Utah landlord insurance protects your rental property and income from that property. Without the proper protection on your income property you could lose thousands of dollars from a major catastrophe. In UT homeowners know that if you don't like the weather just wait a few minutes and it will change. Storms in Utah often bring massive hail, wind and snow to the entire state quickly and without warning.
Salt Lake City and the surrounding suburbs are often on the national news for crazy snow storms in the winter and sprawling hail storms in the summer. If you own a rental property in Provo, Orem, Layton or Ogden it is necessary that you have landlord insurance.
This type of homeowners insurance will provide coverage for the building and its contents but more importantly it will protect the landlord against possible lawsuits from the tenants. Landlords stand a greater risk of a legal action since they are held responsible for the maintenance of a home where other people live. If someone is injured or their personal property is damaged due to the lack of maintenance it is the landlords issue.
Investment Property Insurance Deductible in UT
It is common in Utah for house insurance companies to require a minimum deductible level depending on where you live. This is more often found in hail or wind prone zip codes where insurance companies have to offset the higher cost of claims. Most of the time in these specific zip codes you will find a minimum wind & hail deductible on your policy of $1000. It is also becoming more common to find percentage deductibles in these bad weather areas.
Watch out for policies that have percentage deductibles such as 1% or 2% of the building coverage. This is essentially stating that you will pay 1% of the building coverage amount in the event of a loss. For example if the building coverage is $250,000 your deductible for a roof claim would be $2,500. While this type of deductible can save you hundreds of dollars each year on your insurance policy it may be difficult to pay that when you need to file a claim.
Cost of Landlord Insurance in Utah
The cost to insure your rental property in UT is dependent upon numerous rating factors that home insurance companies use to determine the proper premium. When you own a condo or townhouse the cost of landlord insurance is very minimal because usually you split that cost with the homeowners association which insurers the exterior of your unit. If you insure a single family home or rental complex then your insurance costs are going to be much higher due to the replacement cost of the building is solely your responsibility.
Here are a few of the most common rating factors that insurance companies use to determine your landlord insurance premium:
- Credit rating - This is your personal credit rating which is similar to a FICO score but can be based on other specific criteria such as payment history and bankruptcy.
- Location - The zip code or city that your rental unit is located in has a dramatic effect on your insurance premiums as companies who have big losses in those areas will increase rates to get profitable.
- Building type - This can be numerous things including condo, single family, and townhouse including the materials used to construct the property.
- Claim history - If you have one or more claims in the past 3 years as a homeowner most insurance companies will surcharge your premium. Some companies may not even accept your business if you have more than two.
- Discounts - If you have more business with an insurance carrier they are more likely to offer discounts to keep all of your business with them.
How to Find The Cheapest Landlord Insurance in UT
Each insurance company is different in the way they determine your rate and how much the average policy will cost but here are ways to ensure the lowest cost premium based on the factors above.
- Good Credit - The better your credit the lower the cost of your insurance. Many states are now allowing credit as a rating criteria so get used to it being used. Try to keep your past payment history spotless and a FICO score above 720 is considered excellent.
- Improve the Location - There is not much you can do about the location once you have purchased the rental property but be sure to keep the home well-kept and surrounding trees cut back to minimize potential hazards. The better your property appears the lower the cost to insure it will be.
- Building type - Condo and townhouse owners will likely have a home owners association which will cover the exterior of the home so you are only responsible for the interior. This can save you hundreds of dollars each year. If the unit includes custom building and expensive materials expect to pay more because the cost to replace those items is greater.
- No Claim history - Try not to make a claim if it is a small value of $2000 or less. Most companies look at multiple claims as a sign that you are prone to making claims in the future. If you are deciding whether to make a claim or not contact your insurance agent and ask them personally. Don't call the claim department and ask them because they are likely to document the call and file it for future use.
- More Discounts - Ask about multiple policy discounts and the combination of auto and home insurance. Sometimes combining your personal auto insurance with this policy can save you 20-30% off each policy.
Utah's 5 largest cities by population
City - Population
Salt Lake City 186,440
West Valley City 129,480
Provo 112,488
West Jordan 103,712
Orem 88,328
*Data from 2010 Census Population by the Department of Economic and Community Development.
Common Landlord Insurance Claims in Utah
Wind
(Most claims cost over $1,800 to repair wind damage)
Fire
(Most claims cost over $32,500 to repair damages from fire)
Water
(Most claims cost over $3,600 to repair damage from water)
Freezing Water
(Most claims cost over $5,100 to repair physical damages to property)
Dog Bite Liability
(Most claims cost over $14,700 to recoup liability damages)
NOTICE: The amounts listed above are for illustrative purposes only and should not be used to decide what coverage limits you need for your landlord policy. Speak with your insurance agent to determine the proper coverage limits.
