Does Your Renters’ Insurance Cover Personal Injury? A Frantz Law Group Guide

Understanding Your Renters’ Insurance Beyond Your Belongings

Imagine a random guest or a visitor slips on a wet floor in your apartment and sprains their wrist, or worse, your dog bites a delivery agent. Suddenly, you’re facing medical bills, potential legal action, and a lot of stress. That’s where renters’ insurance comes in.

A typical renter’s insurance policy, often an HO-4 form, primarily covers two things:

Despite the high risk potential and probability, only about 51% of U.S. renters carry renters’ insurance. That leaves nearly half of the tenants with no financial protection for liabilities or injuries, despite premiums averaging just around $170 per year.

Accidents, by nature, are unpredictable and can attract legal and financial complications. That’s why having the proper legal support becomes essential. Understanding your rights is crucial whether you’re the injured person or the renter facing a claim.

At Frantz Law Group, a nationally recognized personal injury law firm with over 120 years of combined experience, we help you navigate complex injury claims involving rental properties. From slip and falls to landlord negligence, we assist our clients on both sides of the equation.

In this article, we’ll cover what renters insurance does and doesn’t include when it comes to personal injury. We’ll break down the liability portion of your policy, explain what coverage applies in different scenarios, and show you how we can help you navigate a personal injury claim.

The Core Coverage: Personal Liability for Injuries to Others

Your renters’ insurance liability coverage is designed to protect you if someone else is injured or their property is damaged, and you’re deemed legally at fault.

Bodily Injury to Guests/Visitors

If a visitor is injured on your rented property and you’re found legally responsible—for instance, a guest slips on a spill you should have cleaned, or a delivery agent is bitten by your dog (if your policy covers that), or someone trips over clutter you left out—your renters’ liability can cover their medical bills and legal expenses, up to your policy’s limit.

Medical Payment to Others (No-Fault)

Many policies include small medical payments or MedPay provisions ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. This feature helps pay immediate medical costs like ambulance rides and ER visits regardless of fault, avoiding disputes and lawsuits for minor injuries.

Legal Defense Costs

If the injured guest decides to sue, your liability coverage often includes legal defense or settlement costs up to your policy limit. That legal protection can be just as critical as covering medical expenses.

Damage to Others’ Property

Liability coverage can also protect you if you accidentally harm someone else’s property. For example, if your kid throws a ball through your neighbor’s window or you damage a guest’s phone, your policy may pay for repairs or replacement.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, liability claims account for roughly 2.1% of total losses paid on home-related insurance claims, with average incurred losses around $26,175 per incident. Furthermore, bodily injury and property damage claims averaged nearly $31,690. This demonstrates how damaging, even ordinary accidents, can be to your finances if uninsured.

What Renters Insurance Typically Does NOT Cover for Personal Injury

Injuries to Yourself or Household Members

Renters’ liability coverage applies when someone who doesn’t live in your house is injured. It doesn’t cover injuries sustained by you, your family members, or roommates living under your roof.

For personal medical injuries, your health insurance takes precedence. If the injury stems from landlord neglect, say faulty or uneven stairs, the landlord’s insurance or liability policy may be responsible.

Injuries Caused by Deliberate Acts

Most policies exclude claims arising from intentional harm or criminal activity. That means your renters’ insurance won’t cover such an event if you intentionally injure someone or act maliciously. Liability coverage applies only to accidents, not deliberate actions.

Business-Related Injuries

Running a business from your rental property? Most standard renters’ policies won’t cover accidents involving clients or business associates. For injuries linked to home-based businesses, you’ll need a commercial general liability (CGL) policy for business insurance, not renters’ liability coverage.

Injuries from Car Accidents

Even if a vehicle-related injury occurs on your rental property’s driveway or parking lot, those incidents are typically handled via auto insurance, not renters’ insurance. Your renters’ policy won’t cover any injuries from car accidents.

Injuries due to Landlord’s Negligence or Property Structure

If an injury results from a structural defect, unsafe common area, or the landlord’s failure to maintain the property (like broken staircases or faulty railings), the landlord’s building liability policy shall cover the damages. 

If you or someone you know has been injured under such circumstances, our team of legal experts at Frantz Law Group can help you pursue a claim against the landlord’s insurer, not your own renters’ policy.

Exceeding Policy Limits

Renters’ liability insurance is typically capped at $100,000 or $300,000 to cover claims for third-party bodily injury or property damage. However, suppose medical or legal expenses exceed the limit. In that case, the policyholder is personally liable for the rest, unless you have an umbrella policy, which may cost up to $350 a year for an additional $1 million in coverage.

Guest medical payments (MedPay) are generally limited between $1,000 and $5,000 unless additional coverage is selected.

When to Contact Frantz Law Group for Personal Injury on Rental Property

If You’re the Injured Guest

If you were injured on someone else’s rental property, whether at a friend’s, family member (living under a separate roof), or landlord’s place, due to their negligence, we can assist you in pursuing a claim.

It may involve filing a claim against the property owner’s renters’ insurance or taking legal action if the landlord’s negligence is the cause. Our team of legal experts has deep experience in premises liability cases and can guide you through the process with clarity and compassion.

If You’re the Renter Facing a Claim or Lawsuit

Have a visitor or guest claiming injury in your home? First things first, notify your insurance provider immediately. If the injury exceeds your policy limits or if the liability is disputed, we can help you understand your obligations and even represent you, although typically, your insurance provider would select the counsel.

When You Suspect Your Landlord’s Negligence

If you, as a renter, are injured due to your landlord’s negligence, your renters’ insurance will not typically cover the damages.  However, at Frantz Law Group, we can help you evaluate liability under the premises liability doctrine.

In the case of Mann v. Northgate Investors, L.L.C., it was declared that landlords have a reasonable duty of care to tenants (and their guests) in common areas of the premises. If you have any such valid claims, we’ll help you pursue them through the landlord’s insurance or legal channels.

Understanding Your Policy’s Fine Print

Policies vary widely in liability limits and exclusions. We can review your renters’ policy, explain each provision, and advise whether any amendments, like higher liability limits or umbrella coverage, are appropriate for your situation.

Peace of Mind for Renters with Frantz Law Group

Renters’ insurance can be a robust financial safety net, especially when someone is injured on your property and you’re held legally responsible. Its personal liability coverage helps shield you from medical expenses, legal fees, and even damage to someone else’s property.

However, the coverage isn’t unlimited; it typically excludes:

That’s why understanding the technicalities and exemptions of your policy is just as important as having coverage. Knowing where your protection begins, and ends can help you make smart, lawful decisions and avoid hefty penalties or surprises.

If you or someone you know has been injured on a rental property, or if you’re a renter facing a claim, contact us for a free, confidential case review. You needn’t worry about upfront costs, if your claim is valid, we’ll advocate for you and you’ll only pay if we win or secure a judgment in your favor.