Does Renters Insurance Cover Pet Damage?

What Does Renters Insurance Cover?

Renters insurance typically consists of three types of coverage, including:

• Personal possessions: Pays to repair or replace your belongings, including furniture, electronics, clothing and more if they're damaged or destroyed in a fire, theft, severe storm or other incident covered by your policy.
• Personal liability: Covers you if you or someone in your household is responsible for damaging someone's property or injuring them. Your plan will pay legal fees and judgments up to the policy limit.
• Additional living expenses: Pays for expenses that exceed your standard cost of living if you can't stay in your rental property after a covered incident. For example, if your rent is $1,200 per month, and your temporary rental costs $1,500 a month, the insurer will reimburse you for the additional $300 until you can move back into your permanent residence. Reimbursable expenses may include temporary rent, hotel bills, transportation, meals and more.

Learn more: What Does Renters Insurance Cover?

Does Renters Insurance Cover Pet Damage?

Renters insurance doesn't usually cover damage your pet inflicts on your rental or possessions, although some insurers may allow you to add an endorsement to your plan that covers you. Rental insurance often covers damage your pet causes to other people's property, however.

So, if your animal tears your curtains to shreds, uses your furniture as a chew toy or damages the carpet, you'll be stuck with the bill under most standard renters insurance policies. Alternatively, if it's your best friend's favorite piece of artwork that gets destroyed, your policy may pay to replace it—as long as it doesn't exclude coverage for pets.

Does Renters Insurance Cover Dog Bites?

Renters insurance won't cover your claim if your dog bites you or someone who lives with you. However, if they bite (or otherwise injure) someone who isn't part of your household, your policy's liability coverage generally kicks in to cover the injuries—up to the policy limit—with a few exceptions.

Tip: Some insurers exclude coverage for pets. Others may exclude coverage for certain breeds and dogs that have a history of aggressive behavior, depending on what state you live in.

Supplemental Insurance to Fill in Coverage Gaps

If your renters insurance doesn't cover pets or you want higher liability limits, you have two main options for extra protection.

Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance provides excess liability coverage that kicks in when you've exhausted the limits in your renters insurance policy. Umbrella insurance is typically available in increments of $1 million and is relatively inexpensive compared to other types of insurance. Rates generally range from $150 to $300 per year for $1 million in coverage. However, the amount you'll pay depends on multiple factors, including your policy limits, claims history, credit scores (where allowed) and more.

Tip: Insurers processed nearly 23,000 dog bite claims in 2024, according to data from the Insurance Information Institute. Maintaining adequate coverage can help protect your assets in the event of a claim.

Learn more: Should I Have Umbrella Insurance?

Pet Liability Insurance

If your renters insurance excludes coverage for pets, you can purchase a separate pet liability policy to cover injuries and property damage your pet causes. Premiums start at around $10 per month and vary based on your policy limit, deductible, pet's breed and other factors. Before purchasing a plan, make sure the amount of coverage is adequate to cover a serious incident.

Does Renters Insurance Cover Harm Caused to Pets?

Renters insurance won't cover your pet's medical bills if it gets hurt or sick. For that, you need pet insurance. Pet insurance pays a portion of the vet bills after you meet your deductible if your pet needs treatment for an injury or illness. Some plans also help cover preventive care aimed at keeping your pet healthy.

The average annual cost of an accident-only pet insurance plan in 2024 was $110.03 for cats and $193.29 for dogs; the cost of an accident-plus-illness policy was $386.47 for cats and $749.29 for dogs, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. However, rates vary based on where you live; the age, breed and health of a pet; your deductible and reimbursement rate; and more.

Learn more: How Does Pet Insurance Work?

How to Avoid Pet-Related Claims

While having adequate coverage can help protect your finances if the unfortunate occurs, it's best to avoid claims in the first place. Here are a few tips to keep your pet from hurting others or damaging their property.

• Train your pet. If you're not a professional pet trainer, investing in training can be a good way to teach your pet what is and isn't acceptable.
• Keep an eye on them. Don't leave your pet alone with other people. When your pet is around people who don't live with you, pay close attention to them to prevent bad behavior before it starts.
• Wear them out. Make sure your pet gets plenty of exercise so they're too tired to get into trouble.
• Create a pet-friendly space. Whether it's a crate or gated area, creating a space where your pet can safely hang out alone can help prevent injuries and property damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Renters insurance may cover other people's injuries or property damage caused by your pet unless your policy excludes pet liability or your pet isn't covered. However, it typically won't pay for damage or injuries your pet causes to your possessions or the people living in your home.

To find a renter's insurance policy that meets your needs, shop around and compare coverage and discounts from multiple providers. If you live in a state where insurers can check your credit, maintaining a good credit score may help reduce your insurance premiums.

If you don't know how your credit stacks up, you can check your FICO^® Score^Θ with Experian for free anytime. You may also consider signing up for Experian Boost^®ø, which could improve your credit scores by adding eligible on-time utility, streaming service, insurance and rent payments to your Experian credit report.