I Bought a Rental Property
A property someone else lives in needs a landlord policy, not a homeowners policy. It covers the building, your liability as the owner, and the rent you lose while the unit is unlivable after a covered loss. Tell us the address and the tenancy and we place it correctly.
In insurance since 1981 Independent agency CA Lic. 0606906
Why Won't a Homeowners Policy Work?
- 01
Occupancy is a policy term
The form is priced and underwritten for an owner-occupied home. Once a tenant moves in, a claim can be contested on that basis.
- 02
Lost rent is not on it
A homeowners policy pays your additional living expense, not the rental income a landlord policy replaces after a covered loss.
- 03
The liability is different
Owning property that other people live in is a different exposure than living in it yourself, and the policy reflects that.
- 04
Vacancy rules
Most policies limit coverage once a property sits empty past a stated period. That matters between tenants and during a renovation.
How Do I Insure a Property I Rent Out?
Move it to a landlord policy on or before the day the tenancy starts.
Send us the address, the unit count, when the tenancy begins, and whether it is a long-term lease or a short-term rental. Those answers decide the form. A single rented house is usually written on a dwelling form; small apartment buildings move to a commercial form past a certain unit count.
We also look at the pieces around it: your liability limit, whether an umbrella belongs over it, and lease language requiring your tenants to carry renters insurance. That last one keeps their belongings and their liability off your policy.
Tell us before the tenancy starts, not after. A carrier can contest a claim on a property it believed was owner-occupied.
What Sets the Premium on a Rental
The rebuild cost of the structure, its age, roof condition, and the systems inside it are the base of the rating, same as any property.
How the property is used matters just as much. Long-term tenancy, short-term rental activity, and vacancy periods are rated differently, and describing the use accurately is what keeps a claim clean.
Your deductible, your liability limit, and whether the property sits with the same carrier as your other policies are the levers you control.
Related Coverage and Reading
Straight answers, in their words.
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Rental Property — FAQ
Can I keep my homeowners policy if I move out and rent the house?
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Does my policy cover the tenant's belongings?
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What if I rent it out short term?
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Non-renewed, or having trouble finding coverage?
Send us the notice or tell us what's been declined. We read it with you, check the California-admitted carriers we represent for your address, and explain the FAIR Plan with a companion policy where that's the route — and what each does and does not cover.
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Talk to a licensed agent.
Call or send a note and tell us what you need covered. A licensed agent gets back to you — not a queue — with which carriers can write it, what the policy excludes, and what happens next.
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3910 Prospect Ave, Unit C, Yorba Linda, CA 92886
Last updated September 2026