – Insurance coverage that gives an extra layer of liability protection from the rising costs of lawsuits.
– Workers’ Compensation Insurance (workers comp) – Medical bills and lost income Insurance coverage that helps you take care of injured employees.
– Cyber Security Insurance – In an era of leaked embarrassing online photos, confidential emails and digitally internet connected employees and customers, it’s no wonder businesses (of all sizes) are rushing to cover themselves with cyber liability insurance.
– Surety Bonds – Get your notary bond, your contractor’s bond, your bid bond, or your performance bond from Hettler Insurance Agency.
– Contractor’s Insurance – Many contractors operate out of the home and may not require commercial property insurance. Instead, contractors typically perform work at the customer’s location. This can be a residential home, a construction site or a commercial property.
– Builder’s Insurance – With a good Builder’s Risk policy, the structure, materials and equipment are protected from theft, vandalism and weather damage during the construction phase.

Life/Health Insurance

Insurance protection for your family’s health.

– Health Insurance – Insurance for you, your family, and your pocketbook. Uncovered medical costs can bankrupt you.
– Personal Umbrella Insurance – An umbrella policy provides additional layers of liability protection. If the liability limits are exhausted on your home, auto, or other underlying insurance policy, your umbrella insurance policy takes over and provides you with additional protection. You may need this in case of a car wreck involving a fatality, etc. For a minimal cost, you can protect your assets, and your future earnings.
– Whole Life Insurance – Life insurance coverage designed to be there for your whole life.
– Term Life Insurance – Insurance protection to help keep your family secure for a specific period of time.