By purchasing renters insurance, your possessions are covered against losses from fire or smoke, lightning, vandalism, theft, explosion, windstorm and water damage (not including floods). Your renters insurance also covers your responsibility to other people injured at your home or elsewhere by you, a family member or your pet and pays legal defense costs if you are taken to court. Renter's insurance covers your additional living expenses if you are unable to live in your apartment because of a fire or other covered peril. Most policies will reimburse you the difference between your additional living expenses and your normal living expenses but still may set limits as to the amount they will pay.

There are two types of renter's insurance policies you may purchase:

• Actual Cash Value - pays to replace your home or possessions minus a deduction for depreciation up to the limit of your policy
• Replacement Cost - pays the actual cost of replacing your home or possessions (no deduction for depreciation) up to the limit of your policy

With either policy, you may want to consider purchasing a floater. A standard renter's policy offers only limited coverage for items such as jewelry, silver, furs, etc. If you own property that exceeds these limits, it is recommended that you supplement your policy with a floater. A floater is a separate policy that provides additional insurance for your valuables and covers them for perils not included in your policy such as accidental loss.

A standard renters insurance policy includes 3 essential types of coverage:

• Coverage for your personal belongings.
• Liability protection.
• Additional living expenses in the event you are temporarily unable to live in your home because of a fire or other insured disaster. Please see the 'What It Covers' section for more details about coverage's offered.

About Renters Insurance

The following is an explanation of each of the four elements of a standard renters insurance policy:

1. Your personal belongings

   Your furniture, clothes, sports equipment and other personal items are covered if they are stolen or destroyed by fire, hurricane or other insured disaster. Standard coverage for personal belongings starts at $25,000, but can be increased depending on the amount of personal belongings and there value. The best way to determine the correct personal belongings coverage is to conduct a home inventory.

   Please note: Expensive items like jewelry, art, furs and silverware are covered, but there are usually dollar limits if they are stolen. Generally, you are covered for between $1,000 to $2,000 for all of your jewelry and furs. To insure these items to their full value, purchase a special personal property endorsement or floater and insure the item for its appraised value.

2. Liability protection

   This covers you against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage (other than professional or motor vehicle related liability) that you or family members cause to other people. It also pays for damage caused by your pets. So, if your son, daughter or dog accidentally ruins your neighbor's expensive rug, you are covered. However, if they destroy your rug, you are not covered.

   The liability portion of your policy pays for both the cost of defending you in court and any court awards up to the limit of your policy. You are also covered not just in your home, but anywhere in the world.

   Liability limits generally start at about $100,000. However, experts recommend that you purchase at least $300,000 worth of protection. Some people feel more comfortable with even more coverage. You can purchase an umbrella or excess liability policy which provides broader coverage, including claims against you for libel and slander, as well as higher liability limits. Generally, umbrella policies cost between $200 and $350 for $1 million of additional liability protection.

   Your policy also provides no-fault medical coverage. In the event a friend or neighbor is injured in your home, he or she can simply submit medical bills to your insurance company. This way, expenses are paid without their filing a liability claim against you. You can generally get $1,000 to $5,000 worth of this coverage. It does not, however, pay the medical bills for your family or your pet.

3. Additional living expenses

   This pays the additional costs of living away from home if you can't live there due to damage from a fire, storm or other insured disaster. It covers hotel bills, restaurant meals and other living expenses incurred while your home is being rebuilt. Coverage for additional living expenses differs from company to company. Many policies provide coverage for about 20% of the insurance on your house. You can increase this coverage, however, for an additional premium. Some companies sell a policy that provides an unlimited amount of loss-of-use coverage for a limited amount of time.

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